Ep.38 How to Stay Sane in a 24-Hour Negative News Cycle

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The news is loud, the headlines are heavy, and our phones make sure we never miss a thing. Steve and Jess sit down to talk about what all of that does to your head and your money, and what you can actually do about it.

Steve opens with a particularly committed Diagnose Steve performance (lying awake at 3am, watching markets fall, wondering whether to sell everything) and Jess walks him back from the ledge.

In this episode:

• Why your brain reacts to a push notification like it's a real threat
• How the news, your phone, and the algorithm feed each other
• The difference between reacting and responding, and why it matters for your investments
• A simple way to think about what is and isn't in your control
• Practical ways to take the volume down: phone out of the bedroom, news on a timer, daily anchors that ground you
• A book recommendation from Jess that's worth your time

Plus the usual: an ongoing campaign for KitKat sponsorship, a cameo from Bargain Hunt, and Kenny the happy little horse.

If you enjoyed Episode 37 with George Kinder on living in the present, this one builds on the same idea.