Teen Paralyzed in Freak Accident 13 Years Ago is Now Competing in Pyeongchang

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Feb 12, 2018

When Andrew Kurka was only 13 years old, he was an award-winning wrestler who had achieved several state titles. Then, an ATV-related accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Instead of allowing negativity to consume him, however, the youngster from Homer, Alasha became a Paralympic champion.

WATCH: After Scoring This Astonishing Trick Shot, Teen With Down Syndrome is Contacted By the Globetrotters

Since Kurka turned his focus from wrestling to mono-alpine skiing, he has won 4 world championship medals for the snowy sport.

Now, the 26-year-old is competing in the Pyeongchang Winter Paralympic Games in South Korea.

(WATCH the inspiring interview below)

Pass On Kurka’s Amazing Story: Click To Share With Your Friends

Seattle to Vacate and Dismiss Old Marijuana Charges Following California’s Lead

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Good News Network

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Feb 12, 2018

The mayor of Seattle has just announced that city officials are starting work on legislation that would vacate or dismiss charges for misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Mayor Durkan wrote in an editorial: “People’s lives were ruined for misdemeanor marijuana offenses. Too many here in our community faced huge legal bills and fines, or had a harder time getting loans, apartments, and good-paying jobs.”

Vacating and dismissing the charges in Seattle will mean that thousands of city residents will be able to get a fresh start since marijuana possession was legalized in 2012.

The announcement is a welcomed follow-up to California’s recent efforts to wipe the slate clean for over one million residents convicted of similar possession charges after the state legalized recreational marijuana use on January 1st.

“Our action will affect people who had been convicted of offenses for conduct that is now legal under state law. People won’t have to take any actions like hiring a lawyer or going to a court hearing,” says Mayor Durkan.

“I hope these actions we’re taking here in Seattle can lay the foundation for other cities, counties and state to act, too.”

“Addressing the wrongs that were caused by the failures of the war on drugs for many years in this country – and particularly the damage wrought on communities of color – won’t happen overnight,” says Durkan. “But today, this action is a necessary first step in righting the wrongs of the past and putting our progressive values into action.”

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Man Was Dead For 28 Minutes Before a Homeless Man Helped Save His Life

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McKinley Corbley

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Feb 12, 2018

Six months ago, George Dakin Jr. had been walking down the sidewalk when he suddenly went into cardiac arrest and fell to the ground. His heart stopped before he even hit the pavement, and for 28 minutes, Dakin was dead.

The 64-year-old architect is now only alive to tell the tale thanks to a homeless man who had been drinking coffee near to the spot where he collapsed.

Dakin was fortunate enough to collapse in front of CHAMP Homes Inc. – a faith-based shelter for homeless people in transitional housing based in Hyannis, Massachusetts. 54-year-old Austin Davis was inside the building when he heart someone outside scream for help.

Davis, who had only just been given CPR training at CHAMP a few days previously, ran over to Dakin’s motionless body and started giving chest compressions. Davis was conducting CPR for ten minutes before paramedics arrived and loaded Dakin into the ambulance.

Dakin had suffered 100% blockage in his LAD artery. This condition has been called “the widowmaker” because it is almost always fatal. Only after 18 more minutes of CPR and defibrillator shocks were paramedics able to get a pulse out of Dakin.

“No one could believe it,” Dakin told Patch. “The ambulance folks didn’t believe it. The doctors didn’t believe it. They said if you’re in the hospital and you have an LAD blockage in the hospital you won’t survive it — even if you’re in the hospital!”

As a means of thanking Davis for helping to save their father from certain death, Dakin’s kids created a GoFundMe page to raise money for the homeless man.

LOOK: Stranger Gives the Boots Off His Feet to Freezing Homeless Man on the Subway

Jodi Dakin Loughlin said: “Austin is not a drinker. He does not do drugs. He is always very well put together. He has a lovely personality and I know he can rise above this situation with our help.”

“He is doing EVERYTHING right to escape his circumstantial homelessness– but the hurdle is TREMENDOUS. Odds of escaping homelessness are about as bleak as walking away from a heart attack,” she added.

The family has since been able to raise $15,000, which is being spent on a 2012 Toyota Corolla; the security deposit and rent for an apartment; health insurance; and gas cards – all of which will help get Davis out of transitional housing.

LISTEN: Cop Stops Addicted Homeless Man on the Street and Changes His Life With a Book

Since the Dakins have started their efforts, Davis’s place of work – a hotel in Hyannis – has also promoted the homeless man from his former part-time position to a full-time position. Jodi says that this will be especially beneficial in keeping Davis on his feet.

“[The General Manager] assured me that Austin is well worth this investment for the hotel, and he is an employee with great pride in his work and a wonderful personality,” says Jodi.

Jodi has also expressed endless gratitude towards the multiple donors and community members who have helped her repay Davis for his kindness.

“I am in awe of the generosity of our friends, family, and total strangers who have banded together to help Austin Davis rise out of homelessness,” says Jodi. “This is unbelievable. Thank you all so much.”

Click To Share The Inspirational News With Your Friends (Photo by Jodi Dakin Loughlin)

Meet the Couple Who Lives With 17 Kangaroos

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Good News Network

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Feb 12, 2018

Theresa and Tony Matthews may not have any human children, but they do care for 17 kangaroos.

That’s because the Matthews are the masterminds behind Our Haven Wildlife Shelter – an animal rehabilitation center in Victoria, Australia. In addition to the 17 eastern grey kangaroos, they reportedly also care for 3 swamp wallabies and a pygmy possum.

The couple first became spurred to start caring for the joeys after a man drove up to their home in 2010 with an injured young kangaroo in hand, and asked if they knew how to care for injured wildlife.

WATCH: This Russian Couple May Not Have Children But They Do Have a Bear

Ever since they welcome the little roo – who they named Bobby – into their home, they have opened their doors to dozens of other injured animals.

“Because of our love for kangaroos, we just opened up our home to them,” Theresa explained in an interview with Barcroft TV. “And this rescuing got bigger and got bigger.”

(WATCH the video below)

Hop To It: Click To Share With Your Friends – Photo by Barcroft via Inside Edition

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives.” – Judy Blume

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Feb 12, 2018

Quote of the Day: “Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives.” – Judy Blume, Tiger Eyes

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

‘Kate Winslet Saved My Life’—Now Cancer-Free, Young Mom Can Raise Her Baby, Thanks to Kate and DiCaprio

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McKinley Corbley

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Feb 11, 2018

After spending the last four years fighting three different forms of cancer, a young mom in England has finally been cured – and it’s all thanks to Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, the Academy Award-winning stars of Titanic, who threw her a lifeline when her boat was sinking fast.

Gemma Nuttall was sixteen weeks pregnant when a body scan revealed that she had a tumor in her ovary. Doctors wanted to give her life-saving treatment immediately, but she would lose the baby. She decided that because the unborn child was the reason they found the growth in the first place, she would continue the pregnancy.

The tumor grew very quickly, but doctors performed a successful C-section after 36 weeks and the young mother immediately started chemotherapy treatments.

A few weeks later, however, another scan revealed that she had cervical cancer—and she had another surgery to removed those tumors.

For two years, the young mother from Lancashire, England and her daughter Penelope were thriving.

CHECK OUT: Real-Life Action Hero Harrison Ford Races to Help Car Collision Victim

But, then, in 2016, more bad news: this time tumors were found in her brain and lungs – and she was given just 6-9 months to live.

Rather than get her affairs in order, Gemma and her mother did some research online and found a “wonder clinic” in Germany that specialized in treating severe cancers with immunotherapy. But, the treatment came with a $420,000 (£300,000) price tag.

They immediately created a GoFundMe campaign that, fortunately, caught the eye of Kate Winslet, who is also an English mom (but has three children).

“I thought, this poor woman is probably years away from being able to access that kind of treatment,” Winslet told ITV’s This Morning. “There was just £9,000 in the fund, so I thought I just could not let this happen.”

Winslet did some fundraising on her own and then thought, “It was time to call my friend, Leo, to ask if we could do a charity dinner or something. He said, ‘We can do one better’.”

They auctioned off three dates as Jack and Rose – the young couple they depicted in Titanic.

Upon successfully raising the funds for the 29-year-old’s treatment, Nuttall was declared cancer-free six months ago.

LOOK: Twitter Cracks Up When Dad Accidentally Asks A-List Celebrity to Step Out of His Photo With Matthew Broderick

Not only that, Winslet had another idea—to set up a foundation to assist others who are in the exact same position. And, guess who is going to help her?

“Gemma is going to help me run (it) and be involved,” said Winslet.

“So much good has come out of this remarkable moment. I mean look at Gemma. Look at her. She is so beautiful. She is alive. She is cancer-free. It is utterly incredible. I feel so blessed that I could help.”

(WATCH the full interview from ITV)

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New Los Angeles ‘Parking Meters’ Are Collecting Change For the Homeless

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McKinley Corbley

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Feb 11, 2018

After you pump some quarters into your parking meter in Southern California, look for the new ones that put your change to great use: housing the homeless.

Earlier this week, city and county representatives of Los Angeles unveiled six new colorful “parking meters” that collect coins for the Skid Row-based charity C3 – a nonprofit dedicated to pairing homeless residents with housing.

According to LA Curbed, the initiative was introduced and approved by the city five years ago. (We don’t know what took them so long, do you?)

In addition to raising valuable funds for rough sleepers living in poverty, legislators hope that the campaign will possibly “curb aggressive panhandling”.

The meters will also raise money for C3 through sponsorships costing $3,500.

A spokesperson told the LA Times he machines themselves were donated, will cost $5,000 to operate and maintain, but generate $21,000 from annual sponsorships, producing at least $16,000 for the outreach program, plus any money collected from the public.

The installations are similar to the key-shaped parking meters that were erected in downtown Milwaukee back in September, as well as meter-styled installations in Denver, Washington D.C., Detroit, Pasadena, and Indianapolis.

You can find some of them located in Grand Park, El Pueblo, near the lobby of Hotel Alexandria, and at the St. Vincent Jewelry Center.

Spread The Change: Click To Share (Photo by Flintridge Center)

Homeless Teen Goes From Living in a Car to Creating Absolutely Stunning Photos as a Wedding Photographer

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Good News Network

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Feb 11, 2018

When he was just 16 years old, Carsten Schertzer was homeless. Now, eight years later, he is an award-winning wedding photographer who’s traveled to 12 countries because he never gave up believing in his dreams.

From the first time he picked up a camera as an 11-year-old, Schertzer, who was born and raised in Southern California, knew that he wanted to become a photographer. A creative soul, he dropped out of high school to shoot pictures of skateboarders.

The fame and fortune he imagined, however, eluded him.

By the time he reached his 18th birthday, Schertzer decided it was time for a change.

Still determined to become a photographer, he moved to San Francisco and spent his nights sleeping in his car and his days using Starbucks as an office. Except this time, he opted to pursue wedding photography, instead. Destiny, for sure.

Schertzer told Good News Network: “It wasn’t a well thought out idea. I wasn’t thinking about the ridiculous cost of housing in the Bay area, I wasn’t thinking about the fact I didn’t know a single person in the area, I was just following my heart.”

With only his skateboarding portfolio as a resume, Schertzer slowly – but steadily – started building his own company from the ground up. He learned everything about the business; from creating his own website and business model, to landing clients.

WATCH: World’s First Hand-Painted Movie Honors Vincent Van Gogh and You Can Finally Watch it Now

“The way I was able to keep myself going was the way I organized my goals — breaking everything down into the smallest problems I could think of and then solving those smaller problems one at a time,” Schertzer said via email. “What I did was think about everything I would need to run a successful wedding photography company; things like learning about business and marketing, learning how to photograph a wedding, learning what SEO was…”

“Then I organized all those things into a pyramid, with the easier problems to solve near the base of the pyramid and the more difficult problems near the top of the pyramid. Then I literally started working my way up from the bottom, crossing off things as I went along. I would just wake up every day, look at the pyramid and find a goal that I wanted to work on.”

WATCH: Friendship on a Street Corner: Artist Makes Incredible Puppet of Senior–MUST SEE

Overcoming the technical aspects of his career wasn’t the only hardship he had to overcome, either. His mental health was against him, as well.

“Optimism was tough for me. Aside from being homeless and having issues at home, I was also diagnosed with major depressive disorder, so optimism was always a chore for me,” he said.

“That being said though, I was always very aware that my situation was circumstantial and that if I worked really hard I could change those circumstances and create my own reality. That thought kept me going most days, other days I wasn’t so optimistic about my future.”

When asked whether he ever doubted his abilities as a photographer, Schertzer responded: “I think doubting yourself is just part of following your dreams. You are always worried that you are not skilled enough, not smart enough, or not lucky enough.”

“But even when I wasn’t feeling it, I knew I had to keep working… there wasn’t really any other choice.”

Schertzer is now the mastermind behind Illumina Studios – and his stunning portfolio speaks for itself.

His work has received awards from Fearless Photographers, the Wedding Photo journalists Association (WPJA), Wedisson Awards, and the SLR Lounge Awards.

If you would like to check out more of his photos, you can go to the Illumina Studios website or follow Schertzer on Instagram.

Click To Share This Artist’s Incredible Story With Your Friends

A 12-Step Program for Any Business or Team That Wants to Change The World

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Good News Network

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Feb 11, 2018

Business can transform lives. Drew Koven knows this. In his roles as a global executive, mentor, advisor, and investor he has helped women and minority-owned businesses push through the line between success and failure. He was a guest on GNN’s Good News Weekly LIVE show and we wanted share his 12 steps for conducting business in a transformative way.

Step One: As leaders, the first step starts with knowing oneself.

To bring out the best in others, one must first be the best version of oneself. It’s an ongoing and challenging work in process, but with a much higher purpose and the highest, lasting rate of return.

My family is my life. I heard a wise man once say: “if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.”

You can’t fake authenticity or motive any more. Advertising campaigns and gestures of philanthropy no longer suffice when trying to show a true heart, soul and compassion for others. Who we are is a matter of how we act, not what we say.

Step Two: Find the highest values for the greatest common good—and act on them every day.

This should be the recipe for every decision we as leaders make. Think about how many times we have been tested and measured as leaders. Our character and commitment is constantly on display—both moral character, which is how we treat others, and performance character, which is how we treat ourselves. Do we think, talk and act on the basis of winning at all costs? Do we have team character, which is how we behave as part of a team? Do we live by example and model the attitudes and actions we want our organizations and teams to undertake? Because if we don’t, they won’t.

Step Three: Value what is valuable not what we were told is valuable.

As children we came into this world as blank canvases – and over time, we came to value what we were told was valuable. To keep it simple, just ask how you measure your self-worth and the worth of others and where did those thoughts originate from? Are we the Disruptors or the Disrupted; the Corruptors or the Corrupted?

MORE: How to Feel Healthy and Less Lonely by Spending Time Alone

Step Four: Know the difference between your purpose and your goals.

We prepare, we plan and we play to win, but winning is not a purpose – it’s a goal.

A purpose is helping others to learn and grow, to develop skills, character, confidence and it’s not an either/or decision. Goals have a beginning and an end, one’s purpose or organization’s does not.

Step Five: Know when winning could end up being the cause of losing it all.

When winning at all costs becomes the purpose, most will lose. Employee morale, turnover, questions such as, “why am I here,” or comments, “I’m here for the paycheck,” are death by a thousand cuts to a company. When people stop believing, ask the question: what was my role in this?

Step Six: Make sense of your own life first.

The single biggest determinant of optimizing the potential in others and having a transforming impact on an organization starts with the leader’s motivations and purpose. Ask questions such as: Why am I doing this, why do I lead the way I do, how does it feel to be led by me, and how do I define success – money, prestige, making the world a better place, empowering others?

LOOK: Einstein’s Theory of Happy Living Emerges in a Note Uncovered After 95 Years

Step Seven: Remember that every one of us wants to be loved and wants to belong.

Ask, what is my role as the leader and the culture I want to model and engage. Think about leaders as role models, modeling the behavior for others to follow. It becomes very powerful. For me, I think about my kids and how would they judge my words and actions if they worked for me.

Step Eight: Ask this question: Am I a transactional or transformational leader?

The first type of a leader is more of a ‘monitor,’ centering on self and extrinsic values. Everyone is a means to an end.

CHECK OUT: How Philosophy Can Solve Your Midlife Crisis

The second is a ‘mentor’ and looks to understand and meet the needs of others, by empowering and focused on social, moral and ethical foundations rooted in intrinsic values.

Step Nine: Define success.

Dallas Cowboys Head Coach and a former quarterback Jason Garrett tells a story about what he learned from his high school football coach and mentor Cliff Foust with the following quote: “When you drop back, you’ve got to stand tall.”

Play after play, practice after practice, Garrett solidified his definition of success: “I measure success by the impact I’ve had on others’ lives.”

Step Ten: Remember your influence.

We move towards and become that which we believe about ourselves. Our self concept, in many cases, is built on the judgement of others. In our leadership roles we need to remember that we become those judges. A kind word, a good deed and a consistent listening ear will shine a light where maybe it is needed most – whereas shame, humiliation and deception lead to stress, humiliation, and anger.

Step Eleven: Go beyond the P&L and balance sheet.

Manage the hearts and nourish the souls of your teams in addition to working on revenue. It’s not an either/or. Karma is real. I employ the no “A@*hole rule – which is to surround yourself with positive people to create positive outcomes and experiences. And remember, there’s enough to go around.

Step Twelve: Always remember that “Nothing changes if nothing changes.”

Like the famous Einstein quote says: “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

Drew Koven is Co Managing Director of LDR Ventures and host of The BizFix Podcast, a venture capitalist providing resources to advise, invest in, mentor and empower female and minority founders to succeed. See his appearance on Good News Weekly LIVE, below – Photo credit: MiiiSH, CC

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“Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” – James Thurber

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Feb 11, 2018

Quote of the Day: “Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness.” – James Thurber

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Dark, Spooky Highway Underpass Transformed into Colored Tunnel of Music

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Good News Network

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Feb 10, 2018

This highway underpass previously was an unremarkable, dark, and dank pedestrian tunnel. Now, thanks to a Polish art collective, it has been transformed into a breathtaking walkway of color and sound.

“The Music Tunnel” was created as an homage to its musical home city, Katowice, a place famous for being called The Creative City by UNESCO.

Connecting the streets of Tylna Mariacka and Wojewódzka, the Music Tunnel was first covered in a fresh coat of white paint in preparation for the installation.

Now completed, it features hundreds of LED lights and hanging PVC pipes. Since there is usually a breeze running through the tunnel, the pipes click together to make a soothing sound.

WATCH: World’s First Hand-Painted Movie Honors Vincent Van Gogh and You Can Finally Watch it Now

Pedestrians are encouraged to participate in the hypnotic atmosphere by moving the pipes as they walk through the tunnel.

AntyRAMA, the art collective responsible for the installation, reportedly said that their reasoning behind the tunnel was that “music is one of the inherent elements of human culture”.

Check out the great photos and local news video below…

Click To Share The Magnificent Transformation to Inspire Similar Projects… (Photos by AntyRAMA on Facebook)

“Love believes the best about someone else. Look for the positive intention. Seek the good and you will find it.” – Mary Manin Morrissey

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Feb 10, 2018

Quote of the Day: “Love believes the best about someone else. Look for the positive intention. Seek the good and you will find it.” – Mary Manin Morrissey

The Story Behind the Photo: When someone set fire to a shop owned by immigrants in Norwich, England, the community responded with a “love bomb” — posting notes on heart-shaped slips of paper, in all different languages and raising $35,000 for repairs. (See more photos from the 2016 incident by Katy Jon Went, on Facebook)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Dog Leads Confused Owner To Missing Elderly Woman Knee-Deep In Dark Pond Water

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Good News Network

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Feb 9, 2018

A dog named after Batman is being credited with helping a woman get back home to her family when she was lost in a murky pond.

According to FOX10 Phoenix, Abby Leathers first noticed that her dog was behaving oddly earlier this week when they were both at their home in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

Her rescue dog, Bruce, scratched at the door, seemingly desperate to be let outside. When Leathers obliged his request, Bruce instantly rushed out the door like he was on a mission.

Leathers told FOX10 that he darted straight towards a nearby pond. She followed Bruce all the way to the water, saying that he appeared to know exactly where he was going and what he was doing.

When they arrived, Leathers was shocked to see an elderly woman in the water.

Leathers told FOX that – because the woman didn’t speak English – they were unable to communicate properly. “She was standing two or three feet down, up to her knees in the water,” she said.

Eventually, Leathers coaxed her out of the pond, wrapped her in a blanket, and called 911.

While the authorities arrived and paramedics tended to the woman, her family has already called the police to report her missing, unaware that Leathers and Bruce had already found her.

“I would never have known she was out there. She could have frozen. She could have drowned,” Leathers said. “Thanks to Bruce, she got to go home.”

SHARE the inspiring story with your friends on social media…

Simon (Sinek) Says: If You Want to Be a Good Leader, Make People Feel Safe

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Good News Network

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Feb 9, 2018

The Lesson: What makes a great leader? Management theorist Simon Sinek suggests that it’s someone who makes their employees feel secure, who draws staffers into a circle of trust. But creating trust and safety — especially in an uneven economy — means taking on big responsibility.

Notable Excerpt: “In the military, they give medals to people who are willing to sacrifice themselves so that others may gain. In business, we give bonuses to people who are willing to sacrifice others so that we may gain. We have it backwards, right?”

The Speaker: Simon Sinek is the marketing consultant, bestselling author, motivational speaker, and critically-acclaimed mastermind behind Start With Why: an organization made up of other business moguls dedicated to helping others find their passion and leadership stride. His TED talk, How Great Leaders Inspire Others, has been ranked as their third most popular talk of all time.

Books: Sinek is the author of several groundbreaking bestsellers, such as “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action”; “Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t”; and “Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team”.

Podcast: The Start With Why podcast, which is hosted by the organization’s own David Mead and Stephen Shedletzky, is available on iTunes and Stitcher.

(LISTEN to the inspiring talk below)

Good Advice? SHARE It – And, CHECK Out More on our Good Talks Page…

News Anchor Announces On-Air That He is Helping to Forgive Over $1 Million in Medical Debt

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Good News Network

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Feb 9, 2018

A Washington state news anchor – along with the local station that he works for – is paying off over $1 million in medical debt for their viewers.

Jesse Jones, who is a cancer survivor and reporter for KIRO 7 News, went on-air earlier this week and said that – for just $12,000 – he and the station had bought up the medical debt of 1,000 viewers.

The randomly selected viewers will be receiving yellow envelopes from KIRO during the coming week – and none of them know that it’s coming.

MORE: Occupy Wall Street Activists Pay Off $15mil of Americans’ Personal Debt

“Medical debt is a subject near and dear to my heart and my wallet,” said Jones. “I’m a cancer survivor who has survived medical debt. I have been on payment plans, and I also have a job and insurance – but there are others out there who are not as fortunate as I am.”

All of the finances were processed through the New York-based charity “RIP Medical Debt”: a nonprofit that locates, buys and forgives unpaid and unpayable medical debt for Americans, no strings attached.

If you feel spurred to also help the news station pay off more debt, you can visit their donation web page.

Click To Share The Compassionate Gesture With Your Friends – Photo by Kenteegardin, CC

Dunkin’ Donuts to Eliminate Foam Cups in Stores Worldwide Within Two Years

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Good News Network

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Feb 9, 2018

Dunkin’ Donuts, the pastry restaurant chain with over 12,500 branches worldwide, will spend the next two years phasing out the use of polystyrene cups in favor of paper alternatives.

Currently, the majority of the company’s international stores already use double-walled paper coffee cups – but Dunkin’ now plans on eliminating foam cups from their entire supply chain by 2020.

The move is expected to save over 1 billion foam cups from the waste stream every year.

The initiative is not the first step that the company has taken towards becoming more environmentally friendly, either – all of their restaurants’ cardboard sleeves, carrying trays, napkins, and bags are made out of recycled papers and materials.

Additionally, Dunkin’ Donuts has undertaken several other progressive practices, such as serving Fair Trade certified espresso beans in certain stores, and eliminating artificial dyes and flavors from their menu.

Karen Raskopf, the Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer of the company, said: We have a responsibility to improve our packaging, making it better for the planet while still meeting the needs of our guests. Transitioning away from foam has been a critical goal for Dunkin’ Donuts U.S., and with the double-walled cup, we will be able to offer a replacement that meets the needs and expectations of both our customers and the communities we serve.”

Donut Let Your Friends Miss Out On The Good News: Click To Share (Photo by Dunkin’ Donuts)

How Mindfulness Shattered My Pain Perception

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Martha Brettschneider

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Feb 9, 2018

Two weeks ago, I was in a cotton hospital gown, rubber-soled socks on my feet, an IV inserted into the top of my hand ready to receive anesthesia. The surgeon arrived with his Sharpie pen and made a mark on my belly where he would make the two-inch incision to repair two hernias in my abdominal wall.

“What should I expect in terms of pain afterwards?” I asked him.
“It depends on the person. I’ll give you a prescription for pain medication,” he said. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to experience any pain.”

Hmm. That used to be me, I thought.

After my mastectomy in 2009, I had tried to “stay ahead of the pain” by alternating between Percoset and Vicoden every couple of hours. Somehow, despite two masters degrees between us, my husband and I both read the post-op instructions the same way (i.e. completely incorrectly). But it made sense since we’ve grown up in the “I don’t like to experience any pain” culture of the United States.

It wasn’t long before I flipped from being fearful of pain to becoming disgusted by the total lack of pain I felt where my breast had been (all nerve endings had been removed). I could watch a needle go into the area and feel absolutely nothing. It was worse than pain.

Having immersed myself over the past nine years in the study and practice of mindfulness and the mind/body connection, the surgeon’s “I don’t like to experience any pain” remark caught my attention.

Taking Myself Off of Autopilot

His offhand comment inspired me to be watchful for autopilot responses to pain. My husband had dutifully picked up the oxycodone prescription as instructed – but I would just wait and see.

I followed the doctor’s instructions to take an over-the-counter pain reliever the first night, then to see how it went. Yes, there was some pain, but it was manageable. More importantly, what I didn’t have was a big story around it, like “Pain is bad! All pain should be eliminated at any cost!”

MORE: Meditation and Mindfulness Tips to Combat Everyday Worries and Life’s Big Questions

Some pain would come in waves, but then it would go away. The most fascinating thing was that I caught myself feeling good more often than I caught myself feeling bad.

Memories of my stoned post-mastectomy stupor bubbled up. I released them, reveling in my clarity of mind and sense of gratitude. Over the first four days after my surgery, I took a total of three over-the-counter pain relief pills. I never even opened the bag containing the bottle of oxycodone.

Pain Perception Under the Microscope

I continued to observe my body’s sensory experience in different scenarios. Yes, I rested and slept and even visualized my cells healing as often as I could. The evening of the fifth day, I attended my book club. As I put on my coat to leave, I took note of how little pain I felt (by this point, with no meds at all). Then I stepped outside into the frigid night air.

LOOK: Einstein’s Theory of Happy Living Emerges in a Note Uncovered After 95 Years

As soon as the cold hit me, my whole body tensed up and my incision area HURT. Hmm…that’s interesting.

Once I was in my car and relaxed into the warmth, the pain eased. The experience confirmed what I had learned from Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) research: pain is exacerbated when our body is tensed.

I did a quick head to toe body scan, releasing my tension. By the time I started the car, the pain had dissolved completely.

In a strange way, the two weeks since my surgery have been sort of fun. More specifically, my ability to respond to pain skillfully rather than reactively, taking intentional delight in pain-free moments, has been transformative.

Click To Share The Painless Wisdom With Your Friends

When Mom Cancels Appointment to Take Care of Sick Son, Company Sends Her Flowers

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Good News Network

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Feb 9, 2018

Sometimes it’s the smallest good deeds that mean the most to us. In Lindsay Pualoa’s case, it was a bouquet of flowers that was delivered to her door on Monday.

The mother from Ashburn, Virginia had spent most of the might taking care of her son AJ. The toddler had been feeling sick, and by the time the sun came up, he wasn’t feeling any better.

“He was still a hot mess (in the) morning so I cancelled an annual furnace check I had scheduled with our HVAC company,” Pualoa wrote on Facebook. “I just apologized for the late notice, said I had a sick kid at home, and didn’t think much more about it. Three hours later, my doorbell rings and there is a florist at my door.”

The HVAC company, AllTech Services from Sterling, had sent Pualoa flowers with a note saying that they hoped AJ felt better soon.

“I’m floored! I’ve never had something like this happen before,” she added.

WANT TO READ MORE STORIES ABOUT BUSINESSES DOING GOOD? CHECK OUT THESE OTHER ARTICLES FROM OUR GNN ARCHIVES… (Photo by Lindsay Pualoa)

When Girl Asks For a Day Off For Dad, Google Gives Her Something Better #TBT

Company That Turns Tire Scraps into Shoes Employs Single Mothers Living in Poverty

Instead of Trashing Groceries During Cooler Malfunction, Store Donates 35,000 Pounds of Food

City Remembers Beloved Costco Co-founder Who Treated Employees With Dignity

LEGO Reaches 100% Renewable Energy Goal 3 Years Early

“The word silly derives from the Greek word ‘selig’, meaning blessed. There is something sacred in being able to be silly.” – Paul Pearsall

Quote of the Day

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Good News Network

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Feb 9, 2018

Quote of the Day: “The word silly derives from the Greek word ‘selig’, meaning blessed. There is something sacred in being able to be silly.” – Paul Pearsall

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

We’ve Got the Heartwarming News About Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio From the Good News Guru

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Good News Network

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Feb 9, 2018

The Good News Guru (GNN founder Geri Weis-Corbley) delivered another great story to Los Angeles radio host Ellen K. on Friday morning.

‘Kate Winslet Saved My Life’—Now Cancer-Free, Young Mom Can Raise Her Baby, Thanks to Kate and DiCaprio

Listen to the audio at KOST-103.5 (Or, Read it on GNN)

Tune in LIVE on the air every Friday at 6:54am PST (9:54am EST).

Last week, we shared the story of an excited dad who accidentally dissed an A-list celebrity in his quest to get a photo with Matthew Broderick. (Hear the audio)