In this episode of Mom to MORE®, host Sharon Macey chats with Natalie Silverstein, a powerhouse in the world of service, philanthropy, and family engagement.
Natalie is an author, speaker, nonprofit founder, and advocate for youth and family service. She wrote Simple Acts: The Busy Family's Guide to Giving Back and The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference, both of which provide practical ways for families to incorporate service into their lives. She is also the host of the award-winning podcast Simple Acts, Big Impact, where she celebrates young changemakers.
Natalie shares her journey from public health to full-time motherhood, discovering her passion for youth-focused philanthropy along the way. She opens up about the challenges of stepping away from her career, the impact of raising compassionate children through volunteering, and how small steps in service and reinvention can lead to life-changing outcomes. She also discusses her family’s experience with her husband's early-onset Parkinson’s diagnosis and how they transformed it into a mission for advocacy and scientific advancement.
Tune in for an inspiring conversation on following your passions, raising service-minded children, and taking that first leap toward your “more.”
[00:00] Introduction
[01:40] Natalie’s background and transition to full-time motherhood
[05:09] Feeling lost after stepping away from a career
[07:40] The power of volunteering and modeling service for children
[10:44] Creating a community resource for family-friendly service opportunities
[13:53] Essential mom skills that translate to leadership and nonprofit work
[19:03] The science behind the “helper’s high” and why giving back feels good
[22:38] Taking risks and why you miss 100% of the chances you don’t take
[30:17] Turning a family challenge into a mission
[34:33] The power of kindness and giving yourself and others grace
Meet My Guest Natalie Silverstein:
Website: SimpleActsGuide.com
Instagram + Facebook: @SimpleActsGuide
Natalie’s books:
Simple Acts, The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back: https://go.sylikes.com/eYqgiveIvSnb
Simple Acts, The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making A Difference: https://go.sylikes.com/eYqgiFRZsNHy
Looking for More? Follow @momtomore on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
@Sharon Macey on LinkedIn.
Keep an eye out for episode #34 of the Mom to MORE® podcast where Sharon is joined by Jennifer Rawlings, comedian, award-winning writer, filmmaker and mom of 5. Coming soon - you won’t want to miss it ♥
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