When I saw these post-it notes, I found myself nodding and saying yes and wondering which one I should print out. Where do I most need the encouragement?

Is it this?

Or maybe this?

I couldn’t help but email compulsive doodler and optimist, CP.Writer, and ask if he’d be so kind to answer my (modified) “tagged: kindness” questions. His reply: “I’d like that very much, please.” I like it very much, too.

1. How did you come up with the idea for this project?

I started this in mid-January when the noise about the recession was at its loudest. Everything – the news, the talk – was really negative. I started this project to cheer myself and people around me up.

2. Do you feel like leaving these post-it-notes around are good deeds?

I think it has some positive effect. People who’ve found the post-it notes have told me that in small ways. People also leave comments on the blog and on the Facebook page.

3. What one of the tips do you forget the most or which one do you feel like you do the best?

Ha, I forget most of them! That’s why I need to remind myself.

4. What color best captures kindness to you?

Van Gogh thought that yellow represents friendship. I agree.

6. Can you sum up your best intentions with one word?

Love.

"kindness, grace, compassion" by Twojangles

Isn’t tea great? Calming. Smells good. And then there’s the little bits of wisdom that come along for the ride. Like this one captured by the Midwest’s own Twojangles, tea drinker and photographer extraordinaire.

She kindly agreed to answer my 5 questions – over a cup of chamomile, no doubt.

1. What caught your eye that made you stop and take this picture?

The photo is part of my daily inspiration photo project. Each day I challenge myself to capture a moment or element that inspires me, and this certainly does. I really love the sentiment.

2) Pick a color for kindness:

Orange.

3) What’s your favorite way to be nice?

I think for me, it’s about taking the time to really pay attention to and connect with others.

4) Who is your kindness hero?

Without question, my parents.

5) Pick one word to describe your best intentions:

Heart.

"Metta" by Laineybugger

Metta meditation is beautiful. It’s about using simple phrases to shower well wishes on everyone you know, and everyone you don’t know. It’s about gratitude. And connection. When I saw this photo on Flickr I knew I wanted to include it here because Altrooist is about gratitude and connection, too.

The bracelet above holds this version of the phrases:

• May all beings be peaceful.
• May all beings be happy.
• May all beings be safe.
• May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.
• May all beings be free.

The photo was taken by Elaina, a lovely woman who lives in Middleville, MI. I sent her my five questions and she replied right away and with a big “ABSOLUTELY!!!!!!!!!!!!” which made me happy.

1. What caught your eye that made you stop and take this picture?

The meaning of the gift. Metta is a beautiful thing and I wanted to share that feeling with others. The Metta bracelet was a wonderful gift from a dear friend.

2. Pick a color for kindness:

I would say Pink is a good color for kindness, it makes me think of the heart.

3. What’s your favorite way to be nice?

My favorite way to be nice is to have patience, it is something I have had to work on. I hope to teach my children kindness and patience by practicing it every day.

4. Who is your kindness hero?

My kindness hero is my husband. He sacrificed everything for his children and reminds me of what is most important.

5. Pick one word to describe your best intentions:

Love

"Be Kind" by Slight Clutter

Remember how I love Flickr? Here is another beautiful photo taken by a very talented photographer. This time it’s Slight Clutter, a professional photographer in Houston, TX. Her work is truly amazing. She has a couple deer photos that I could gaze at for days and days.

She was kind enough to respond to my request and below are her answers to my 5 questions.

1. What caught your eye that made you stop and take this picture?

I was walking around Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, enjoying a sunny day and looking for interesting things to photograph. I noticed this cluster of about six or seven trees showered in absolutely gorgeous light. I made my way about the “tree colony” in search of a unique compositional perspective, and it was at this time that I noticed that someone had written “Be Kind” on the trunk of one of my subjects. As someone who values kindness above all else in the grand human experiment, I was compelled to photograph the wise admonishment/suggestion/order. Interestingly enough, I had mixed feelings about the defacing of the gorgeous and giving tree. Ultimately, however, I figured that the tree didn’t mind…this once.

2. Pick a color for kindness:

Despite being the subject of frequent symbolism-based character assassinations (greed and envy come to mind), green is the color I’d pick for kindness. Something about the generosity of nature — the cool green grass between summer toes, the protective green canopy during April showers — yep, green is a naturally kind-hearted color.

3. What’s your favorite way to be nice?

This is a hard one…so many great ways to be nice — a simple smile, a kind word, a timely hug…all go a long way. One of my favorite ways to be kind other than the usual suspects is to “see” people who, for the most part, walk among us unseen.

4. Who is your kindness hero?

My mom.

5. Pick one word to describe your best intentions:

Ongoing.

"My Fortune to you" by Ashley E. Meadows

I love Flickr. The many awe-inspiring photos and the people who take them. The abundance of clever captions. The endless supply of kitten pics. And this: a tag search for “kindness” produced pages and pages of search results that made my heart swell.

I quickly favorited a handful and started e-mailing the shutter-flies behind them asking for an interview. Sending short emails with brief explanations of Altrooist and what we hope to do — happily I got lots of yeses.  And here is the first.

The photo above was taken by Ashley E. Meadows. Here are her answers to my 5 questions:

1. What caught your eye that made you stop and take this picture?

I always loved getting fortune cookies and this one in particular caught my eye because of the saying. One of those “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”…spread kindness to one and hopefully it will trickle to everyone around you.

2. Pick a color for kindness:

Peach

3. What’s your favorite way to be nice?

Surprising someone you know who is down or who just needs a pick me up with their favorite drink from Starbucks or a card and flowers.

4. Who is your kindness hero?

Mother Teresa. She was so inspiring.

5. Pick one word to describe your best intentions:

Faithful