Author: nicole

I love it when people ask my husband, “Is your wife really as kind as she seems?”

It’s a very sweet question, but the real reason I love it is because it always puts my husband on the spot. It’s a Catch-22.

If he says, “No, she’s not really that nice,” then he looks like a guy who should be writing a ... Read More


My son spilled his entire bowl of cereal today.

He was supposed to be sitting at the table eating his breakfast. Instead, like a typical 3-year-old, he was bouncing around in his chair and trying to see if he could balance his spoon on the edge of the bowl. The next thing you know, Lucky Charms are flying through the air.

It ... Read More


I have got to get better at remembering names. For that matter, I also need to get better at remembering faces.

I can meet someone, have a really interesting 20-minute conversation and then have no recollection of ever having met the person when I see them the next day at the grocery store.

I have tried to increase my brain power with ... Read More


I love stories of serendipitous kindness.

Those times when someone calls just when you need to talk, a friend delivers a book that contains the exact words you need to hear, or a stranger delivers a compliment at the precise moment you need it most.

This has happened hundreds of times in my life, but one time stands out from the rest. ... Read More


I don’t remember when I first heard the word “integrity,” but I remember hearing it, and for a long time, only having a vague idea of the meaning.

Merriam-Webster has three definitions for Integrity:

E Firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values.

E An unimpaired condition.

E The quality or state of being complete or undivided.

Those definitions seem a bit ... Read More


When I started writing this column, I was excited to hear from the people of Fargo-Moorhead. I had a hunch there were beautiful acts of kindness happening all around me, but I wasn’t quite sure how to find them. So, I put out a call for help. I asked readers to send me their stories of kindness, and I prayed. ... Read More


If I could change one thing about myself, I would be a better mom.

I never seem to have quite enough patience to ride the tide of mischief that is inevitable with three children. The laundry and the dishes always seem to call out the loudest just when my kids want to snuggle or tell me a story about their day.

I ... Read More


I have been trying really hard to become a better person, but I think I’ve reached a plateau.

I am now to the point where I can control my actions, but I’m having a hard time controlling my thoughts. For example, I will see trash on the sidewalk and stop and pick it up, because I know if I don’t someone ... Read More


Sunshine! Warm (well, warmer) temperatures!

It’s amazing how my mood fluctuates with the weather forecast.

I have been sitting under a gray cloud for far too long, and it’s making me crabby. No amount of bottled Vitamin D can do what Mother Nature does. I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time for an attitude adjustment. I need spring, and ... Read More


Everyone makes the choices they make for a reason.

You work at your job because you either love it or you need to get paid. You commit random acts of kindness because you want to make the world a better place or you hope karma will pay you back.

I write this column for two reasons. One, I have a life mission ... Read More