Back-to-school season is creeping in, which feels like a good time to stack some wins. From a unit that became family to a tiny pretzel changing cancer care, this week is your permission slip to feel hopeful.

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Quick Lifts ❤️

Feel good stories from Happilynews.com guaranteed to put a smile on your face and warm your heart.

Soldier With No Family at Graduation is Tapped Out by Fellow Recruits

With no relatives in the crowd, the unit stepped forward to release their brother

Boy With Down Syndrome Surprised With Whacky Tubeman

The joy on his face tells the whole story.

Mom Brought to Tears When She’s Gifted Replica of Watch Her Parents Gifted Her as a Child

The gift brought back so many childhood memories.

Happy Headlines 📰

It’s not all doom and gloom out there. Here’s some positive news items from publications around the world.

🦮 Legally blind man whose dog was stolen is reunited with beloved pooch after Chicago-wide search

🤖 AI designs antibiotics for MRSA superbug

🦸 11-year-old girl hailed as hero after saving boy who fell into well

🏡 'It's like being in Greece': The US neighborhood where cars are banned

🌳 A 12-year-old has planted more than 150,000 trees across India

📚 Denmark to abolish VAT (Value Added Tax) on books in effort to get more people reading

❤️ Family turns homophobic graffiti into inclusive artwork

✓ Nike co-founder Phil Knight gifts record $2 billion to us university for their cancer center

Live Life Happily 😃

We round up the latest in lifestyle, health, and wellness news to help you live a happier, healthier life.

🧘 Wellness

Clean up your inbox, calm your brain
Email pings raising your blood pressure? This Calm guide explains why inbox overload fuels stress, then gives 10 simple moves, from the two-minute rule to the 5-5-5 triage, to help you feel back in control.
👉 Read the guide

The restful magic of doing nothing
Always on, always tired? Here’s the science of true rest, plus nine gentle ways to practice the art of doing nothing without the guilt, so your brain actually recharges.
👉 Learn how to do less

Beat the afternoon slump with the 3x3 rule
TikTok’s viral trick is refreshingly doable: 3,000 steps, one-third of your water, and 30 grams of protein before noon. A trainer explains why it works and how to tweak it for you.
👉 See how to try it

🧠 Health

A tiny pretzel-shaped device is changing bladder cancer care
A slow-release, pretzel-shaped device delivering chemo directly to the bladder cleared tumors in 82% of patients in a phase 2 trial, many within three months, pointing to a less invasive option than surgery.
👉 Read the story

Fewer Americans are drinking than ever
Only 54% say they drink alcohol, the lowest share Gallup has recorded in nearly 90 years, and a majority now believe even moderate drinking is bad for health.
👉 Read the report

🍲 Food & Drink

40 dinner party questions that actually spark fun
Skip the awkward small talk. These playful, thoughtful prompts get people laughing, sharing stories, and connecting without the cringe.
👉 Steal the questions

Morning coffee, happier mood
New research tracking people in daily life found caffeine is linked to higher energy and better mood, especially in the morning. Your first cup really does hit different.
👉 Read the study summary

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Snapshots 📸 

A unique, sometimes quirky, but always eye-catching photo feature each week.

She ran 39 miles in sandals and won

Candelaria Rivas Ramos didn’t need carbon plates or a race belt. The 30-year-old Rarámuri runner toed the line at the 63 km Ultra Maratón de los Cañones in a traditional dress and huarache sandals, then crossed it first in the women’s field in about 7 hours and 34 minutes.

Her lead-up sounds like folklore, only it’s real. Encouraged by her community, she and her husband reportedly walked 14 hours from their village of Choreachi to reach the race. Then she ran the canyon course with a calm that looked baked in by mountains and everyday miles.

If you know the Rarámuri, none of this shocks you. Running is culture. Long distances are normal. Sandals aren’t a statement, they are just shoes. Anthropologists have even described the tradition as spiritual, a kind of moving prayer that helps them float past the pain.

Whether it gets you out for a jog or simply makes you smile, that’s a win.

Before You Go…A Serotonin Booster* 📺

Watch how this keyboard-playing mini horse helps wake kids up after surgery

*Studies show that watching cute, heartwarming videos can boost your mood. So sit back and start your weekend positively!

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