As the spring months are turning to summer, a new perspective has been gained; normal lives have changed drastically. While we may have gotten accustomed to our everyday hustle and bustle of driving to work, picking up kids or grandkids after school, extracurricular activities, and going out for dinner with friends or loved ones, we now know that we are able to find new ways to do our normal tasks.
New ways of accomplishing all aspects of life have been implemented, including work, children, friends, school, grocery store runs, and finances. With every crisis, underlying silver linings shine through, reminding us of just how adaptable and resilient we can be.
Some silver linings that have shown through the dark days are worth mentioning. Your commute to work is no longer an hour, it is walking downstairs to start a fresh pot of coffee and heading to your office. Time with your kids has most likely doubled, and while you may get frustrated, moments spent together during this time will be remembered. You are probably cooking more, trying out an old family recipe, or adding a new favorite to your list. You might even be saving money, instead of spending $150 on drinks and dinner, you are buying a great bottle of wine for $20 to pair with your homemade pasta and sauce. You’ve found a new way to chat with everyday basis friends, and reconnect with friends and family you may not talk to as much as you’d like. A three-hour facetime or zoom call with your family even seems like it was only 30 minutes.
Getting stuck in our everyday routines pre COVID-19 was something we did not even realize had happened, but that reality quickly became present when routines were disrupted. When it did, it caused concern and panic in some cases. Once the panic and fear dulled down, a new normal was found. The impossible and the unknown became the conquered. And as each day passes we, as a collective community, find new ways to handle our day to day life. New systems, new processes, new intellect, and a new normal.
Since we have been able to overcome these challenges of day to day life, it also brings hope for our financial future. As market uncertainties occur, we must remember that the market is volatile, meaning it fluctuates. During times of high volatility, it can give investors a negative outlook on the future of the market. Uncertainty produces fear and it is important to remember that over time, through depressions, wars, recessions, and pandemics, the economy has recovered to find a new normal, just as we have in our daily lives. With this in mind, we can take a breath; the stock market will rise again and surpass levels achieved prior to the COVID-19 disruption.
To experience and enjoy all the good that human life encompasses, we must also endure the bad. The bad will always make you appreciate the good even more. As we have adapted and overcome everyday challenges that seemed so simple four months ago, we have reminded ourselves that there are shining lights around us, and maybe our new way of life will change to include some of these silver linings we couldn’t see in the beginning. The post lockdown era will be characterized by change, some subtle, and some dramatic. We will endure and enjoy the spring, the summer, and all the good that lay ahead.