Stockmarket vs. Zen

The stock market and global economy are constantly changing. Every minute and hour there are ups and downs. Just like the waves of the ocean.

It has always been this way. The difference now is we have 24-7 news feeds, social media, and investing apps that are always pinging us with every change.

Measured messages about how there is probably not a crisis and ups and downs will likely balance out by the end of the week aren't going to grab our attention. So all the sources of info compete by stressing the extremes. This can leave us with a lot of worry and conflicting feelings.

Oh no! Do I sell? Should I stay the course? In truth, if you are invested with a diverse mix of stock and you are not retiring tomorrow, all this heartache is likely to be for nothing. Sometimes the best thing you can do is stop listening to all the noise.

Maybe not quite stick your head in the sand, but turn off notifications from apps that are telling you to act. Most of the time decisions made from fear, whether it be fear of losing what is invested or fear of missing out on something new, are not good choices. Make your decisions about investing based on longterm goals and feel free to ignore the day-to-day ups and downs.