My favourite entry in this week's Saturday Synopsis is the quote from Noam Chomsky that "Optimism is a strategy for making a better future." He notes that "unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so." Chomsky's statement includes two important elements: (1) belief that the future can be better, and (2) taking steps to make it so. I found this especially comforting today.

The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, to your community, and to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

"Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so."

— Noam Chomsky

My favourite interpretation of the poem was one my daughter gave yesterday: "It's about presence," she said. And that made so much sense to me. "The woods are lovely, dark and deep," says Frost, as he stops to take it in, and the only sound is "easy wind and downy flake." Even his little horse finds it odd that they would stop "without a farmhouse near" and "gives his harness bells a shake | To ask if there is some mistake." Frost's pause in the woods strikes me as being about taking a moment to see the beauty in life even if that moment is short-lived. There is much to be said for that perspective even if we, like Frost, have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep.

"Lose hair, but don't lose hope."

— Inspired by a cancer patient

Tonight's post also reminded me of a visit I made to the Museum of Health Care at Kingston in July 2018. I was fascinated by the museum's exhibit on four diseases that were eradicated or whose incidence was greatly reduced as a result of vaccines: polio, diphtheria, smallpox and pertussis (aka whooping cough). The drop in peak cases from before the introduction of vaccines to after is astounding: at their peak, polio dropped from 1,584 cases annually to 0; diphtheria, from 9,010 cases annually to 4; smallpox, from 3,300 cases annually to 0, and pertussis, from 19,878 cases annually to 1,967.

While we spend time in duos and trios doing other activities—such as walking, shopping or doing dishes—it's food that brings us all together. That's when the four of us most enjoy each other's company.

Those who excel were once beginners too. They've simply practised more than we have. My husband calls this "being a page ahead in the book." With time, we will be the ones who are a page ahead of someone else, passing along the knowledge we acquired through a combination of learning by doing and learning from others.

In today's edition of his weekly newsletter, James Clear poses a question about this very subject: "Without altering the facts of the situation I am facing and without ignoring the reality of what must be done, what is the most useful and empowering story I can tell myself about what is happening and what I need to do next?" As Clear suggests, this mental shift is not about changing the facts or avoiding them. It is about coming up with a perspective that allows us to reclaim our power and to identify what we can do—indeed, what we must do—to keep moving forward.

"Social contact is nature’s antidote to stress and talking face to face with a good listener is one of the fastest ways to calm your nervous system and relieve stress." Choose someone who can listen without becoming distracted or passing judgement. Try to make the time spent with friends and family positive and enjoyable. Avoid negative people. Connect with a cause or community that is meaningful to you; helping others can bring immense pleasure and help reduce stress.

One of the hardest things—especially for leaders—is to sit with someone who is devastated by a set of circumstances and not want to take their pain away, to help them see things from a more positive perspective, to move them to solutions. Managers are managers, in part, because they are good at solving problems, are persuasive in their arguments, and are efficient at moving people from dark cloud to silver lining. But employees struggling with a personal or world event are rarely looking for a solution or a new perspective. Usually, they want to be heard, understood and validated, and to know that their boss understands the impact external events are having on them.

Why articulate priorities? Priorities remind me of what's important to me and provide a framework against which I can track where I spend my time. They also help me to move away from activities that conflict with what I've identified as important, such as a chaotic, frustrating or stressful situation that goes against my desire for peace. Finally, priorities help me to ensure that I'm living the life I want to live.

Beyond work and love, I would add two other ingredients that give meaning to life. First, to fulfill whatever talents we are born with. However blessed we are by fate with different abilities and strengths, we should try to develop them to the fullest, rather than allow them to atrophy and decay. ... Second, we should try to leave the world a better place than when we entered it. As individuals, we can make a difference, whether it is to probe the secrets of Nature, to clean up the environment and work for peace and social justice, or to nurture the inquisitive, vibrant spirit of the young by being a mentor and a guide.

— Michio Kaku