Promoting and Protecting a Positive Mindset in Troubling Times

To maintain peace of mind, focus on what you can control, particularly your mindset. If you must consume media, limit it to fifteen minutes in the morning and at night.  That's enough time to get you caught up on world events. There are only 168 hours in the week, and it's not the best plan to allocate an inordinate amount of time to media designed to illicit a negative emotional response from you to keep you engaged. 

It's human to focus on the media narrative: "what are we doing about China?", "what if he get's elected to office?", "what if he doesn't get elected to office?" that take our focus off of our own personal economy and robs us of peace. 

My recommendation is that you focus on the things you can control in your life and on your own personal economy.  Keep things in perspective.  Our clients weathered this storm well because we have cash reserves and a financial plan that helped us to be prepared when markets dipped.  None of our clients made bad choices during those uncertain times.  I'm extremely grateful for that. Gratitude is an extremely potent antidote to worry. by the way. I know people (that aren't clients) that weren't prepared for this contingency and I'm concerned for them. 

Also, consume media that is good, true and beautiful. Here are three better things to do than watch the news:

1. Call the three most important people to you that you haven't spoken with in over a month. 

2. Watch a Classic Movie with the subtitles on.  You get more out of it.  I recommend the "Treasure of the Sierra Madre".

3. Read "To Kill a Mockingbird". I know you've read it in high school but you'll get more out of it this time.