Happy Tuesday, and welcome back to the Positive DONUT, the newsletter all about the good😍. I feel a bit like this every week knowing we're about to hit your inbox: 

This week's edition is a "blast from the past DONUT," featuring some of my favorite stories from previous issues. I'm having some headache-inducing tech problems (my laptop has decided to enter its Sleeping Beauty era and is showing no signs of life), so I've rounded up some of my favorite past stories to share today. If everything goes as planned, we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming next week. 

Have a fantastic Tuesday! 

- Kailyn

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today's newsletter should take ~3.35 minutes to read (893 words).

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

I am important, and my feelings matter.

In America alone, more than $3.7 billion is put towards dementia research each year. This research is still ongoing, but indicates that keeping active, learning new things, and having genuine fun reduces symptoms and slows memory loss in patients. 

And who better to introduce learning and fun to the elderly than the absolute fun professionals: toddlers. 

The old and the restless... The Belong Center in Chester, UK, is a senior care village that specializes in dementia patient care. The living facility sits on a $24.5 million, state-of-the-art area that includes six family-sized 24-hour care households, 23 independent living apartments, a bistro, a gym, and – get this – a preschool.

• The idea behind opening the preschool on the care-facility campus was to aid both the children and elders. The kids are involved in multiple aspects of residents' lives, including mealtimes, arts-n-crafts activities, and movement and exercise classes.

While the program has been running since last year, it recently celebrated its official grand opening. 

💥 The impact: "The Nursery is already transforming lives for the better, with intergenerational living contributing to reduced anxiety, and relatives reporting that being around children means people with dementia are less agitated," Belong's website reads. 

Belong also reports that engaging with the nursery children offers a renewed sense of purpose to many of the elders. 

• "By supporting the children’s learning through storytelling, reading, sharing memories and teaching simple skills, there is improved cognitive functioning and mental well-being," they share. "Residents are turning into educators and there has been notable reductions in isolation and loneliness." 

+Note: This story was previously published in the 2/27/24 edition of Positive DONUT.

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Meet John McFall, a Paralympian who won bronze in the 100m T42 event at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics before moving on to work as a trauma and orthopedic surgeon.

Then, career #3 came calling: In 2022, when the European Space Agency (ESA) announced a new class of trainee astronauts, John was one of the names chosen – making him the first ever "parastronaut." 

• The runner has taken part in the “Fly!” feasibility study ever since, which aims to assess and solve the challenges a disabled person might face in space.
• John went through both winter and sea training modules, as well as multiple zero-gravity flights. According to the TSA, his training marks “a significant milestone in the journey towards inclusivity in space exploration.”

🚀 Looking ahead... While John doesn't have a flight date yet, he's hopeful he'll make it up to space eventually. 

👆 This is Dillon McCormick, a US air force veteran who is often seen on shopping cart duty at a local Winn-Dixie grocery store in the New Orleans area. 

• The 90-year-old receives $1,100 from social security each month, which is less than half of his average monthly living expenses. He was forced to get his job pushing carts to make ends meet.

It gets better... After noticing the veteran out working in the Lousiana heat last month, Karen Swensen Ronquillo, a former local TV news anchor, set up a GoFundMe in an effort to help Dillon find some financial security.

• Donations from around the country soon came flooding in, raising more than $230,000 in a matter of days.
• Dillon was overwhelmed by Karen's kind gesture. "There’s very few people like her left in this crazy world of ours,” the veteran told CBS. “But as long as she’s alive, people are in good shape.”

+Note: This story was previously published in the 6/25/24 edition of Positive DONUT.

Regular journaling has been proven to have some amazing benefits for our physical and mental health. 

• The simple act of getting our thoughts out of our heads and onto paper can help reduce stress levels, combat anxiety, and help us recognize and manage our emotional triggers. It can also help you get to know yourself better – and who doesn't want that??

✍️ So, what are you waiting for? ... I Ioved all of these journaling prompts by Silk and Sonder (I couldn't narrow it down to just a few). Pick your favorites and enjoy! 

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Welcome to What's Your Win, the section of the newsletter where we get to celebrate and hype up all of the positive news happening right here within our DONUT community. How awesome is that?! 

Sadly we didn't receive any new submissions this week, so I put together a round up of some honorable-mention wins from the past (seems to be the theme today). Check them out below! 

📚Gabriela H. from Knoxville, Tennessee, proved that hard work really does pay off...

• "After a long, difficult unit on forces, inclined planes and pulleys, I took my first big physics unit test on Monday. This is the first physics course I have ever taken, and while I enjoy it, this unit’s topics were very difficult to understand. I put in about 5 hours of studying for the unit test, and I got my grade back today! I got a 98! I’m very, very happy that my hard work studying paid off!"

❤️Ali M. From Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, was inspired by her students...

• "I'm an 8th-grade teacher and before state testing, we had the students say one nice/positive thing about themselves, and their answers were SO CUTE!! 'I'm a really good son' 'I help my mom a lot' 'I'm awesome at drawing' and 'I'm a creative thinker' were some of them. Coming from these moody 8th graders, it just reminded me how precious time is and how kids are just kids! I love this whole group and being a teacher – and hopefully helping them to see the best in themselves :)"

📱Andrea O. from Arizona found freedom in putting the phone down...

• "I deleted social media from my phone last week. I only go on it from my computer, and mostly only to post for my business, though I have a personal account that is for IRL friends and family. I find I actually don't miss it, and I am already so much more focused on more positive things in my life, such as exercising and spending time with my friends and family, including my fur kids. I am no longer lying in bed and scrolling aimlessly, and I find I am reading more regular books--that TBR pile is getting smaller! Plus I am finding positive places to find the news, such as The Donut! I am truly happy I've made this choice."

Big or small, there's always something to celebrate. And who knows? Sharing your day-to-day wins just may inspire someone else to notice theirs🥰. 

Let us know what you're grateful for... Feel free to brag about yourself in the best way; we promise to be your biggest hype-people. We may even break out a little dance like Danny Zuko😎👆.

Submit a win here.  

Take your best shot at solving the rebus puzzles provided below.

(keep scrolling for the answers)

👆 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. Space invaders 🛸
2. Missing you (U) 😉
3. Forgive and forget 🤷‍♀️

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).