Can you believe it's already Tuesday again? This week flew faster than a cheetah on a treadmill.

In today's edition, we’re taking a look back at some of our favorite stories from Positive DONUT’s past, because It’s never too late to celebrate the good.

Have a fantastic week!

-Kailyn

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s newsletter should be a ~3.52 minute read (937 words).

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I am capable of handling whatever comes my way.

You could call it divine timing, or just a major odds-defying coincidence.

Two pairs of distant cousins from opposite sides of the Atlantic literally bumped into each other while visiting the same ancestor’s grave in England.

How it happened… Ian Brandon and Malcolm Atkins, both from the UK, had spent seven years tracing their family roots before finally visiting St. Peter’s Church in Raunds, Northamptonshire, to pay respects to their great-great-great-grandfather, Anthony Smith.

• Meanwhile, across the ocean, Rand and Janeel Smith had traveled 3,700 miles from Kansas City to do the very same thing, following in the footsteps of Rand’s grandfather, who’d made the same pilgrimage 40 years earlier.

The two couples’ paths converged in the most unlikely way. As Rand stood at the gravestone, Janeel asked the nearby strangers if they “knew that person,” to which Ian replied, “That’s my third great-grandfather.” Rand paused, stunned: “That’s my third great-grandfather.”

Cue disbelief, laughter, and one of the most improbable family reunions in recent memory.

Talk about a small world… The men soon learned they were fourth cousins, separated by generations and oceans, but connected by one family line—and a very lucky timing window. “If we’d arrived half an hour later, we never would’ve met,” said Malcolm

They capped the day over pints at a local pub, swapping stories and discovering how much they had in common. “We feel divine intervention put us together,” Rand said. “What a highlight of our lives.”

From genealogy research to GPS misfires, a stuck car, and a perfectly timed question, it all lined up just right. Because sometimes, family really does find you. ❤️

You’re reaching for a snack an hour after a large meal. Most people blame their willpower, but science points elsewhere.

Vitamin World’s Reduco Slim supports healthier glucose metabolism and reduces carbohydrate absorption before spikes occur. With clinically studied Reducose® and White Kidney Bean Extract, it addresses the blood sugar fluctuations that can leave you feeling hungry again soon after carb-heavy meals.

The result is steadier energy, fewer cravings, and support for your weight management goals without completely cutting out the foods you enjoy.

When UK magazine Woman’s Weekly asked readers to knit toys for shelter cats, they didn’t expect the results to be quite so… enor-mice 😉.

🧶 The magazine shared a free pattern and invited subscribers to stitch tiny wool mice for cats in shelters waiting on forever homes. Then, the mice started flooding their London HQ.

• By the end, readers had sent in 46,506 handmade mice, enough to set a new world record.
• The toys have now been donated to 300+ animal shelters across the UK, just in time for the holidays.

🗑️ Welcome to the world of Indian rubbish cafes, where you can pay for your meal with ~2 lbs of plastic waste.

🛹 Archaeologists excavated Scotland’s first outdoor skatepark, which has been closed and buried under rubble for decades. Skaters from around the country came out to help the cause.

❤️ Just because it's cute: See the mindblowing moment a toddler makes a tennis ball disappear. I'm not sure who’s more baffled—the little one or the family dog.

No matter what you have on your mind lately, meditation is a great way to reconnect and center yourself any time of the year. Try out this Healing & Letting Go Meditation the next time you get a spare few minutes.

Give it a go.

🚢 Up to 15% in savings… Sail from Vancouver to Juneau while enjoying unbeatable glacier views in this 7-day voyage. Book by 6/30 here.

⛱️ Take up to $400 off… Explore Portugal on this 11-day adventure visiting Lisbon, Nazare, and more. Book by 6/30 here.

⛰️ $600 off your trip… Experience ancient Incan sites and breathtaking views on this 15-day tour of Peru, Argentina, and Brazil. Book by 6/30 here.

Welcome to my favorite part of the newsletter, What’s Your Win?, where we celebrate all of the good things happening right here within our Positive DONUT community.

Check out some wins from past newsletters below!

🙌 One anonymous subscriber is seeing the payoff of all their hard work:

• “I finally finished my master's degree after 12 years of constant setbacks and family emergencies. My boss fought for me with HR, and I'm now getting a pay increase in recognition of my hard work.”

🚴 Bill from CA is a winning athlete:

• “I won my age group by 5 minutes at the Solana Beach Triathlon. This was supposed to be the year I got my knee replacement, after 2 painful years, but after a few cortisone shots, rode my bike more, hiked more, and built up the muscles around the knee. Hanging in there, unbeaten in my 65- 69 Age group this year. Triathlon can be as frustrating as golf, but the community is the big reward.”

🧳🏖️ Vacation season is here, and the Luhxe Travel Bag is your ultimate travel partner Designed to make packing easier and lighter, this stylish duffel has quickly become my go-to for everything from weekends away with in-laws to a staycation with my fiance. Check it out here.✨

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

Answer these questions three:

1. What is the dot over the letters "i" and “j” called?
2. Which fruit was cultivated in Japan to naturally grow in square shapes for easier transport?
3. What is the world's oldest known musical instrument?
   

Whether you just had an energizing conversation with a friend, went on an exciting first date, or simply woke up feeling extra grateful for the little things in life, we want to hear about it.

Nothing is too insignificant to share. And who knows? Sharing that bit of positivity from your own life could inspire someone else to recognize the good in theirs. 

• Submit your wins for a chance to be featured in next week's newsletter. Big or small, we want to celebrate you! 

Share your accomplishments, or simply reply to this email and let me know your wins. 

1. A tittle
2. Watermelon
3. A flute

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