In year’s past, October has heralded the upcoming holidays: scarecrows in the garden, pumpkins resting by doorsteps, and the thought of friends and family gathering in just a few weeks. It is all different this year, given that our world is still healing from the pandemic.

However, I refuse to lose my sense of optimism and I hope you are as stubborn as I am, resolutely standing with faith in humanity… no matter how tough this year has been so far.

I ran across a lovely site online the other day that listed a full October Optimism calendar packed with cheerful suggestions to infuse each day this month with a way to keep looking ahead. Some of my favorites were: think of three things every morning that give you hope for the day; deliberately look for the good intentions from everyone you encounter each day; and rethink your priorities for the month.

However, the one I liked best was this one: share your most important goals with the people you trust.

Sharing your goals automatically means you’ve accepted today as a starting point, which is in itself optimistic. It also opens up a conversation with close friends or family, and that sense of connection is so vital in these trying times. The give-and-take of ideas might just spur a trusted friend into action as well, benefiting you both and likely bringing you closer together at the same time for a strong finish to this challenging year.

On a professional level, sharing your most important goals has potential to stimulate outreach and inadvertently forces you into connecting with peers and contacts before the holiday hustle and bustle sets in.

My friend, we have made it through so much already this year. I remain optimistic and hope you will as well!

Gino Pezzani.