Navigating Periods of Uncertainty

It feels to many of us like a particularly uncertain period of time, doesn't it?

After a long period of relative calm, market volatility has picked up. The 24/7 news flow has us all exhausted and anxious. What can we do to regain security and a sense of control over our lives?

Relax.

Nothing is under control. Ironically, the only way to regain a sense of equanimity towards our lives, and to the news flow that surrounds us, is to recognize that we have never been in control. Ever. Certainty is a myth we have created. It does not otherwise exist.

Now, I'm not saying that there is no role for planning in our lives. I work as a financial planner after all! I structure investment portfolios to better weather market volatility, and make sure that my clients make crucial year end spending, saving and investing decisions.

These are all geared toward living a meaningful life. But a financial plan is not a "one and done" event. The one certainty of a financial plan is that it will evolve and change over the years, as will the lives of the clients I created it for.