Getting riled up and down or worrying about the markets - all the time - is not a healthy way to live, most people would agree. All Markets go in cycles, and given enough time and providing that you are well diversifed, the markets have proven out over more than a couple of hundred years that they will weather the most harsh storms and continue to grow over the long term. Growth is not a straight line. A long protracted bear market scenario is of course serious but no-one is expecting that to be the outcome of the coronavirus crisis. Yes, it may take longer than any one of us may like to discover an effective vaccine and administer it, but this will eventually happen. An enormous ammount of resources and scientifc brain power is being allocated to the discovery, manufacturing and distribution of a vaccine in every country worldwide. And despite global tensions among super-powers, scientists are collaborating on a global scale.
We will get through this time. Business conditions and markets will improve and likewise employment numbers will rise again. There will also be significant hardship faced by many who are unemployed and we can but hope that governments will continue to find ways to ease their burden until the employment situation can get back to pre-coronavirus levels.
A good reason to get a financial advisor is that they will do the worrying and managing of your investment portfolio for you. They will be more objective in times of crisis and able to provide advice that will help steer you in the right direction and away from doing anything that might worsen your situation.
In the midst of stressful economic times and a raging pandemic, self-care is all the more important. I recall being at a presentation by Dr Sean Stephenson who was born with a very serious condition known more commonly as "brittle bone disease". It left him wheelchair bound form a youndg age and in need of 24/7 care. He became a well-known motivational speaker and therapist to many highly successful sports, business and government figures. Overcoming hardship was a daily experience for him. He was a true inspiration. One thing that impressed and stayed with me from that presentation - other than his sense of humor - is that he said "the more challenge you are facing in your life at any given time, the more self-care you should administer". This, he said, keeps your body, creativity and spirit more resilient than anything else. We can sometimes forget about self-care, especially during challenging times. Well, its July 4th and a holiday weekend, so take the time to enjoy it and relax with your family. Take your mind of the challenges, the markets and anything else that is troubling.
We all need to reset and refresh. This is as good a time as any to do that!
Happy July 4th!
