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Welcome to Positive DONUT, the newsletter designed with only one goal in mind: to make your day brighter. We have a jam-packed issue for you today, with some incredible stories of family, cute animals, and inspiring wins from subscribers.

So what are you waiting for? Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Have a fantastic week!

–Kailyn 🥰

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s newsletter should be a ~3.80 minute read (1,010 words).

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I am confident and capable of handling anything that comes my way.

Ten-year-old True Beethe spent his 10th birthday this week doing what every kid hopes on their big day: celebrating with friends, family, and plenty of cake.

But a few years ago, his life looked very different.

Let's set the scene

Back in 2022, when True was five, he needed a major heart procedure for a serious condition called hypoplastic right heart syndrome. At the time, he was living in a foster home under the care of social services. On the day of his surgery, the five-year-old arrived at Children's Nebraska without a parent or guardian.

That’s where anesthesiologist Amy Beethe first met him.

She found True sitting alone in pre-op, waiting for a seven-hour surgery with no adult by his side. While his case worker had Covid that day, it wasn’t clear why no one else was there to stay with him.

True’s guardian angel…Dr. Beethe stayed with him through the lengthy procedure. During those hours, she couldn’t shake the thought of a kid facing something so serious without a stable home waiting for him afterward.

So when the surgery ended, she called her husband Ryan and told him they needed to talk. The Beethes already had six children, so adding another wasn’t exactly a small decision. 

• Ryan was hesitant at first, but after hearing True’s story and meeting the brave little guy in person, the couple decided it was the right thing to do. 
• The adoption was finalized ~18 months later, with True officially becoming part of the Beethe family.

But that’s not the end of the story. Before joining the Beethes, True had been living in an unstable environment with five siblings. Amy knew she and Ryan couldn’t adopt them all, so she started calling people she trusted in the hope of keeping the siblings close to each other. 

Amy's sister and brother-in-law adopted one sibling. Ryan's sister and her husband adopted another. A co-worker and her husband welcomed two more into their home. That left one child still needing a family.

• So Amy went back to Ryan one more time. Soon after, True’s sister Laney also joined the Beethe household.
• Now the Beethe home is full of laughter, love, and the chaos that comes with having eight kids.

Doctors say True’s condition is still serious, and he'll likely need a heart transplant someday. And for kids with complex heart disease, something as simple as a stable, happy home can make all the difference in recovery.

Amy and Ryan are dedicated to standing by True every step of the way. “He’s truly become my son,” Amy said. “You know, I would battle for him like anybody else. You’re a mama bear, and you fight hard."

One message. One thought. Then another. Soon your mind runs laps you never chose.

Mindful offers a guided path back. Start a short session and follow each breath. Your body slows. You meet the next moment with clarity instead of a spiral.

Most of us have tried meditation before—and couldn’t make it stick. Mindful was built for that exact problem, with practices designed by experts who understand how the mind works.

...because this turtle’s got wheels. When a worker at the Mississippi Aquarium was asked to design a wheelchair for a disabled box turtle, he wasted no time getting to work.

After a few prototypes and several 3D-printing sessions, Moses the turtle is finally up and rolling, slowly making his way around his home.

📗 Civil rights leader J.T. Johnson proudly marched alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. back in the 60’s. Now, at 88 years old, he’s finally tackling his dyslexia and learning how to read. Read his remarkable story here.

♻️ Refill stores are popping up across the US, letting shoppers bring their own containers to cut down on single-use packaging.

❤️ The science behind random acts of kindness…why every bit of kindness matters.

If you've been around for a while, you know that I'm a big fan of meditation. When things become a little too much or overwhelming, the simple act of slowing down and intetionally breathing can do wonders.

If you have a few minutes, try this quick and effective "counting the breath" meditation.

• By concentrating your focus on your breathing, you may find you feel more grounded and connected to your core.
• If you’re running low on time, try sitting with the gif above for just a few seconds and breathing with the moving image.

Enjoy!

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🌅 Up to $300 off on 13-day Italy tour…Rome’s ruins to the iconic Cinque Terre and Capri’s blue waters. Book by 3/31 here.

⛵️ Up to 50% off 9-day Egyptian tour…Visit the Pyramids, Sphinx, and a luxurious Nile River cruise. Book by 3/31 here.

It’s time for What’s Your Win?, the section of the newsletter where we celebrate all of the good news happening right here in our Positive DONUT community. Check out the wins submitted by fellow readers this week:

📚 Shelly R. from Wisconsin is appreciating poetry:

• “I just discovered the most beautiful poem by Robert Frost, Nothing Gold Can Stay. A reminder to appreciate the good things and the good people around us and live in the now!”

❤️ Vicki R. from Utah is proud of her husband:

• "My sweet husband has been on a quest to drop excess body weight for just less than a year. He has lost over 30 lbs and he feels like he's gained a new life! He's inspired himself to maintain his new weight loss by doing little workouts each day, sit ups, push ups, etc. He has only gained a couple of pounds back since lowest point, and has achieved a stable 220 lbs! I'm very proud of him, and he is very proud of himself! Congratulations to my sweet hubby, Burt."

🫂 Jessie E. from Washington is one grateful mama:

• "My oldest daughter has the flu, I’m very grateful that my husband’s job pays enough that I have the capability to be a stay at home mom and take care of her. And that his health insurance provides a hsa account to pay for all the extra health and wellness items we’ve had to pick up the last few days. Very grateful and blessed."

🌴 One anonymous subscriber from Florida is thankful for new beginnings:

• “After many years up north, I finally made the move to warm weather! It took courage to leave what I knew to start anew, and I am glad I did.”

We received so many responses last week that we couldn’t fit them all in! If you sent in a win and don’t see it here, don’t fret—you’ll be featured in a future newsletter. 🤗

🎶 As a former One Direction fangirl, I have to shout out Harry Style’s new album. Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally (what a title), feels like the perfect soundtrack to blast in your car on a warm spring day. If you’ve already heard it—what’s your favorite track? I’m loving Ready, Steady, Go!

📔 Turns out, five minutes can change everything. Check out the journal designed to bring you back to, well, you—in five minutes a day or less. Try out the 5-Minute Journal here.✨

✨Affiliate link. If you make a purchase, Positive DONUT earns a small commission at NO additional cost.

Your job is to determine whether the following statements are true or false:

1. In a standard deck of cards, the king of hearts has a mustache.
2. 'K' is worth five points in Scrabble.
3. In a standard game of Checkers, the board has 81 squares.

(Keep scrolling for the answers)

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.

1. False, it's the only king without a mustache
2. True
3. False, it has 64

Advertise with us: Want to reach other optimistic and engaged readers like you? Become a DONUT partner here.