Downward volatility makes all of us anxious. Even those of us who have been through a Bear market eight times….8 times in a 35-year career get anxious. Bear markets make even the seasoned planner, investor, and money manager anxious.
But having done this eight times, we know it will end. We never know the reason. Or the timing. Or how bad it will be, but we do know, this too shall pass. We plan. We prepare. But we may not have thought the next Bear would be because of a global pandemic. (We also didn’t know in 2008 that we’d experience a global credit crisis.) But history has shown time and time again that the best minds in the world get to work to solve the problems. Then. And now. The media increases our anxiety with cries that the sky is falling. Social media cries conspiracy. We’d say our barber or stylist could tell us the solution, but this time we haven’t been able to visit them.
These are the times when we earn our keep. When we remind you to focus on your plan, and the times our money managers are working to find opportunities amongst the uncertainty. We don’t worry about the market. We worry about our clients worrying. That’s why we flood you with messages in so many mediums!
And today, we wanted to remind you; it’s normal to feel anxious. Maybe more than before. Maybe like every time. But it’s because even though we did our best to prepare you that bear markets will come, without any regularity. We did our best to explain how much investments can go down. We told you it would feel scary. We could not prepare YOU for how you’d feel in each instance. Forgive us for using this kind of language, but we couldn’t come up with a better phrase, each time, IT SUCKS. It sucks the wind out of our sails. It causes us to rethink every decision we’ve ever made. Or the upcoming choices. It causes us to wonder about our plans. That’s why we communicate so much in so many ways. It’s to remind you we are here as your guide. To tell you again, this sucks. But this too shall pass.
We are here to help. Want to discuss your plan? We are here. Want to set up an investment for the first time? We are here. Just need someone to talk too in this uncertain time? We are here.
