Jittery From Stock Market Volatility? Don’t Run. Just Hug.

Jittery From Stock Market Volatility? Don’t Run. Just Hug.
Humans are wired to want more of what gives us security and pleasure and to run away from things that cause us pain.
Feeling scared is normal at that moment, and the last thing you need is a lecture from me on the history of long-term stock market returns.
When the markets go down, and the financial pornography networks start yelling
that you should save yourself before you end up living under a bridge, it feels like a wild animal is chasing you.
If you’re worried about the stock market, find someone to give you a hug.
This behavior has likely kept us alive as a species, but it creates havoc when we invest.
We can even consider the weighty evidence of history and talk about how the best thing we can do is stay invested.
After the hugging is over and everyone is feeling reasonable again, we can review the careful analytical work that went into designing your portfolio.
Carl Richards is a certified financial planner and author of “The Behavior Gap”.