Let me tell you about a little story called the Great Depression bounce back.

I like talking about the truth… the facts… when I talk about money.

Because the facts can’t hurt us. The facts just are, well, the facts.

Let’s look at the Great Depression. That’s the only time the stock market has lost 86.2% of its value. That means that for every $100 someone had in stocks one day, the average they would have after the crash was $13.80.   

I think most people would consider that a pretty sharp decline.

But here is the part they don’t tell you.

One year later the market had corrected 121.4%.
Five years later the market had gone up 262.7% from its lowest point.

The market can take care of itself.

All you have to worry about is today.

And you can do today.

Enjoy the challenges.
Savor the time with your people.
Take a breathe (not near anyone who is coughing) and step outside.

Fear about money is fear about the future.

Staying in the now means you can’t feel fear about the future.

Notice everything around you…
The smells, the texture, the colors and temperature.

This is now.

It’s a new, beautiful day.

PS – For anyone who is thinking that I cherry picked a rebound that would make you feel better, there has always been a rebound.

In the downturn called “The Great Recession” with the lending/banking issues (period October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009) markets went down 56.8%. The rebound was 68.6% in the first year, in five years it was up 178% and 10 years the rebound was 305.5%.

In the downturn around September 11, 2001 (period from March 24, 2000 – October 9, 2002) there was a 49.1% downturn. At one year they were up 33.7%, five years up 101.5%.

All numbers are cited from American Century Investments.