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November/December 2007 NW Newsmakers
Five Acts of Kindness in Five Minutes

Alexandra Tinsman of Issaquah, Washington spent one year trying out random acts of kindness and discovered that the most rewarding acts were the simplest gestures. Her experiences became the inspiration for Angel Quest - The Random Acts of Kindness Cards.

Got five minutes? Use the following tips from Tinsman and take part in National Kindness Week on Nov. 12-18. Visit www.angelquest.com for more simple kindness ideas.

1. Size doesn't matter, but action does.
   Acts of kindness, both big and small, can help change the way you perceive the world and how others experience it. Try this: Smile at a stranger. It takes one-sixth of a second to recognize someone's facial expression, meaning you have the power to brighten someone's day in under a second.
2. Stay connected.
   Look around you right now until your eye falls on a letter of the alphabet. Then look in your address book or cell phone for someone close to you whose name starts with that letter. Call that person right now and tell that person how much he or she means to you. There is no gift that you could buy that would have more impact that to let someone know how much you appreciate them.
3. You are the cornerstone of your community.
   Pick up the first piece of litter that you find and throw it away. The parks your kids play in. The stores where you shop. The sidewalks that you stroll. The street corners that you cross. This is your community and you have the power to change the way your neighborhood operates just by keeping your environment clean, safe and open to everyone in it.
4. First and foremost.
   Put others first and you'll be surprised at how it changes your mood and how you interact with others around you. Be it in a grocery store, while driving, at the post office, standing in line or even at a local coffee shop - it is an instant pick me up to allow someone a few extra moments of your time.
5. You always have a choice.
   You can't always choose what will happen to you, but you can choose how you will respond to it. Make the conscious choice to be happy. Research indicates that people who are happy experience much of the same events as those who are unhappy. The difference is attitude and perception. Despite what life brings, you can make a significant difference in your life and the lives of others by choosing to focus on the positive.