Happy Tuesday to you, and welcome back to another edition of Positive DONUT. How I feel each week right before knowing we're about to hit your inbox: 

Today's edition is full of inspiring grad stories, exciting environmental news, and a special spotlight on Mental Health Awareness Month.

Let me know which stories and sections are your favorites. I love hearing from you! 

Have a fantastic rest of your week🥰.

- Kailyn

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today's newsletter should take ~3.11 minutes to read.

P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

I release my worries. I deserve to feel good, and I am worthy.

Beth Christensen is good friends with her neighbors. As part of the Claridge Court living community, she gets to attend all of the events in the housing complex, including yoga, volleyball, community dinners, and more. 

... Did I mention she's the youngest one there by 50 years? 

Beth is part of the intergenerational programming initiative at Claridge Court Senior Home, which partners with the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory to mingle students and seniors. A collaborative piano performance major, Beth lives in the senior home in exchange for music concerts, which she performs for the residents regularly. 

• Beth is encouraged to immerse herself in the community, and she's become close friends with many of the residents – most of whom are over five decades her senior. 
• “I’m just part of the community, and it’s awesome,” Beth said. “There’s a lot of special connections I’ve made. My friend Pat was an educator, and I’m a piano teacher. She has great ideas about how to help kids who are struggling, and I can always ask her advice. We do puzzles together, take walks and go to dinner. I tell her about shows I’m watching. She’s been a great friend, and she’s just one example. I feel so nurtured by these friendships.”

Play that funky music

When Beth first started playing at the senior home, she stuck to more traditional tunes and classical music. Now that she's gotten to know many of the residents, she feels more comfortable branching out and playing modern music 

“It’s really fun to have a relationship with your audience as a performer,” shared Beth of playing for her neighbors. "It’s fun to be able to ask what kind of music people want to hear and work it into my repertoire."

❤️ Bottom line: More than anything, Beth is grateful for the connections she's made at her home in the senior community – all while pursuing her passion. 

• “Music is such a connecting force. It bridges the divisions that exist between people,” she shared with UMKC Today. “Having the opportunity to make connections with a community that’s several generations older than me has been so special. These connections don’t make our differences go away, but it helps us really appreciate each other. It’s been such a beautiful experience.”

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👆 More than half a century ago, Daniel Kozmetsky's grandparents founded a cattle ranch on 1,500 rolling acres near Hamilton Pool, Texas. 

When developers started to take notice of the land, they offered Daniel millions to buy it and develop new property builds.

• But, after considering their offer, the Texan looked at the rolling green hills overlooking his family's home and graciously declined. 
• Instead, he decided to turn it into a massive public park. 

If Yellowstone's John Dutton was for the people... Travis County officials are using funds from the Proposition B Parks Bond Measure to purchase the 1,507-acre parcel where a subdivision was once planned. Hikers will be able to enjoy gorgeous trails, explore natural creeks, and more, keeping nature, well, natural, and free of the new developments. 

🏞👀 Looking ahead... RGK Ranch is on target to open to the public in 2025 or 2026. 

🐢 Conservation win... Bangladesh has seen its highest-ever number of olive ridley turtle eggs this year, thanks to extensive conservation actions. Part of the country's efforts included building awareness among local people to ensure favorable conditions for the species.

🫂 One brave mama... Kelly Spill was only 28 when she was diagnosed with Stage 3 colorectal cancer. Fearing a loss in fertility if she underwent traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatments, she opted for an experimental drug trial – and it worked. She recently welcomed her second child. 

🥲 Who's chopping onions... Check out this heartwarming video of a kind stranger serenading some unsung heroes in honor of #nationalnursesweek eachoppingrlier this month.

Taking care of your mental health is a never-ending journey that looks different for everyone. From meditation to exercise to therapy, there are countless ways to improve your mental health and overall happiness.

I loved this article detailing All-Natural Self-Care Practices from Lifespan.org, reminding us that sometimes, all you really need to do is get outside and reconnect with yourself.

🚶🏼‍♂️ Take it a step further and try out this walking meditation to ground yourself this week. I just did it the other day; I promise you'll feel more in touch with your emotions and the world around you by the end😌.

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Welcome to What's Your Win, the section of the newsletter where we celebrate all of the good news happening right here within our DONUT community. Check out the submissions we received this week!🤗

🥎 Erin R. from Twin Cities, Minnesota, is cheering on her daughters...

• "My three daughters' softball teams went 9-1 on Saturday (before Mother's Day). My oldest's team went 3-0 in a high school round-robin. She took advantage of her limited opportunities and played well when she could. Middle took first in her tourney and she pitched the championship game to a 5-4 win. Youngest's team went 3-1 and took third in her tourney against some tough teams! I managed to watch five of the games in person and most of the games on the apps. So grateful to the people who are making the videos happen so I can see them!"

📚 Gabriella H. is celebrating life's little wins...

• "I had my first AP test of this spring on Monday, and I successfully woke up on time to make it to the exam 15 minutes early. I have found it hard to wake up recently, so I am proud for making it to the exam on time. It seems little, but I am proud of myself for it."

🎸 Frank F. from Ohio is finally chasing his musical dreams...

• "I've owned a guitar for about 50 years and finally, in my 70s, I'm fully retired and learning to play. I recently bought an electric guitar and amp and have been learning since mid-March. I'm finally starting to be able to play what I'm thinking (or imagining). I've finished my guitar 1 lessons and started guitar 2, though I still go back to perfect some of the more advanced '1' stuff, mostly by jamming. I've also written my first song and am learning about DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software to arrange and mix my music. I do love learning new things." 
• (Frank, you wrote into our Whats Your Win form asking for some music advice, but I don't have your email! Please reply to this newsletter so we can get in touch☺️.)

There's always something to celebrate. Whether it be a new job, a heartwarming conversation with a loved one, crossing an item off your bucket list, or simply enjoying your day a little more than usual, we want to hear about it.

Share your day-to-day wins with us here to be featured in next week's newsletter. Thanks to your feedback, we even added a new "anonymous" option starting this week if you want to keep it extra humble. Who knows? Sharing the positivity in your life might inspire someone to recognize the good in theirs🥰.

Share your wins here.

1. What is a Beaujolais?
2. Compared to their body weight, which animal is the strongest – dung beetle, elephant, ant, or cow?
3. What is the capital of Canada?
4. Which country features a shipwreck on its national flag?

👆 Check out the referral prizes you can get, just for introducing people you know to little old us. 

What to do: Copy your unique link below, then send it to anyone who you think would like Positive DONUT. Once you hit each milestone, you'll get an email with a link to claim your prize.

Start referring.👇

1. A type of red wine🍷 
2. A dung beetle, which can move objects up to 1,141x its own weight💩
3. Ottawa 🇨🇦 
4. Bermuda 🇧🇲 

How many did you get? Hit that reply button and let me know!

Hit that reply button and let me know, I read every response. Have a great week!🥰

–Kailyn

P.S. Enjoying this newsletter and want to support my work? It'd mean the world if you told a friend or two about Positive DONUT. You can even win sweet, sweet prizes for each person you refer using your unique link (found two sections above).