All great changes are preceded by chaos

Written by Nila Mistry
20/06/2020

“All great changes are preceded by chaos” – Tiny Buddha 

As I reflected on this quote it made me think about how unsettled I felt during the last financial crisis in 2008.  

I made choices for myself and even some clients out of fear and panic. I felt like hiding under that duvet, hoping it would all go away.  

The reality was that I had a young family to look after, encourage and support my unemployed husband and a duty of care to my clients when they too were filled with fear & confusion.  

12 years on, here we are again, under slightly different circumstances but it’s still impacted the financial markets where uncertainty and fear is very much present.  

I’ve learned as someone who provides service and guidance in financial planning, my clients need me more than ever to be that voice of calm and reassurance. It became important for me to focus on… 

1. Being calm and being present, noticing my state of mind. Doing what I needed to bring balance. I exercised, meditated, prayed and even reached out to family and friends.  

2. Knowing that any investment we make in ourselves or the markets is part of the bigger picture. There’s always the bigger vision for why we do things we do, right?  

3. Not to make decisions when we are uncertain or scared. Often, to do nothing is the best option. Eventually we can reach out talk about this.  

4. Find something we CAN control. It might be just your present situation, for example focusing on your breath, the present moment and also to think about what essentials you need right now?  

5. Knowing your numbers is also key to making you feel more in control. I found that making a simple list of all essential and non essential expenditure gives clarity on what you need day to day. More importantly now you may even have some expenses that will have stopped such as travel or petrol and certain subscriptions.  

6. Now to do something. Take some small action based on what you need. I found myself meditating, going on a walks, filing, cleaning, knowing my numbers, reaching out to friends and family and letting my clients know I am present for them. 

All of these feel SO much better than just looking at things online or scrolling through the news and feeling worried.