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