Protecting Your Most Valuable Assets During COVID-19 Crisis

Let’s face it, the world is suffering a crisis that most of us have never experienced before and we are all wondering what this is going to look like when the dust finally settles. We are feeling out of control as we helplessly watch a virus ravage our population. We watch as the economy comes to a screeching halt while the stock market tumbles inevitably into a bear market. Many of us are worried about what this will do to us financially. 401k’s, pensions and all other retirement and investment accounts are at risk and we have no guarantee that the market will recover like it has in the past. But I am not here to talk to you about your retirement or financial statement as I am not a financial expert by any means. Instead, I am here to talk to you about your most valuable asset.

Before I talk to you about your most valuable asset, let’s talk about what an asset really is. In his book, “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” Robert Kiyosaki provides the best definition for a financial asset I have found yet. His definition states “anything as long as it has value, produces income or appreciates, and has a ready market. Assets put money IN your pocket.” While I agree with Kiyosaki, and I have learned much from his book (if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it, click here to buy it), I maintain a belief that our financial assets are not our most valuable. The most precious commodity on Earth is not a mineral found in the ground or a system built upon a strong currency, our most precious commodity is actually people. Allow me to explain.

The most valuable asset we have is not stored in a bank or tied up in the market. Our biggest assets are the relationships we build that are not constructed on the foundation of the almighty dollar. Let’s look back at Kiyosaki’s definition of an asset to determine which relationships hold the most value. They are the relationships that have meaning to you, that gets better and stronger over time, and is readily available to you. It’s the people who truly add meaning to your life. I was recently listening to Seth J. Gillihan’s podcast Think Act Be (click here to listen to the full episode), and he was interviewing Ken Honda who said something that really hit me to the core especially during this time of crisis. Ken said, “we need people, not money.” Plain and simple and I was overwhelmed by how important that is to remember right now. We need each other more now than ever. There is a good chance money will abandon most of us during this time, but our most important relationships will survive this global event. So how will you protect your most valuable assets? Here are some things to think about as you navigate the unknown of the upcoming months.

The most important relationship you have right now is the one you have with yourself. Right now, we are spending more time with that little voice in our head than usual thanks to quarantine. You know, that little voice that drives us crazy by being super-critical and as vicious as the mean girls in high school. The more we are exposed to this negative self-talk, the more we start to believe things that are not true about ourselves. However, this provides us with an amazing opportunity to practice self-awareness and self-love. There are ways you can quiet the critical voice inside your head. Let me to explain how meditation, creativity and connection can help you quiet the critic screaming inside your head.

If you haven’t started a meditation practice, it’s not too late to start. If you feel like you don’t know how or aren’t doing it right, remember it is a practice and very few ever feel like they are doing it right. The most important part of meditation is to find one that works for you and practice it every day. Focusing on your breath and physical self will help quiet the voice in your head, and if the voice becomes critical of your meditation practice, the good news is, meditation will teach you how to let go of your negative thoughts even if it is only for a brief moment.

Creativity can also help mute the judgments running through your mind. When you immerse yourself in a project or hobby, your brain will be focused on the task and will not have time to remind you of everything you are doing wrong or everything that is going wrong. Some hobbies or interests might not be possible right now because of the social distancing, but this is a great opportunity to explore a new interest. Learning something new is the ultimate distraction for the brain. COVID-19 may take many things away from us, but it cannot take away our ability to learn. So, what are you waiting for, get started with that online class you were thinking of taking but never had the time, or start training for a physical goal you have always wanted to achieve. Think to yourself, who do you want to be when this is over and then take the steps towards that goal.

Connection is one of the most important things you can do to calm your nagging inner voice when it becomes hypercritical of everything you do. This is when you call that person who makes you feel amazing. This is your number one fan (yes, you do have one), the person who thinks you are better than the creme filling in a double stuff Oreo. This may be your mother, father, spouse, sibling, child or best friend. Give yourself a break by taking some time to share a favorite memory you have with them. Not only will this quiet your negative self-talk for a while, but it will give you both a mini vacation from thinking about the current crisis.

Speaking of connection, this leads me to another important asset you have – the meaningful relationships you have with others. We are all triggered right now. Most of us are living our daily lives in a fight or flight state of mind triggered by the fear of the unknown. Everyone is reacting differently to this crisis and it is going to take some work to maintain strong relationships. We may not all be in the same boat, but we are in the same ocean. We are all experiencing this crisis in different ways. Some are expected to risk their lives and their families lives to fight this scary viral attack, some are on the verge of the front lines and have no way of knowing what the battle will look like when it hits their community. Others have lost their jobs and don’t know how they are going to meet their very basic needs. Some are struggling with a new normal and are feeling guilty for feeling anxious when they get to remain safely in their homes with their income intact. How do we support each other during this time? I don’t have all the answers, but I do know we need to treat our most precious relationships with patience and grace.

The people around you will react the best way they know how and you might not always agree with how they are handling it. The best thing you can do is to give them a safe space and allow them to be who they are without judgement. Let them know you are there to support them and listen to them in whatever way is best for them. If they need to talk about the crisis nonstop to work through their anxious feelings, let them know you are one of the people they can talk to. However, don’t be the only person, especially if you are the kind of person who needs to withdraw from it all. If they are someone who needs to withdraw, be patient and give them their space. Do whatever it takes to foster these important relationships because that is what is going to get us all through this crisis. People, not money.

Taking the time to worry about money and strategically planning your next financial move is important. I am not saying you should be hands off and not participate during the bear market or work to protect your financial assets. However, that will look different for everyone. Some will want to play and try to make money during this time while others will be making moves to protect their wealth for retirement. My advice for you is to not let the fear of losing money take you away from your most valuable assets – the people around you. If the worst-case scenario happens and you lose all your money, you will still have people around you who will not let you fail. Strong relationships will provide support and acts of service that will help you get through until the money returns, and trust me, money will always return. There are even strangers out there who do not want to see you fail. There will be help if you find yourself on the losing end of this inevitable recession. However, taking the time to invest in Earth’s most precious commodity, humanity, will provide you with invaluable gains for the future.

There are many financial experts who will disagree with this point of view. They will claim money offers a kind of security people cannot. There is some truth to that and I am not encouraging you to completely forget about your financial health. All I am suggesting is that you make deposits into your relationships during this bear market, as well as making deposits into your overall wealth. I am not sure how my investments in the market will play out this time, but I do know investing in the right relationships will bring me insurmountable gains and that is what I consider a sound investment.

A note from the author:

If you do not have anyone in your life with the patience and grace to help you react to your anxiety right now, you can reach out to me. I have enough for you too. You can find me on

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/marci.b.gunnell

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/marci_brodock/

I promise I am not soliciting anything, just offering a listening ear.