Happy Tuesday (and Happy December) to you! I hope all our American readers had a gratitude-filled Thanksgiving weekend full of turkey, potatoes, and post-feast naps. 

As we approach the end of the year and a busy holiday season, here's your gentle reminder to be kind to yourself, remember how far you've come, and spend time taking care of YOU❤️. 

Have a fantastic week! 

- Kailyn

🚀⏰ Ready, Set, Go: Today's newsletter takes ~2.68 minutes to read (712 words).

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Today I choose joy, embrace positivity, and radiate happiness in everything I do.

More than 75 years ago, Laura Jean Emery claimed the coveted title of Miss California 1947. Laura, who had spent her life working and growing up on her family’s farm, had never considered entering a beauty pageant; she joined on a whim and won the whole thing.

“[It was] just giggly,” she said of her experience in the competition. “There were a lot of laughs, because it was so unlike anything I’d thought of or been connected with or anything.”

Taking her new role in stride, Laura spent the next year making public appearances, including one that involved her shooting out of the Californian surf with a smile and posing for the rest of the day in a clamshell (below).

• In the years following her reign, Laura worked to create a union for models in her homestate, and advocated for livable wages for all women working in the industry.
• Miss California was one of the proudest chapters of Laura's life, and she cherished her sash for years afterward – until she lost it in one of her cross-country moves.

That’s where today’s story comes in: Leading up to Laura’s 96th birthday, Ruth da Silva, the front desk concierge at the pageant queen’s senior care home, decided to reach out to the Miss California organizers to get a replacement sash.

It took some time, but she was finally able to get her hands on a replica of Laura’s 1947 sash.

• Laura was shocked as Ruth presented her with the sash in front of her family and friends for her birthday last month.
• The former Miss California decided to sing for the nursing home residents in celebration, then reflected on her time as a social worker following her philanthropy work with pageanting. 
• “It sounds a little schmaltzy,” Laura told the Washington Post. But “I believed in people and I believed in people doing the best they could for themselves and their communities and their families. I guess that’s why I’m a social worker. They’re just good people all over.”

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US Army Staff Sergeant Payton May and his military dog, Yyacob, spent a long nine months overseas in Iraq in 2021. 

The bonded pair spent every second of the day together, sleeping each night in a twin bed while on their mission. So when Payton and Yyacob returned to the States and were immediately separated, both members of the duo had an understandably difficult time adjusting.

Yyacob’s separation anxiety from his handler got so bad he refused to work. When Payton heard his dog was struggling, he spent months advocating for Yyacob’s retirement. It was finally granted, and Yyacob immediately adopted his favorite furry friend.

😭 Wet faces all around: Their reunion was everything you’d imagine it would be, complete with slobbery dog kisses, tackling, and lots of tail-wagging.

🔔 Building from the ashes… Five and a half years ago, Notre Dame went up in flames. Now, the world famous cathedral is ready to open its doors once more, with renowned restorations and redecoration of some of the most cherished rooms.

🐾 For the dogs… This year, Andrew Duhe wanted to give his wife, Jennifer, something even more meaningful than flowers or jewelry for her birthday. So he covered 40 dogs’ adoption fees at Chesapeake Animal Services in Chesapeake, Virginia, in honor of his wife. Jennifer seemed to like it: “It’s honestly the most sentimental and perfect gift I’ve ever gotten.”

🙏 Something to be thankful for... Jaylen Lockhart is a mailman and a superhero, after springing to action when he noticed an elderly man fall while on his postal route. Guy Miller credits Jaylen with possibly saving his life. Guy and his family invited the mailman to Thanksgiving dinner as a humble thank you.

Meditation has been proven time-and-time-again to have incredible effects on both mental and physical health. 

The simple act of sitting still with ourselves and breathing has the ability to improve cognitive function, reduce stress/improve sleep, and even strengthen our immune system🤯. 

This 10-minute letting go meditation is designed to help you "let go of anything you may be holding on to which is no longer serving you." Sit back, relax, and try it out. Warning: It may improve your mood.

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It's time for What's Your Win, where we celebrate all of the good things happening right here in the Positive DONUT community. It's great celebrating positive news from around the world, but there's something so special about hearing what good is going on with all of you 🥰.

Nothing is too big or small to celebrate. Check out some of the submissions we received this week!

✈️ One anonymous subscriber crossed a travel destination off their bucket list…

• "Achieved a bucket list trip and went to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. The trip was amazing, but the highlight was I snorkled at the Great Barrier Reef, something I had always wanted to do. It was incredible!"

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.

Sharing is caring: Submit your day-to-day wins with us here to be featured in a future newsletter. Who knows? Sharing the positivity in your life might inspire someone to recognize the good in theirs🥰.

Share your wins here.

👆 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).