She learned to swim at 59 and made Ironman history at 80

Published 5 days ago • 4 min read

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Welcome to today's edition of The Good – a gentle pause in your day, filled with beauty, kindness, and inspiration. Each morning, we gather little reminders of what’s good in the world and place them in your inbox.

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A ROCK STAR, A WARM MEAL, AND A WELCOMING ACT OF SOLIDARITY

While 1.4 million federal workers are left without pay during the government shutdown, Jon Bon Jovi’s JBJ Soul Kitchen has been opening its doors a little wider. The foundation’s New Jersey community kitchens offer free three-course meals to any furloughed government employee without questions or fanfare, just a seat at the table and a warm meal among neighbors, reports Good Good Good. Since 2006, the Soul Kitchen’s pay it forward model has invited those who can to contribute and those who can’t to give back through service, a gentle reminder that generosity can be both shared and circular.

In a season marked by uncertainty, this story offers a grounded kind of hope that hums beneath everyday kindness. It’s proof that when systems falter, communities can still rise to meet the need. Sometimes good isn’t loud or grand. It’s simply an open door and a meal that says you’re not alone.

WHAT IF YOU NEVER HAD TO CLEAN GUTTERS AGAIN?

Most gutter guards promise the world but still leave you climbing ladders to clear debris. LeafGuard takes a completely different approach—instead of adding another layer to your existing gutters, they replace your entire system with a one-piece design that's engineered so debris never gets inside. The science is pretty straightforward: water follows the curved hood into the gutter using liquid adhesion, while leaves, pine needles, and debris roll right off. No joints mean no leaks, and the aluminum is 20% thicker than standard gutters. With over 650,000 ladder-related injuries happening annually, eliminating gutter maintenance isn't just convenient—it's smart.

The Good Daily readers can take advantage of 75% off installation plus an additional $200 off. That's significant savings on a system backed by a lifetime no-clog guarantee and 25+ years of proven performance.

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ONE WOMAN'S LESSON IN LIMITLESS POSSIBILITY

At 80 years old, Natalie Grabow just became the oldest woman ever to complete the Ironman World Championship, a grueling 140.6-mile race through Hawaii’s heat and lava fields, reports NPR. It’s an extraordinary achievement made even more remarkable by her late start, as she only learned to swim at 59. For Natalie, the finish line wasn’t about defying age so much as embracing possibility, an inspiring manifesto for what it means to stay curious, gritty, and grateful at any stage of life.

Her story feels like a love letter to endurance, not just the kind that powers a race, but the kind that carries us through change and life itself. Natalie reminds us it’s never too late to begin again, to learn something new, to surprise ourselves. Progress, after all, is less about pace and more about presence.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND OPTIMISM AND HOW TO PRACTICE IT

How we speak to ourselves shapes how we experience the world and even how our bodies respond to stress, according to Mayo Clinic. Positive thinking, they note, isn’t about ignoring challenges or pretending everything’s fine. It’s about choosing a more generous lens, one that replaces self-criticism with curiosity and grace. Over time, this simple mental shift can improve emotional resilience, support physical health, and soften the edges of daily stress.

The takeaway? Optimism is more of a practice than it is a personality trait. It starts with catching a harsh thought, slowing down, and offering yourself something kinder in return. A moment of humor. A small reframe. A pause to breathe. It’s how we build a gentler, steadier relationship with ourselves, and by extension, the world around us.

A BEAM OF LIGHT OFFERING NEW HOPE IN CANCER CARE

In a hopeful leap forward for cancer treatment, researchers from The University of Texas at Austin and the University of Porto have developed a light-based treatment that targets and destroys cancer cells while leaving healthy ones unharmed. The method uses gentle LED light and microscopic tin nanoflakes to heat and neutralize cancer cells, without the harsh side effects of chemotherapy or invasive surgery. In early studies, it eliminated up to 92% of skin cancer cells within 30 minutes, showing the kind of precision and compassion medicine has long been reaching for.

The goal, the scientists say, is simple but profound: to make cancer treatment safer, more accessible, and more humane. Imagine a future where recovery doesn’t mean suffering, and healing can happen seamlessly, under a small beam of light. It’s a glimpse of what innovation looks like when guided by care as much as science.

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ancient wisdom, modern clarity

A clear, compassionate guide to living well, this piece from Philosophy Break distills six enduring wisdom traditions from Aristotle, Epicureanism, Stoicism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Existentialism, into usable ideas for everyday life. Each offers a lens to excellence as practice, pleasure as simplicity, calm through control, freedom from craving, character shaped by ritual, and meaning made through authentic choice. Together, they invite us to name our values, refine our habits, and build a personal philosophy that steadies us when life gets loud.

The takeaway is gentle and empowering: we don’t start from zero. We inherit centuries of tools. Try one principle at a time. Notice what helps you live with more clarity, care, and courage. Over time, that becomes a life crafted on purpose.

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