Don’t Outsource Your Happiness

I hate thinking about stocks. I used to outsource my happiness to the moves of the stock market. When the market was up, I was on a high. When it skyrocketed, it was a tremendous high. But when it was down, I was miserable. It was like a very powerful drug. Sometimes in the same day I would be up and down and up and down.

It actually got so bad, I decided this past fall (when the market started to tumble) that enough is enough. I knew in my heart that it makes no difference what the market does on a daily, monthly, or even yearly basis if I am in it for the long haul.

And I am.

So a few months ago I made a deal with myself that I would not check anything until the year ended. And I have stuck to this pretty well. Now I will likely check my investments on a quarterly basis at most. As long as I have my regular cash flow to live on, it makes no difference what the market is doing! This will give me tremendous peace of mind. I am actually feeling a LOT better already!

Is there anything that changes YOUR mood easily? I am betting there is. Here are a few possibilities (tell me if you relate to any of them): An argument with someone, your weight, your car breaking down, the news, politics, a coworker, Facebook, Instagram, debt, the weather, a memory, your hair. I am sure there are tons more.

My suggestion is to be in control of your happiness. We cannot control many of the things above, but try your absolute BEST not to let these outside interferences affect your actual happiness. I removed the stock market from my daily routine. It has seriously helped me. What will YOU remove? -DMM