Is it just me, or did this week fly by faster than a Frenchie with the zoomies? 

Well believe it or not, it's Tuesday again, which means another edition of the most uplifting newsletter out there – Positive DONUT😍. 

With everything going on in the news this week, I hope you can take a few minutes to slow down and soak in some of the good. Let me know which stories are your favorites. I always love hearing from you! 

Have a fantastic week.

- Kailyn 🥰

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today's newsletter takes ~3.42 minutes to read (912 words).

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"I am becoming the best version of myself."

Claudene Wilson has worked at The Swedeborg District III Elementary School in Missouri for 32 years. During this time, the 64-year-old worked as a handywoman, plumber, custodian, and bus driver. Her most important job, however, was always being there for the children.

For three decades, Claudene greeted every child by name as they came to school in the morning. She stopped by classes with a warm hello and a smile throughout the day, and was always there to help the staff and students in whatever capacity she was needed.

So when Claudene announced her retirement this year, the school community wanted to honor her decades of service. In August, they renamed their school building the “Claudene Wilson Learning Center," so her legacy will live on for decades to come.

• A humble Claudene was shocked at the school’s gesture, saying: “I’m not here to say I’m a hero. I’m not. It’s an honor to work here. I just do it for the kids.”

The support for the move was overwhelming. The school board, led by its president, Chuck Boren, voted unanimously to rename the building after Claudene, CNN reports. 

And in a way, it brings things full circle. Chuck was in the eighth grade when Wilson started at the school in 1992. Now, his 14-year-old son, Canaan, is a student there and gets the same lessons Claudene gave him decades ago. 

And he's not the only one. Nearly everyone in the tight-knit community of Swedeborg knows her impact on the school. 

• “If you go out in the community and say you’re from Swedeborg, the first thing they’re going to say is, ‘Is Claudene still there?’” according to the school’s assistant administrator, Mark Sasfy.

❤️ Bottom line: While Claudene is honored by the recognition, she shares that more than anything, she just wants the kids at school to be kind. “I don’t want them to be like me. I want them to be nice, kind, and think of others. Don’t argue, don’t fuss, don’t divide. Just (be) nice, humble, smile, and move on.” 

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Abdi Nageeye from the Netherlands was the first to cross the finish-line of the New York City marathon on Sunday, completing the race in ​2 hours, 7 minutes, and 39 seconds.

But what about the runner who finished last? That honor belongs to Danielle Grimley, 41, from Colorado, who crossed the finish line on crutches after 10 hours 32 minutes and 7 seconds👆.

• Danielle lives with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a condition that affects connective tissues around joints. 
• Around mile 6 of the race, her hip started to hurt. At mile 17, it gave out completely.
• After ending up in a medical tent on East 80th Street and First Avenue, Danielle asked for a pair of crutches to finish the last eight miles of the race.

When she finally hobbled over the finish line, Danielle was greeted by a group of people with cowbells, signs, and glow sticks – cheering as her and other slow finishers crossed.

🤔 What kept her going? “I came too far to quit,” Danielle shared with the NY Times. “I really wanted that medal.”

🏆 It's gone to the dogs… The Westminster Dog Show is getting its own collection of trading cards. The cards feature champion pooches from past years, including Sage the Miniature Poodle, Trumpet the Bloodhound, and Wasabi the Pekingese.

Christmas 🤝 AI… Brenda Lee’s iconic “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” was recently re-released in Spanish – but it didn’t feature the now-79-year-old singer. The new version, named “Noche Buena y Navidad,” was recorded in Brenda’s 13-year-old voice (as heard in the original) using "responsible" AI from SoundLab (with approval from the singer).

🐢 The little turtle that could… A year ago, a young Kemp’s ridley sea turtle was found off the coast of the Netherlands, 5,000+ miles from its home in the Gulf of Mexico. After a year of rehabilitation, the endangered turtle, named “Boeier,” is making her way back home.

Alright Positive fam, I won’t beat around the bush – it’s Election Day. 

And if you’re feeling a little more on edge than usual, you’re not alone. A recent study by the American Psychological Association found 77% of Americans say the future of the nation and this year’s election is a “significant source of stress in their lives.”

So what better time to take care of ourselves than today, when everything comes to a head?

Take your pick from the list of self-care exercises below that may help you feel a little more at ease today and the rest of the week:

Self care strategies:

1. Journal out your feelings. Try free writing whatever comes to mind, or check out some prompts here.
2. Go for a walk outside to ground yourself and connect to nature. Try to stay off your phone while on the walk.
3. Try out a calming meditation to ease your mind. Check out this 10-minute “Calming Anxious Thoughts” meditation here.
4. Practice yoga or some simple stretching to release tension in your body. Here’s a 10-minute video from one of my favorite yoga teachers to try.
5. Call a family member or friend. We’re not meant to go through difficult times alone! Reach out to someone you feel comfortable speaking with and chat through your feelings or simply about your days to distract yourself.

You got this! Wishing you a calm and mindful day amid all the chaos.

It’s well-documented that exercising regularly relieves stress, improves memory, helps sleep, and boosts overall mood. But building muscle in particular has profound benefits related to health and longevity:

• ⏳ The University of California studied 4,000+ healthy adults over a decade and found that muscle mass is closely linked to lifespan
• 💓 The NY Times reports that building muscle lowers your risk of developing heart disease by over 80%
• 📉 Iowa State University reports strength training for at least 1 hour a week leads to a 40-70% reduced risk of heart attack and stroke

Want to get healthier? Caliber is the #1-rated free workout app. It leverages the latest exercise and diet science to customize a program specific to your unique needs. On average, Caliber users make 34% faster progress versus training on their own and see a 20% improvement in body composition within 3 months.

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Welcome to my favorite part of the newsletter, What's Your Win, where we get to celebrate all of the good news happening right here in our DONUT community. There's always something to celebrate! Check out the submissions we received this week:

❤️ One anonymous subscriber from Australia (as of now) is grateful for new chapters…

• “Last year, I left a really toxic job with a narcissistic boss that had me working through some PTSD this year. Now it’s almost 2 months of me being in Australia on a work holiday visa. I’ve been traveling up the East Coast trying to surf, feeding wallabies, and snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. I’ve made so many new friends. I feel really proud of myself for taking this step for myself, for trying to find who I was before my horrible job, and for making myself anew. I find I’m getting emotional because I helped create this new adventure for myself. “

📚 Louise M. from London, UK, is taking school one day at a time…

• “I submitted my first assignment! After going back to college to study animal management and then being so scared that i wouldnt be able to do it, i just submitted my first assignment and feel so proud of myself. One step at a time💪🏻.”

Share your own wins... If you take a moment to slow down and recognize the good things in your life, you'll notice there really is always something to be thankful for🥰.

And, if you feel compelled to share, let us know what you're feeling especially grateful for or proud of right here. Nothing is too small or insignificant to celebrate, and we promise to be your biggest hype-people😎.

Submit your or a loved one's wins here for a chance to be featured in next week's newsletter.

👆 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.👇

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 above).