What to Do (and Feel) When the Market Gets Messy

Markets are reacting to new tariffs—and if you’re worried, frustrated, or unsure what to do next, you’re not alone.

You don’t need to overhaul your financial plan every time headlines get loud. But if recent volatility has you thinking about next steps—like trimming company stock or putting idle cash to work—now might be the time to take action on things you already wanted to do. Photo by Edwin Tan.

Let’s talk about what’s been going on in the market—because it’s been bumpy lately.

The newly announced Trump-era tariffs have rattled investors, and we’re starting to see those ripple effects show up in portfolios. If you've been feeling anxious, angry, or just unsure about how to respond, that’s completely normal. There’s a lot to process—not just the market movement, but what it signals about where the economy might be headed, and what kind of leadership is shaping that path.

So, what do you do?

In most cases, nothing drastic.

Market reactions are loud but not always long-lasting. If you’ve got a long-term plan in place—one that reflects your goals, your time horizon, and your tolerance for risk—this probably isn’t the time to blow it up. Plans are built to weather this kind of storm.

But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to do. Sometimes, a rocky moment like this creates space to act on moves you already knew you wanted to make.

For example, if you're holding a large amount of a single company’s stock—especially your employer’s stock—and you've been meaning to reduce that concentration, this could be a natural time to do it. One big reason people hesitate to sell is because they don’t want to pay taxes on big capital gains. But after the recent drop, those gains may not be as large—or might even be gone. In some cases, you could be realizing a loss, which could help your tax situation. If you already felt overexposed, and the recent dip reinforced that feeling, trimming back could help you sleep better at night. You’re not reacting to the news. You’re acting on something that’s been on your radar.

Same goes for excess cash. If you’ve got money sitting on the sidelines—money that’s already beyond a fully funded emergency fund—and you’ve been meaning to invest it, now might be the time to follow through. The shares you’d be buying are almost certainly priced lower than they were a few days ago. That doesn’t mean they’ll bounce back tomorrow—or ever. But if you were planning to invest anyway, this moment might make follow-through a little easier.

It’s not about “buying the dip” or trying to time the market perfectly. It’s about honoring the plan you set and putting your resources to work the way you meant to all along.

And if you’re not sure? That’s okay, too. You don’t need to have a perfectly reasoned response to every market move. It’s totally valid to just feel weird right now. There’s a lot happening, and we all carry our own experiences and biases when it comes to money, investing, and risk.

So if your brain is going in circles—or your gut just feels unsettled—I’m here. Not to tell you to do anything specific, but to listen. To talk things through. To help you sort out what’s really going on underneath the anxiety and what—if anything—you want to do about it.

This post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute personal investment advice. For guidance tailored to your specific situation, talk with a financial professional.