Macro Minute: Week of November 13, 2023

Today, I want to cover a view I hold that can be different than a lot of people. That is a view that this moment is all we have and is what matters. I want to talk about a few events that have happened personally to help form this belief. But before that, let me better explain what I mean. Some people call it being present in the moment or the Latin phrase carpe diem (seize the day). In my mind, they all basically boil down to this: today is the only day that we have, and because of that, we should live it to our fullest. This doesn’t mean that we should not learn lessons from the past or that we should not plan for the future, just that today is where we actually live.

Now on to a few stories about me that help me to try to stay present in the now. Many of you may already know this, but when I was 17 years old, I lost both of my parents in a church van wreck. I had to grow up quickly. Part of growing up was realizing that I was very thankful for the memories that I had with my parents. I became very aware that the memories that we have with our loved ones are among the most precious treasures we can have. It has helped me to stay grounded, focus on the moment, and spend time with people I enjoy.

My health has also had a grounding effect on me. When I was around 29 years old, I was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. At the time it was scary.  Since then, it has gotten much less so. It is just something to live with and manage. Mine is very mild and doesn’t impact my life expectancy. What it does do is makes me focus on the today and try to spend time on things that matter.

We all have things that we have lived through and we live with. These events leave lasting impressions on our lives. These are a couple of my stories. I choose to let them be a guiding reminder that today is all we have and make the most of it.

I know this is not investing centric, but this does have an impact on investing. This frame of mind has made me a better investor. I do not get bogged down in the many 5% and 10% corrections and focus on the bigger picture.

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