Thursday, 29 October 2026. Today’s stories come from a Trelawny yam field, a Washington boardroom and English town halls. Each asks a practical question: what do you keep, say or share that makes the next step easier?

Life: Keep Back What You Need to Start Again

What happened: A year after Hurricane Melissa flattened yam fields in southern Trelawny, farmers are replanting, but exports have not recovered, the Jamaica Gleaner reported on 28 October. The area normally supplies about 70 per cent of Jamaica’s yam exports; a local resident told the paper that share has fallen to about 40 per cent. Several farmers said their biggest obstacle now is finding yam heads, the planting material for the next crop.

The lesson: One way to read this: recovery depends not only on the size of a loss, but on whether you kept the means to begin again. For a farmer, that is planting stock. For the rest of us, it might be key documents, a small cushion of savings, or the phone numbers of people we trust.

Try today: Spend 15 minutes on your own yam heads. Photograph your ID, insurance papers and three emergency contacts, and save them in one secure place you can reach from any phone.

Source: Jamaica Gleaner, “Trelawny yam farmers still struggling to rebound” (28 October 2026)

Leadership: A Split Vote Can Build Trust

What happened: On 28 October, the US Federal Reserve held its key interest rate at 3.75 to 4 per cent in a 10-2 vote. Governor Lisa Cook and Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack voted against, preferring a quarter-point rise because of inflation concerns. Chair Kevin Warsh told reporters that “politics played no role in the decision.”

The lesson: The Fed publishes not just its decision but who disagreed. That visible dissent does not weaken the outcome; it shows the question was tested. In our view, unity means committing to a decision together, not pretending everyone agreed.

Try today: Before your next decision, ask one person, “What would make you vote no?” Write their answer beside the decision. Deciding alone? Write your own best argument against it first.

Source: Yahoo Finance, “Rate decision live: Interest rates held steady in split vote, Warsh says politics played ‘no role'” (28 October 2026)

Solutions: Share the Savings and People Find More

What happened: On 26 October, Devon County Council in England reported results from a ten-year Shared Savings Scheme with six district councils. When districts cut waste or changed services in ways that lowered disposal costs, part of the money came back to them. The council estimates about £24 million saved since 2016, with roughly £12 million returned for vehicles, depots and equipment.

What worked: Average recycling among the scheme councils rose from 47.3 to 52.2 per cent, and Devon’s household waste per person fell from 417 to 411 kg last year. This is a demonstrated result over a decade.

The tradeoff: The £24 million is measured against projected waste, not a controlled comparison, running costs were not published, and Devon’s overall recycling rate dipped slightly to 53.4 per cent.

The lesson: When the people doing the work keep part of what they save, saving becomes their project too. It could suit church circuits, schools or Caribbean municipal corporations.

Try today: Pick one shared cost at home or work and send a two-line proposal: if we cut it, part of the savings goes to something we choose together.

Source: Devon County Council, “£24 million saved as Devon households throw away less waste” (26 October 2026)

Your Three for Today

Choose three priorities and give each a time:

• Move something forward: the one task that would make the biggest difference today.
• Support someone: who needs your attention, encouragement or a decision?
• Invest in yourself: one thing for your health, learning or wellbeing.

For example: finish the budget draft by 10:00, ask a quiet colleague at lunch what they really think, and secure your documents before dinner. Your three will look different, and that is the point.

Today’s Question

What is one thing you could start keeping in reserve now that would help you begin again after a hard season?

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