WHEN THE BLOOM IS OFF THE ROSE

WHEN THE BLOOM IS OFF THE ROSE

Is something no longer as exciting as it used to be? Go after new ideas! Sooner or later, everything will be out-of-date anyway. Times change. It seems, that the pace of change is accelerating. Those life-long careers, for instance, may have gone out of the window. You'll have to change course frequently. Are you ready for new challenges more often than you would have expected? 

But nature is amazing. A new cycle, perhaps more rewarding than the last, is always just around the corner. That's why you should always do 'something'. Keep your mind sharp. Dream about great things in the future. Stop waiting for the end of today's uncertainties. How will you position yourself for the inevitable better times ahead? Rolling downturns, which occur at irregular intervals, are part of life. They provide you with an opportunity to right and steer your ship. The specific timing of anything is impossible to predict. But new technologies are constantly reshaping the world and you can be part of the next wave. 

Don't put all your available capital at work all at once. A gradual approach is preferable by far. It's never too late to consider a strategy of investing a fixed amount on a regular basis. This may lower your stress level for sure! You don't have to watch the markets all the time. You're participating in the action, regardless of price. Timing is a high-risk strategy at all times anyway.

Keep focused on your budgeting money practices. Ten to twenty percent of your income should be available for savings and investment, while the remainder should take care of your needs and wants. This discipline is always a challenge and sometimes requires sacrifices. But whenever the bloom is off the rose, you've got something to fall back on!

RICK SCHMULL