Hey Lykkers, Let's be real: watching your portfolio nosedive is terrifying. That sea of red on your screen can trigger a primal urge to sell everything and hide your money under the mattress.

But the most successful investors know that a market crash isn't a time for panic—it's a time for disciplined action.

As Warren Buffett famously said, "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful."

Take a deep breath. Remember, markets are cyclical. They have always recovered from every crash and correction in history. Your goal isn't to predict the bottom; it's to make smart moves that protect your financial future and position you for the eventual recovery. Here are 8 things to do right now to navigate the storm.

Seriously, close the trading app. The constant barrage of negative numbers will only feed your anxiety and lead to emotional, irrational decisions. A market crash is a marathon, not a sprint. Give yourself a 24-hour news and chart-checking break to let the initial shock wear off. Your portfolio will thank you for your clarity later.

2. Take a Financial Self-Inventory (Without Selling!)

This is your calm, rational assessment. Ask yourself:

What is my time horizon? If you're investing for retirement 20 years from now, this crash is a blip. Historically, the market has always recovered over the long term.

Do I need this money soon? If the answer is no, you have the luxury of time. If you need the cash within a year, it shouldn't have been in the stock market to begin with—a hard lesson, but a crucial one for the future.

3. Revisit Your Asset Allocation

Your carefully planned 60/40 stock/bond portfolio might now be 50/50 after the crash. This is actually an opportunity. Rebalancing means selling assets that have held their value better (like bonds) and using the proceeds to buy more of the high-quality stocks that are now "on sale." This forces you to buy low and sell high automatically.

4. Hunt for "Sale" Prices on Quality Assets

A market crash is when blue-chip companies with strong balance sheets go on a massive discount. Think of it as your favorite store having a 30%-off-everything sale. Make a watchlist of companies you've always wanted to own but thought were too expensive. Now might be your chance to buy a slice of them at a bargain price.

5. Double-Check Your Emergency Fund

This is your financial life raft. Ensure you have enough cash (ideally 3-6 months of living expenses) in a safe, accessible savings account. Knowing your immediate needs are covered will give you the psychological security to avoid selling your depressed investments to cover an unexpected bill.

6. Consider Tax-Loss Harvesting

This is a silver-lining strategy. If you sell an investment that's down, you can use that "capital loss" to offset capital gains from other investments or even reduce your ordinary income. The key? You can often immediately buy a similar but not identical asset to maintain your market exposure. Consult a tax professional for this one, as the rules can be tricky.

7. Turn Off the Financial "Doomscroll"

The media thrives on fear. Endlessly consuming pessimistic headlines will only paralyze you. Get your information from a few trusted, rational sources, but limit your intake. Go for a walk, read a book, or spend time with family. Protect your mental energy.

8. Stick. To. The. Plan.

This is the hardest but most important step. Your long-term investment plan was created for a reason—to withstand moments exactly like this. Abandoning your strategy now is like throwing away a map in the middle of a storm. Trust the process. Continue your dollar-cost averaging contributions if you can.

History is on the side of the patient, disciplined investor.

A market crash feels like an ending, but for the prepared, it's a strategic opportunity. Stay calm, stick to this list, and you'll not only survive—you'll be positioned to thrive when the markets recover.