Episode Description

In this episode of the Kindness Podcast, Nicole Phillips speaks with Kelly King, a male breast cancer survivor whose journey has reshaped his views on time, purpose, and kindness. Kelly shares his unique experience of being diagnosed through a DNA blood test, navigating treatment, and the ongoing challenges he faces post-cancer. He emphasizes the importance of community, kindness, and gratitude in overcoming adversity, and encourages others to reach out for support during difficult times.

About our guest: Kelley King

My Why Changed Everything. For over four decades, I’ve helped people build legacies—crafting estate and life insurance strategies to protect families and futures. But I’ve learned that money alone doesn’t lead to a meaningful retirement.

In 2023, that lesson became deeply personal. Through a new DNA blood test, I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer—despite feeling healthy and having no symptoms. That diagnosis changed how I viewed everything: my health, my time, my why. For me, the answer was clear—my family, especially my seven grandchildren. They are my anchor and my “why.”

After completing treatments, I became a co-founder of The Retirement Life, a program that prepares people for more than finances in retirement—focusing on values, relationships, faith, and purpose. My mission has grown from helping dads become better dads to helping men build lives of goodness, health, and vitality in every season.

I’ve served on the board of Youth for Christ for 17 years, completed the Prime Movers program, and am a Certified Kingdom Advisor. I live in Alexandria, Ohio, attend Jersey Church, and take great joy in watching my three grown children lead boldly in their churches and communities.

Purpose doesn’t end at retirement. In many ways, it begins.

Links and Resources

The Retirement Life https://www.theretirement.life/pages/home

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Retirement-Life-61558988862516/

Galleri early cancer detection test https://www.galleri.com

Kelley King Financial Services http://www.king-fs.com

Kelley’s male breast cancer story https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org/post/my-male-breast-cancer-story

John Hancock feature Early detection, lifelong impact

John Hancock podcast episode https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/our-why-with-kelley-king-the-value

What does kindness look like when we learn to train our minds instead of being controlled by them?

In this thoughtful conversation, Nicole sits down with Shashin Surkund, a technology leader who has spent his career building data and AI systems that shape how people experience products and services. But after a deeply personal life event, Shashin turned that same curiosity inward and began asking a different question: what if we trained our minds the way we train AI?

That question became the foundation for a powerful new way of thinking.

Shashin has spent the last decade raising awareness around mental health and helping people build lives rooted in gratitude, trust, and a more supportive inner voice. In his TEDx talk, he introduced the world to the idea of “inner ChatGPT,” a way of befriending the mind by being more intentional about what we feed it. In his world, GPT means something a little different: Gratitude and Positive Thoughts.

Together, Nicole and Shashin talk about mental spirals, self-talk, positivity, and the quiet but powerful practice of being kinder to ourselves. They explore what it means to interrupt negative patterns, why small consistent messages matter, and how we can begin building an inner voice we actually trust.

This episode is a reminder that kindness is not only something we offer to others. It is also something we practice in the way we speak to ourselves.

About Shashin Surkund:

Shashin Surkund is a seasoned technology professional who works for a leading financial organization and has spent much of his career enabling data platforms where analytics and AI are used at scale to create better products, services, and customer experiences.

A personal life event led him to discover a deeper purpose: raising awareness around mental health. For the past decade, he has dedicated himself to fostering a culture of gratitude, trust, and positivity in both his personal and professional life.

In November, Shashin introduced his best friend, POSH, short for Positive Shashin, on the TEDx stage. Through vulnerability and insight, he shared an innovative approach to mental wellness by encouraging people to treat their minds like AI language models and train them like their own inner ChatGPT. In his framework, GPT stands for Gratitude and Positive Thoughts.

To kickstart each day, Shashin sends a simple email with a few uplifting thoughts to thousands of people in his organization. He calls it Daily Dose of Positivity, or DDOP.

His story and openness have deeply resonated with others, earning him an unofficial but meaningful title from colleagues: Chief Happiness Officer.

Connect with Shashin:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shashin-surkund-4288a7

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innerchatgpt

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18SshKoJu3/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Watch or read more: TEDx: Harness Your Inner ChatGPT https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/harness-your-inner-chatgpt-shashin-surkund-cdake https://youtu.be/BsZg2y9XCQ4?si=hn8tdHVBhXtyDcfu

Episode Description:

In this honest conversation, Nicole sits down with Asha Miller, breast cancer survivor, vitiligo advocate, storyteller, and founder of Asha Miller Creative. Diagnosed with stage 3B aggressive breast cancer at just 33, Asha shares how that experience reshaped not only her health, but her sense of self, her voice, her faith, and her understanding of what it means to live fully in the body she has now.

Together, they talk about visible difference, truth telling, motherhood, healing, community, and the courage it takes to stay open when life gets hard. Asha’s story is powerful, grounded, and deeply human. This episode is for anyone navigating illness, identity shifts, or the quiet work of learning to be kind to yourself in a life you did not plan.

In this episode, we talk about: • What life looked like before Asha’s breast cancer diagnosis at 33 • How cancer impacted her identity, not just her body • What it means to live fully in the body you have now • How vitiligo shaped her relationship with visibility and self acceptance • Why telling the truth matters more than telling the polished version.

Why this conversation matters Asha reminds us that kindness is not denial. It is not pretending everything is fine. It is honesty. It is tenderness. It is learning to stay with yourself, even when your body feels unfamiliar and your life has taken a turn you never asked for.

Her story offers hope without sugarcoating. Truth without performance. And a powerful reminder that healing is rarely neat, but it can still be meaningful.

About Asha Miller Asha Miller is a breast cancer veteran, vitiligo advocate, storyteller, and consultant based in Columbus, Ohio. Diagnosed with stage 3B aggressive breast cancer at 33, she transformed her diagnosis into a life rooted in advocacy, truth telling, and building community. She is the founder of Asha Miller Creative and the voice behind Dear Cancer, It’s Me, where she creates space for honest conversations about identity, healing, faith, visible difference, and what it means to live fully in the body you have now. Through writing, speaking, and storytelling initiatives with hospitals and national organizations, Asha helps people reclaim their voice and push back darkness with love. At the heart of everything she does are her two children, who remind her daily that kindness begins at home, in the smallest moments, and in the courage to stay tender even when life has been anything but.

Connect with Asha:

Instagram: @dearcancer_itsme

Everyday Health contributor page: Asha Dee Miller

Linktree: Dear Cancer, It’s Me

Outro If this conversation meant something to you, share it with someone who might need it too. And if you’re walking through something hard right now, you’re not alone in it.

And remember, what you look for is what you’ll see.

Episode Summary What if getting older didn’t mean fading into the background… but stepping more fully into who you are?

In this episode, Nicole sits down with Gaylynn Baker, actor, director, writer, and the vibrant force behind Mabel from Retirement House. With over 30 years in the industry, Gaylynn is not slowing down. She is expanding, creating, and showing up in bold, joyful ways that challenge everything we’ve been taught about aging.

Together, they explore what it means to stay visible, embrace reinvention, and practice kindness toward yourself in every season of life.

At the center of the conversation is a powerful question: What does kindness look like when you refuse to disappear as you age?

What You’ll Hear in This Episode

• Why aging does not have to mean becoming less
• What it really looks like to “embrace aging without getting old”
• How Gaylynn continues to show up creatively and visibly in this season
• Lessons from playing Mabel in Retirement House and why humor matters
• A powerful reminder for anyone who feels invisible or unsure of their place

About Gaylynn Baker: Gaylynn Baker is an actor, director, writer, and storyteller with more than three decades of experience across film, television, and stage. She is widely known for her role as Mabel in the viral comedy Retirement House, which has built a global audience of over 10 million followers and more than 5 billion views.

She is also the creator of three award winning documentaries, including We Know Not What We Do, The Trail of Painted Ponies (PBS), and When Buffalo Roam. Her work has earned multiple honors, including the Accolade Humanitarian Award and Best Woman Director at the White Sands Film Festival.

Gaylynn is the author of Gifts of Gratitude and continues to create content centered on joy, spirituality, and living a daring, visible life. She currently connects with audiences through livestreams and social media, where she encourages people to embrace aging with humor, depth, and presence.

Connect with Gaylynn

Website: https://gaylynnbakerofficial.com

TikTok: @gaylynnbakerofficial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gaylynnbakerofficial/

Retirement House IG: https://www.instagram.com/retirementhouse/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabethgaylynn.baker

Final Thought Aging is not about shrinking. It is about expanding into who you really are.

If you’ve been feeling invisible, consider this your reminder. You still get to show up. You still get to create. You still get to be seen.

And remember, what you look for is what you’ll see.

What Does Kindness Look Like When We Treat Our Body as a Friend with Camellia Jade

In this episode of The Kindness Podcast, I’m joined by Camellia Jade, a creative visionary helping women build confidence, community, and a healthier relationship with their bodies. Through fashion, vulnerability, and a lot of courage online, Camellia has turned style into a vehicle for self love. She is the founder of Confidera, a speaker, and the creator of events that invite women to show up fully as themselves.

We talk about the difference between visibility and validation. How stepping on camera can expose old wounds. And why so many women feel isolated inside bodies they live in every day. Camellia shares what viral attention did to her mental health, how burnout showed up physically, and what healing body dysmorphia taught her about kindness toward herself.

This is a conversation about more than clothes. It is about identity, safety, and the quiet courage it takes to be seen. It is about building circles of women who choose honesty over performance and connection over comparison.

Big question this episode explores: What does kindness look like when we treat our body as a friend instead of a project?

In this episode, we talk about: • How Camellia describes her work to someone meeting her for the first time • When fashion became a doorway to deeper healing • The hidden problem she sees women struggling with • Lessons from stepping into public visibility • Viral fame and its impact on mental health • Why social media can turn toxic and how she navigates it • Body image, vulnerability, and practicing self kindness • Healing body dysmorphia in a public space • What victory in vulnerability actually looks like • One kind thing women can do for themselves today

About Camellia Jade

Camellia Jade is a Creative Visionary for Confidence and Community dedicated to helping women look good, feel good, and live boldly. As Founder and CEO of Confidera, she designs clothing that blends style, comfort, and purpose. She also creates empowering events that celebrate movement, connection, and self expression.

A sought after speaker, Camellia inspires audiences to embrace their unique style, own their story, and build communities where confidence thrives.

Website: www.camelliajade.com Instagram: @camellia_jade

Thank you for listening to The Kindness Podcast.

If this episode made you think of someone who could use a little encouragement, share it with them.

And remember, what we look for is what we will see.

Finding the Eye of the Storm with Richard Greene

In this episode of The Kindness Podcast, I’m joined by Richard Greene, author of Finding the Eye of the Storm. After a near death experience, Richard returned with a new way of seeing the world. Less separation. Less urgency to be right. More awareness of how we treat each other in ordinary moments.

We talk about what it means to live from the “eye of the storm.” A place of calm, clarity, and presence even when life feels chaotic. Richard shares how this experience shaped the five pillars he now lives by and how curiosity and humility can completely change the tone of hard conversations.

This is a conversation about kindness that goes deeper than being nice. It is about being awake. Paying attention. Choosing connection.

Big question this episode explores: What does kindness look like when you have seen the end and come back more awake to the beginning?

In this episode, we talk about: • Growing up feeling both the biggest and the smallest • Richard’s near death experience and how it changed his life • What “the eye of the storm” really means • The five pillars he now lives by • How curiosity and humility shift difficult conversations • Kindness as awareness, not performance • One small shift that can change how you move through the world • A favorite kindness story

About Richard Greene (He/Him)

Richard Greene is an author, speaker, and seasoned business leader who helps organizations create lasting success with a strong human foundation. He is CEO of Clarus Advisors, where he supports mission driven organizations through mindful leadership, cultural alignment, and clear strategy.

He has held executive roles at Bank of America, the U.S. Soybean Export Council, and served as Executive Director of the NC Craft Brewers Guild. His work blends strategy, emotional intelligence, and presence.

Richard is the author of Building Value: The 5 Keys for Achieving Success and Finding the Eye of the Storm, a memoir and reflection on life, loss, and resilience.

He grew up in New Jersey, earned his BA from the University of Florida, and has lived in several states across the country.

Get the book: Finding the Eye of the Storm

Purchase at a discounted price here: https://shop.ingramspark.com/b/084?params=PTvA0Y4X5dz5ti9cHTlVYYdxi16zi3am4V7ZpW4KGv4

Thank you for listening to The Kindness Podcast.

If this episode made you think of someone who could use a little encouragement, share it with them.

And remember, what we look for is what we will see.

Episode Description

What if kindness wasn’t soft at all, but one of the most powerful biological forces we have?

In this episode of The Kindness Podcast, Nicole Phillips talks with David R. Hamilton, a former pharmaceutical scientist and one of the world’s leading researchers on the science of kindness.

Dr. Hamilton explains why kindness is literally wired into our genes, how it counteracts stress at a physiological level, and why genuine kindness changes inflammation, immunity, aging, and mental health. They also talk about why “being nice” out of duty does not count, why kindness has real teeth, and how small moments of compassion can ripple out to change lives we will never meet.

This conversation is honest, science-backed, and deeply human.

Show Notes

Guest: Dr. David R. Hamilton Author of 12 books including The Joy of Actually Giving an F*ck Former pharmaceutical scientist turned kindness researcher Based in Scotland, UK

What We Cover

• Why calling someone a “kindness expert” can feel uncomfortable • How Dr. Hamilton’s work in pharmaceuticals led him to study kindness • The placebo effect and why kindness is a mind-body phenomenon • What actually counts as kindness and what does not • Why duty-based kindness gives no benefit to the giver • “Nature’s Catch-22” and why kindness has to be genuine • How kindness directly reduces stress, blood pressure, and inflammation • The link between kindness and slower cellular aging • Why kindness is the true physiological opposite of stress • A powerful personal story about compassion at the exact right moment • What to do when life feels too heavy to be kind • The ripple effect of kindness and how one small act can impact over 100 people

Key Takeaways

• Kindness is not weak. It is biologically powerful. • The benefits only happen when kindness is real. • You don’t need grand gestures. Small moments matter. • You are already creating ripple effects, whether you see them or not. • Kindness changes the quality of other people’s days, and your own body.

Memorable Quotes

“Physiologically speaking, the opposite of stress is kindness.”

“You only get the benefits of kindness if you mean it.”

“Kindness has teeth. Powerful teeth.”

“You are setting waves in motion that reach people you will never meet.”

Resources

Dr. David Hamilton’s website: https://drdavidhamilton.com

Better You Backed By Science vlog: https://www.youtube.com/@davidrhamiltonphd

Sign up for weekly science-backed kindness emails and check out his books!

Dr. David Hamilton's latest online course (Why Woo Woo Works) starts in January. Sign up here: https://drdavidhamilton.com/online-courses/

***A quick heads up. The audio quality in this episode isn’t perfect. We’ve corrected the issue moving forward and chose to share this conversation anyway because Jess’s perspective is too valuable to miss.

Season 7, Episode 5

• Mic Drop Bootcamp Registration is open now. Bootcamp begins January 16.

• New book coming May 2026 Making It Without Losing It How to Stay Motivated in a World Where We Are Never Done https://a.co/d/0CeFDJg

• Free weekly Hype Text Text HYPE to 704-228-9495

Question: What does kindness look like when women encourage women?

Nicole Phillips sits down with Jess Ekstrom for a real conversation about women supporting women without competition, comparison, or performative cheerleading. This episode is about what encouragement actually looks like in practice and why it matters.

What we talk about

• Encouragement that builds confidence instead of pressure • Turning frustration into meaningful ideas • Why optimism is a strategy, not a mood • Helping more women step onto stages • Staying motivated when the work never feels finished

About Jess

Jess is the founder of Headbands of Hope and Mic Drop Workshop. She is a two time bestselling author, Forbes Top Rated Speaker, investor in women owned businesses, and mom.

She launched Headbands of Hope with a $300 grant and has since donated millions of headbands to children facing illness, reaching every children’s hospital in the U.S. and 22 countries. The brand is now the official headband provider for the NBA and WNBA and is sold in Kohl’s nationwide.

Jess founded Mic Drop Workshop to help more women share their message as public speakers and authors. Her work has been featured on the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Forbes, Vanity Fair, and People Magazine.

Books

• Chasing the Bright Side • Create Your Bright Ideas • Making It Without Losing It coming May 2026

Ways to connect with Jess

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/jess_ekstrom • Facebook: www.facebook.com/jessekstrom • X: www.twitter.com/jess_ekstrom • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessekstrom • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-ekstrom-59160342/

Key takeaways

• Women lift each other by being specific and generous • Relatability builds trust faster than polish • Purpose grows when your work connects to others • Kindness shows up in action, not just intention

Listen to The Kindness Podcast wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube.

The Kindness Podcast

Episode Overview:

In this episode, Nicole talks with Dr. Caitlin Ryan about what real support looks like for families with an LGBTQ child. Dr. Ryan has spent decades listening to young people and their caregivers, and she brings a clear, grounded view of what helps and what harms.

They focus on the work of the Family Acceptance Project, which has shown how everyday family behaviors strongly influence a child’s health, safety and sense of belonging. Nicole and Dr. Ryan talk about why small relational shifts matter so much, why families sometimes react in painful ways without meaning to, and how practical guidance can change outcomes for both kids and parents.

A key part of the conversation explores the tension families feel when faith or cultural beliefs seem at odds with their child’s identity. Dr. Ryan shares how she has seen families honor those beliefs while still choosing understanding, curiosity and love, and how that choice often opens the door to healing.

The episode returns to one guiding question. What does kindness look like for families who want to support their LGBTQ child? Dr. Ryan offers simple, realistic steps that bring the answer within reach.

Our guest is LGBTQ expert, Dr. Caitlin Ryan.

Caitlin Ryan, PhD, ACSW is a clinical social worker, educator and researcher who has worked on LGBTQ health and mental health since the the 1970s and whose work on LGBTQ health has shaped policy and practice for LGBTQ children and youth. She directs the Family Acceptance Project® (FAP) at San Francisco State University – a research, education, intervention and policy project – to help ethnically, racially and religiously diverse families to support their LGBTQ children. Dr. Ryan and her team conducted the first research on LGBTQ youth and families and developed the first evidence-based family support model to help diverse families and caregivers to prevent health risks and to promote well-being for LGBTQ children and youth in the context of their families, cultures and faith traditions. Dr. Ryan’s work has been recognized by national professional groups in the fields of counseling, medicine, nursing, psychiatry, psychology and social work, and from civic, LGBTQ, advocacy, arts and faith-based groups. This includes recognition for her work by the American Psychological Association’s Division 44 that gave her the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award for groundbreaking research on LGBTQ youth and families, by the American Psychiatric Association and by the Human Rights Campaign for lifetime contributions to well-being for LGBTQ youth. Dr. Ryan is implementing FAP’s trauma-informed family support model across systems of care and has trained more than 130,000 families, providers, religious leaders and youth on FAP’s family support approach across the U.S. and in other countries. She works with organizations, faith communities, families and providers to integrate FAP’s family-based support model to build healthy futures for LGBTQ children, youth and young adults across disciplines, services and systems.

https://lgbtqfamilyacceptance.org

https://familyproject.sfsu.edu

Behaviors that help/behaviors that hurt posters: https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/posters

https://familyproject.sfsu.edu/publications

In Season 7, Episode 3 of The Kindness Podcast, Nicole talks with Adam Schluter.

Together, they answer the questions: What does kindness look like when we're talking to strangers? and What does kindness look like when we're trying to connect in a world that feels disconnected?

Our guest, Adam Schluter has spent over eight years independently exploring the dying art of genuine human connection – unfunded. It’s not a trick or special skill—he’s an artist, not a psychologist—driven by the intrinsic value of something he believes the world is losing. He’s been published multiple times in National Geographic and given a TEDx talk on it (below) so his spontaneous and intuitive approach belies the emotional intelligence required to actually do what he does so naturally. Adam’s lens on life is both curious and compelling. However, it’s his ability to hold space for others in a way that enables people to candidly share their own perspectives with us that is so powerful. In listening radically to each other in a respectful and undivided space people are able to share their beautiful, humanising vulnerability and wisdom with us. In capturing this seemingly dying art of genuine connection, we aim to celebrate something we all need as humans – real, face-to-face community.

Be sure to check out these links:

• To the whole project: hellofromastranger.com
• For the Monday Night Dinners: https://www.hellofromastranger.com/monday-night-dinner
  • The trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPT4qlo-PZ0

The documentary on the whole project: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W72niMR2Dwo&t=4s