Do you talk to yourself? I don’t mean the muttering narrative we all catch ourselves doing from time to time, I mean really talk to yourself. Maybe to hype yourself up, or just check in with your mood? Earlier this week I caught myself in true high dudgeon, and I noticed my inner monologue was saying rude things I would never say to another person! It sounds silly, but I took a breath, refocused and started saying some kind things to myself in my head. It actually worked! After all, you’re a good friend, right? So shouldn’t you be a good friend to yourself, too?
(PS -- Next week we'll talk about all the great book recommendations y'all have sent in! Send one if you haven't already!)
If there's something you'd like to see here, drop us a line. Know someone who could use a little Good Stuff? Send them a copy! We hope you love it as much as we do.
|
|
|
Our favorites this week
Get going with some of our most popular good news stories of the week
|
Queens of their heart
Speaking of loving yourself, these beautiful ladies all said, "You know what? I'm my OWN love of my life!" Yes, self-marriage, or sologamy, is a thing. ("Sex and the City" watchers will remember when the show covered it way back in 2003.) My colleague Faith Karimi talked to four women who married themselves, and at least one expert says there's something real behind the trend. “What stands out for me about this trend is that more and more people are realizing that they need to take responsibility for their own happiness — that they can have a satisfying, meaningful life without being in a partnership,” says therapist John Amodeo. Some of these women held full-on weddings, with bridesmaids and dresses and everything. At 77, Dorothy Fidelli said "I do" to herself decades after a divorce. "I felt important to myself … like I was somebody. It’s hard to explain the feeling – you have to feel it in your soul.”
Read the whole story here.
|
High-stakes rescue
Personally, I am content to enjoy mountains from a distance, as close to sea level as possible. But for those adventurers who feel called upward, danger is never far. Thankfully, there are people like Gelje Sherpa. The 30-year-old guide rescued a Malaysian climber on Mount Everest after he was found shivering in an area called the "death zone." Gelje hauled the climber 1,900 feet down the mountain, where another guide named Nima Tahi Sherpa, joined the rescue. The guides wrapped the climber in a sleeping mat traded off carrying and dragging him the rest of the way to safety. Gelje even convinced his initial client to give up his summit attempt, saying it was more important for the guide to rescue the climber. Gelje, a devout Buddhist, likened the rescue to his religion. "Saving one life is more important than praying at the monastery," he said.
Read the whole story here.
|
The gift of education
Everyone should be able to pursue an education if they want, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul has helped thousands of young people get closer to that dream. About 125,000 New York high school students will receive a letter notifying them they’ve been automatically accepted to the State University of New York’s community college programs, Hochul announced this week. The move is part of a state effort to eliminate barriers to higher education. "Access to quality higher education is an engine for social mobility and we are taking comprehensive steps to ensure that college is affordable and accessible for students from all backgrounds," Hochul said. The City University of New York also announced its own plans to partner with the city’s public school system and send letters to 65,000 graduating seniors, welcoming them to CUNY, laying out their college options there and inviting them to apply.
Read the whole story here.
|
|
|
Ready to reimagine your health journey? Try Noom!
Break free from the cycle of yo-yo diets with Noom, the intelligent solution to health. With personalized coaching, expert support, and an app that fits your lifestyle, Noom helps you transform your health for good.
|
|
|
A round of applause for ... |
Dev Shah, a 14-year-old from Largo, Florida, who won the 2023 Scripps National Spelling Bee this week! Spelling bees are so stressful, I bet every kid on that stage had the same heart rate as a person being actively hunted by a bear. Shah outlasted them all, securing the $50,000 prize and ultimate nerd glory (in a complimentary way). His winning word was "psammophile," which the program I use to write this newsletter doesn't even recognize as a word. Here are some of the stumpers Shah nailed:
psammophile: an organism that prefers or thrives in sandy soils or areas
schistorrhachis: spina bifida
aegagrus: a little calcified deposit usually found in the digestive tract
rommack: to romp or play boisterously (definitely remembering this one)
tolsester: a toll paid for the liberty to brew and sell ale
Read the whole story here.
|
|
|
Prince William’s Earthshot Prize, a 10-year project to take on some of the planet's biggest environmental challenges, is already making a difference. Launched in 2020, the prize rewards five winners each year for their original ideas to combat environmental problems. Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez is one of the founders of London-based sustainable packaging start-up Notpla, which won the 2022 “Build a Waste-Free World” category. He told CNN winning the prize had been transformative for his business, which offers plastic-free alternatives to things like water bottles and condiment packets. (What are they made of, you ask? Seaweed!) Since winning the prize, the company has been able to grow its staff, scale up production and secure new commercial partnerships. Its edible water bubbles have also helped keep runners hydrated during long-distance races around the world.
Read the whole story here.
|
|
|
CNN Hero Brenda Lemus' father was one of about 200,000 people who died during Guatemala’s violent, decades-long civil war. Bernardo Lemus Mendoza was a prominent academic and intellectual who spoke out against the government. During the peace process, the Guatemalan government wanted to dignify the memory of those killed by the state and donated 180 books to his family to start a library in his hometown. In 2011, the Bernardo Lemus Mendoza Library opened in Purulhá. Now, Brenda Lemus pays tribute to him by using the center to feed, teach and nurture her community. In 2012, she co-founded Yo’o Guatemala, a nonprofit whose name means “together we go.” Her organization provides after-school programs, a nutrition program, and other extensive literacy, health, and communitybuilding endeavors.
Read the whole story here.
|
|
|
Stars and blossoming fruit-trees: utter permanence and extreme fragility give an equal sense of eternity.
- French philosopher Simone Weil, from her collection "Gravity and Grace," published posthumously in 1947. |
|
|
Rec of the week
Brought to you by CNN Underscored
|
|
|
Shameless animal video
There's always time for cute animal videos. That time is now.
|
Did you know otters have built-in fanny packs? It's true, see for yourself! (Click here to view) |
|
|
Sent this newsletter by a friend? You can sign up here. Know someone who could use a little Good Stuff? Send them a copy! We hope you love it as much as we do. |
|
|
A newsletter for the good in life |
|
|
Sponsor Content by CompareCards
|
|
|
|
