Scary

While driving Max to daycare today I was going over in my mind everything going on with our markets and economic news in general.  It seems like every day there is more bad news, and not just tiny stuff, being announced.  I have tried REALLY hard to stay upbeat and positive about the future, but it seems like lately that has been harder and harder to accomplish.  I still firmly believe we are going to be just fine and even stronger when we get through all of this; the hard part right now is maintaining that belief on a continual basis.  I have said for a few months now that this is going to be a long and hard recession.  We are not going to just spring back.  The issues are too many and they are too intertwined for it to be a “standard” recession.  However I don’t want to focus on what is wrong; I want to share how I am getting myself through all the bad news! 

So how am I staying positive?

• Pulled out my old book:  A Random Walk down Wall Street – this book is fabulous for explaining the market.  Especially the chapter on bubbles.  Having the education that crazy things have happened before has helped me remember that world moves on.
• No media – I know I have said this before, but I notice for myself a direct correlation on my stress level and how much I watch the news.
• Hard work – I just keep working and do the best that I can do.  I have to mentally choose to keep going everyday and not let the recession affect me.  I have not stopped marketing, developing or working to make my business move forward.  I do not planning on stopping that because our market has slowed.
• Consistently repeating “this will be okay”.  May seem odd, but I do just keep repeating this to myself.  Usually my mind catches on and moves forward with the day. 
• Planning – I am constantly game planning the next few months.  Both financially and with my business, knowing where I am headed makes the rest easier.
• Remind myself that the market is on sale and if I continue managing my finances the way that I have the past 6 years that I can put us in a position to have fantastic gains when the market moves in the right direction.

Staying positive is hard, but every day I do my best to stay positive.  Find what works for you and focus on being positive, we will make it out of this okay.

How to stay calm in a financial crises

I know everyone is getting tired and depressed about the current financial rollercoaster.  So how do you get through in a calm fashion?  The short answer?  Ignore the media.  The long answer has a couple more details to it!

1. Ignore the media – If you do not subject yourself to the over analysis done by the media of what is going on it is harder to become depressed and easier to stay calm.  Liken it to a watched pot never boils, nothing major is going to change in one day.  Check in on what is going on once a week and spend the rest of your time focusing on you! (See number 4)
2. Remember what your timeline is – Investing is for the long run.  If you don’t need the money for five years there is nothing to worry about.  The market will come back and we will move on.  If you need it before 5 years you should not have been in the stock market.  It is a volatile investment in the short term and a great investment in the long term.  What to do if you are in it and you do need the money?  Sit for as long as you can, but then take it when you needed.  Exhaust all other responsible options first.
3. Use your extra time that you are not watching the news to educate yourself about how markets work and other money matters.  All economies must have their ups and downs.  We have been very lucky to have had a long period of growth; it was inevitable to have a down turn.  It has happened before, it will happen again and we will all be okay.
4. Remember that YOU create your destiny.  Take this as a time to move forward when everyone else is drowning in their tears.  Take a minute, determine where you are and then get out there and move yourself in the direction you want to go!

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