18 Mar 2025 Protecting Your Well-Being in Unsettling Times

Six years ago, in a Friday Brief, I asked you to rate your financial well-being. I also shared my own definition of what that meant, which at the time looked something like this:

• Freedom from worry.
• The ability to spend as much time as I’d like with family and friends.
• Knowing that I am on track to accomplish the things that are most important to me.
• Giving at a level where I feel comfortable (or better yet, a little uncomfortable!).
• Confidence that I’m saving enough to reach my long-term goals.
• Knowing that Crystal and our kids would be financially healthy if something happened to me.
• Feeling comfortable with the amount I’m spending.
• Maintaining healthy money relationships with Crystal and those I care about.

Your definition of financial well-being may look a little different, but I imagine it’s not too far off. And if you’re like me, being free from worry—or at least limiting its impact on your daily life—is an important component. However, managing that worry can be challenging, especially during uncertain times.

The Impact of Headlines on Financial Well-Being

Reducing worry touches on spiritual, emotional, and psychological areas that are well beyond my area of expertise. But there is one practical area where I do have some insight: how the news headlines affect our state of mind.

During the pandemic, I realized that my level of worry and anxiety would spike immediately after checking the headlines. I know this isn’t surprising, but the correlation was striking. A quick glance at the news could turn an otherwise pleasant afternoon into one filled with nagging worry.

I had fallen into the habit of checking the news too often, letting the headlines lower my mood, shift my thinking, and ultimately impact my decision-making. Even though the pandemic was a scary time, I’m still slightly embarrassed to admit that I once sat on our front porch wiping down groceries with disinfectant wipes—almost certainly driven by a scary headline I had just read.

Thankfully, most of us have moved past the pandemic, but headlines remain just as unsettling, with stories of market volatility and economic uncertainty seemingly everywhere.

Staying Informed Without Losing Peace of Mind

This time, however, I’m better prepared. Because of my profession and my desire to be an informed citizen, I can’t simply ignore the news altogether—but I’ve learned I’m learning how to stay informed without letting it undermine my well-being.

Here’s what I’m doing to stay, what I like to call, pleasantly informed:

• Turned off TV news to avoid the 24-hour news cycle.
• Deleted the CNBC app from my phone.
• Read articles from multiple sources on both sides of the aisle—ideally only once a day.
• Checking my portfolio balance less frequently—perhaps once a month instead of weekly, or weekly instead of multiple times a day.
• Focusing on what I can control.
• Reminding myself that short-term outcomes do not equate to long-term success.

These small adjustments have made a meaningful difference in how I feel day-to-day. I’m still informed, but I no longer let the headlines control my mood or my decisions.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. How are you protecting your well-being from the constant noise of the news cycle?