How I’m staying grounded when the market feels shaky

Some say we’re living in unprecedented times. Others say they have seen it all before. We’re seeing a choppy market and headlines all over the place. It’s natural to feel uncertainty. And if you’ve only recently started investing, this might be the first time you’re experiencing real volatility—and it can feel overwhelming.

I’ve been feeling it, too. We listed our home for sale, and our local housing market has been slow. Not exactly the high-demand, multiple-offer scenario we were hoping for. But even in times like these, I’m finding ways to stay calm and grounded. 

First, a simple reframe of the story might help

It’s easy to get swept up in fear when the market dips. Someone recently texted me, “Too bad it’s terrifying to invest anything right now.” But here’s the thing: we don’t have any more certainty now than we did a year ago. If you’re investing for the long haul, the short-term bumps shouldn’t change your plan.

Let’s take a quick look at the numbers.

• The S&P 500 is in fact down 3.6% year-to-date

• But it's still up more than 8% over the past 12 months

• And up 93% over the past five years

  
  

That doesn’t look terrifying to me—it actually looks pretty darn good. If anything, stocks are slightly “on sale” right now. I’m not encouraging you to try and time the market. But if you have extra money to invest, this could be an opportunity—not a threat.

What you can do

If you're still worried about your finances, try to remember this: you can’t control the markets, but you can control your mindset and your habits. Here’s what I recommend:

• Stay the course. Don’t abandon your plans just because the market feels scary. If you’re working, saving, and investing regularly—and nothing major has changed in your life—keep going. Unless you’re facing something significant like a job loss or a health crisis, most of you can afford to stay the course.

• Be flexible (but only if you need to be). Flexibility doesn’t mean slashing your expenses in half or moving back in with your parents. It means knowing that if something big and unexpected happens, you can adapt. Having a 3–6 month emergency fund gives you breathing room to continue forward without completely uprooting your life. Investing across multiple types of accounts allows you to access money when you need it.

• Take a break from the news. Financial headlines are designed to trigger anxiety. If you find yourself spiraling, step away.

• Revisit your values. Use this time to double down on what matters most to you. When you lead with your values, your financial decisions tend to follow in a much steadier, more grounded way.

  
  

What I’m doing to stay grounded in my financial plans

I’ve wavered in moments of financial uncertainty, too. I’ve considered pivoting more than once—but with my partner Joe’s support, we’ve faced those moments of fear, taken a deep breath, and stayed the course. Here’s what we’ve been up to: 

• We put our house up for sale even though the market felt slow. A few months back we found a rental and signed a lease. We had been slowly getting ready to list our house then all of a sudden, the headlines were screaming about tariffs and the housing market seemed to screech to a halt. I kept thinking we’d be forced to rent out our old home, but Joe patiently reminded me: we do not want to be landlords. So, we stuck with our original plan and listed it. We got exactly one offer, and we took it—making the necessary concessions to get the sale through. (Fun fact: we found out during the inspection that our sewer had collapsed!)

• We’re living off the proceeds of the house for a bit, which helps us avoid withdrawing from investments unnecessarily. Since we’re moving into a rental, our monthly cash flow needs are shifting. Even though we sold for a bit less than we’d hoped, the sale is giving us the flexibility we need to support this next chapter.

• We’re still investing some of that money. Not in a “let’s beat the market” way—but in line with our long-term plan and belief in staying consistent.

• We’re keeping our daycare plans.  When it came time to sign our son up for daycare. I wondered if I should keep watching him myself to save money—but quickly realized that three days a week of daycare is what he’s ready for, and what we’ve planned for. So we’re sticking with it.

• We’re still buying high-quality eggs and dairy. Even though prices are up, this continues to be a priority for us in the fight against factory farming (assuming the eggs we want to buy are even available!)

  
  

We don’t know what’s going to happen in the next six months or the next two years—and we never did. But the absence of certainty doesn’t mean we’re powerless. It just means we need to keep acting on our values, our plans, and our long-term perspective.

Reach out and let me know what you are doing to stay the course!

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Disclaimer:

The information contained in the Yield & Spread website, course materials and all other related content is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for obtaining accounting, tax, or financial advice, and may not be suitable for every individual. Yield & Spread is not a registered investment, legal or tax advisor or a broker/dealer.