Good morning friend!
I goofed last week...
The postscript in last week's email said Elizabeth and I were currently exploring the coast of Maine.
But we actually returned from our Maine vacation on Sunday, May 15th.
Before last week's email.
So I made a error when writing and scheduling the last couple of weekly emails ahead of our trip. Sorry 'bout that.
But what a trip it was!
Great weather, great food, great hiking, great exploring.
Here's one of many pics from our travels.
On to this week's email...
When investment markets get bumpy like we're experiencing these days, it's common for financial folks to say things like:
Stay the course
Think long term
The market is on sale
And more...
In fact, I've uttered the phrases above many times throughout my career.
And there's nothing wrong with them.
Except that they might not be very helpful to you if you're coping with the anxiety that naturally comes from seeing your portfolio value bouncing around from one day to the next.
For some context, we experience a market correction (a market decline of 10% or more) on average once every 2 years.
And we experience a bear market (a market decline of 20% or more) on average once every 3.5 years.
And the typical bear market lasts 9.5 months.
Even recognizing the frequency of these market swings and accepting that they're a normal part of investing doesn't always do a lot to put your mind at ease.
Especially when you're likely wondering,
"Is this time different?"
So I think another way to deal with the worry and anxiety that can come from volatile markets is to simply remember:
Just Breathe
If that sounds trite or unhelpful, remember that breath is essential to life.
And I think it can be useful to focus on non-financial things if you're dealing with financial stress or anxiety.
Or, if you'd prefer to talk about the markets - or anything else, simply reply to this email or schedule a call with me.
Links & Things
Will you spend less in retirement, as many financial experts seem to think? Or will you spend more? Read my latest blog post for my thoughts on this topic:
In fact, my blog post above was picked up by Seeking Alpha, an investing focused financial website.
Over the years, Seeking Alpha has syndicated more than 100 of my articles, many of which are no longer available on my website.
If you'd like to explore some them, click here:
Speaking of "just breathe" above... each of us takes an average of 20,000 breaths each day. This is largely controlled by our autonomic nervous system which happens without us having to think about it. (Another unconscious routine in our lives 😉)
But have you ever considered the quality of your breathing?
Is it short and shallow or slow, deep, and controlled?
Are you breathing through your nose or your mouth?
I've been doing some reading about breath and breathing and have learned some interesting things. If you're curious, check out this 12-minute video of James Nestor, author of the book "Breath" (one of the books I've read on the topic):
Thank you, as always, for reading.
And if you have any questions or an idea for a future newsletter, blog post, or YouTube video, I'd love your input.
Just hit reply - I read (and appreciate) every email you send.
Until next Wednesday,
Russ