When too much feels out of control, make a just

With so many unsettling things happening beyond your — or any individual’s — control, it sometimes can help to proactively do something concrete that would be helpful to you and your family.

Take, as just one example, the state of the U.S. economy. There is no shortage of confusing signals and analysis. Is it in a recession, edging toward one, or on the verge of recovering from one? Or — extra fun — are we in for a protracted period of stagflation?

Whatever the answers (which may only be confirmed — annoyingly — in hindsight), you can take steps now to shore up your own personal safety net to protect yourself and your family against potential headwinds and unwelcome events.

They all come down to figuring out what is true about your life as it is today.

No. 1: Get clear about your spe