It’s not easy to get excited about something with pedestrian returns.

Yet in many cases, these stilted, boring, and pointless investments are like medicine; you don’t like the taste but once you swallow and move on you got over it and can start to feel better.

Right now, depending on your attitude, there are a lot of investments that you might dislike.

The market left November a bit hastily, reminding investors how uncomfortable even a small downturn is, giving them the edge. My friend and neighbor, for example, noted that “he doesn’t like the stock market right now.”

Over the years, there have been many times when market experts have explained how they expect problems to come, but they are unwilling to exit the stock market until they are sure that the troubling times had arrived.

Even if you are trying to time the market, it is the time in the market that matters most.

Likewise, bonds and bond funds have been mostly unattractive investments for years, struggling in a near zero rate environment.

And that was before inflation rose; With the cost of living rising at rates not seen in decades, it is impossible for many fixed income investments to keep pace.