Inhale the present, exhale the past.

Now let your breath guide you back to the present moment where peace and mindfulness reside.

Thank you for reading today’s edition of Grateful Gazette 😌

Here’s what to know for Wednesday:

• Yoga helps elephants stay healthy

• What were wild animals up to during COVID?

• Help save Ariel’s home

THESE ELEPHANTS KNOW HOW TO DO DOWNWARD-FACING DOG

@chroncom

This elephants crow pose is better than ours 😳 #yoga #yogi #elephant #zoo

Have you ever heard the phrase "the elephant in the room"? Well, how about "elephant on a yoga mat"?

Yeah, that's a new one for me too. But it's all going down at the Houston Zoo, where these giants stretch into limber bliss.

With 12 elephants on board, it's like a daily mammoth yoga retreat. We've even got a budding elephant yogi named Tess, who’s mastered the art of the handstand—or should I say trunk-stand?

What's remarkable is that this isn't about nailing the next elephant yoga challenge on TikTok. It's a check-up of sorts to assess their health and movement.

And as any yoga enthusiast will tell you, there’s nothing quite like a good stretch to start the day.

You'd think convincing a couple of tons of elephants to balance on two feet might be challenging, but all it takes is some fruits or bread, and voila! They're channeling their inner acrobat.

It’s all voluntary, so if Tess doesn't feel her warrior pose one day, she can walk away without her fruity reward.

Remember, folks; it's not about forcing the pose.

As these Houston Zoo elephants are showing us, it's about moving in the flow, exploring new challenges, and maybe scoring a bread roll or two.

So next time you struggle with sun salutations, think of Tess, the hand-standing elephant. If she can find balance, so can we, right?

🗞 More Good News

🚴 New York City raises the minimum wage for food delivery workers

🦒 Wild animals roamed further during the COVID lockdowns

🗑️ Time to start composting if you live in New York

💵 Two places in England are running a trial for Universal Basic Income

🅰 Happy Retirement! To Pat Sajak, the host of Wheel of Fortune for over 40 years

🧯 This drone can help combat wildfires in areas where firefighters cannot reach

☀️ The Bright Side

You might recall we mentioned Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid last week.

Well, Fandom Forward is launching a remarkable initiative called "Protect Ariel's Home!" The goal? To combat climate change and ensure clean water access for BIPOC communities across the United States.

Let's face it, Ariel and her aquatic buddies Moana, Tiana, and Lilo wouldn't be singing and dancing if their real-world homes were threatened by disappearing coral reefs or disastrous hurricanes, right?

These threats aren't just make-believe; they're real and growing. They're impacting not only our beloved Disney characters' homes but BIPOC communities across the globe.

Hop on board with Protect Ariel's Home and help us create a world that even our most beloved Disney characters would be proud to call home.

🧠 Wednesday Wisdom

Albert Einstein gave this advice to his son, Eduard, and I keep returning to this quote in my day-to-day.

Today’s newsletter is about balance--elephants balancing, climate imbalance, and our ability to balance the multitude of things crashing into us like an unforgiving wave.

Sometimes, we may feel life wobble underneath us, but keeping moving is essential to staying balanced. That’s how we remain upright in the long run.

- Thank you for reading Grateful Gazette. Remember to breathe deeply to bring your mind back to your body 💜