Managing the stress of the moment -- coronavirus and bear market

We are in very stressful days -- we really are. The coronavirus crisis continues to accelerate, and to demonstrate the extent to which many of us in the United States have been in denial of its seriousness. Our leadership at the top has been abysmal -- and exacerbated by Trump's failure to hire, empower and retain seasoned professionals all up and down the government -- but that is not my focus here. We have been slow to test and slow to move into the necessary defensive crouch.

Exhibit A: Natalie is off on a spring break trip to Chicago and Ann Arbor. Neither of them are known "hot spots" at present, but then again we haven't been testing enough so we don't really know where it is. Every day, every evening, brings shocking news of how bad it actually is. I so wish she were at home, even though she is as mature and prudent a young person as one is likely to find. Just three more days, I have to tell myself. I'm not worried about her health, I'm worried about her bringing it back into the house and then Mary or I get sick. And then my mom... but we will keep her physically distant for a while.

And then there are these markets. We've never seen them fall so far, so fast, so much volatility day to day. We are overdue for a bear market, no doubt, and in many ways it is a relief that it is finally here. I have lived through two bear markets, the dot com one and the financial crisis, and I know that we get through them. But they are not fun and we really don't have any of certainty over deep they go or how long they last. Of course, this is the first one when I've been responsible for other people's money.

So I am focusing on self-care throughout the day to manage the stress: meditation, reading, brushing teeth (part of morning discipline), exercise, sit coms, sleep. On the coronavirus-specific front, I am no longer having non-necessary in person meetings, and am looking forward to hunkering into the home.