Spectrum

Nicole J. Phillips once had a personal life in turmoil until she discovered the gift of giving kindness to others and to herself. Outwardly, she appeared to have it all: a prominent and loving husband, three beautiful children, and a job as a television news anchor. It was a life that most people would only dream about and fight to get. Yet, Nicole was “miserable.” She was depressed and engaged in self-destructive behaviors that drew her away from her marriage and her family. In addition, she carried resentments from her tortured childhood and “venom” towards her mom who Nicole thought abandoned her as a child. However, one day about seven years ago, Nicole committed a random act of kindness towards another young woman and felt an exhilaration that she had never experienced before. She wanted to replicate that feeling and knew that if she could, it would change her life. Nicole started performing other acts of kindness and began writing a weekly syndicated newspaper column about “kindness.” She began using