This Too Shall Pass: A Nurse’s Take on the Market Meltdown

Lately, it feels like every headline is shouting doom and gloom. Tariffs, recession fears, political chaos, and a market that’s as shaky as a nurse starting an IV for the very first time. But I want to offer a different lens, one rooted in history, long-term strategy, and a little bit of calm.

Yes, the market is down. No, this isn’t the end of the world.

Unless you’re planning to retire within the next year or two, take a deep breath. The stock market has a solid track record of bouncing back from every crash, correction, and crisis you can think of. From pandemics to housing bubbles, wars to interest rate hikes, the market has not only recovered but gone on to hit all-time highs.

Here’s the key takeaway: only sellers get hurt in a downturn. If you’re still working, still investing, still building, then you’re a buyer. You’re in the accumulation phase of your journey, and this might just be one of the best long-term investing windows you’ll get.

Think of this moment as a live case study in emotional discipline.

If you were retiring right now, this market would be a true test of how solid your plan is. A well-diversified portfolio, not just 100 percent stocks, would give peace of mind. Bonds usually offer that stability, but lately, they’ve been acting a little strange.

This week, bonds started selling off when stocks were also sliding. That’s not what we usually see. Normally, bonds hold steady or go up as a safe haven. Then, unexpectedly, there was a 90-day pause announcement, maybe not a coincidence. There’s a lot of tactical stuff unfolding behind the scenes right now. We don’t know how long this will last. It could be the rest of 2025. It could be the entirety of this presidency.

Moments like this highlight why asset allocation and flexibility are so important. Most of us start off heavy in stocks, and that’s fine during the early accumulation phase, but as you get closer to retirement, having a mix becomes more critical.

Here’s my personal take (and you don’t have to agree) Something about this whole environment feels... orchestrated. The U.S. is sitting on a massive deficit and needs to refinance it. Could some of the current market volatility be tied to that? Maybe. And while I’m not loving how things are being handled, I know one thing for sure, panic is not a plan.

I’ve reached Coast FI which allowed me to retire from the ER and shift to part-time work by choice. If I were retiring fully right now, I’d want two years of cash in a high-yield savings account and a solid, tax-efficient withdrawal strategy. That combo brings clarity and confidence, no matter what’s going on out there.

Right now, I’m using some extra cash on hand to invest a little more. I’m not trying to time the market, but I do see this as an opportunity. It’s a chance to pressure-test my plan, evaluate backup strategies, and stay consistent.

You don’t need to time the market. You just need time in the market. So keep showing up. Keep saving. Keep investing. This will one day be just another chapter in a very profitable story.