I Used to Chase Dividends. Now I Wait for Opportunities

There was a time when I believed dividends were the answer.

Dividend ETFs made me feel productive. Watching monthly cash roll in was comforting — like my portfolio was "doing something." But it also made me passive. I wasn’t responding to the market. I was reacting to fear of missing out, to a need for stability that wasn’t actually grounded in strategy.

But I started noticing something strange: the market would rally, but my income stayed the same. I wasn’t participating in growth. I was just collecting crumbs.

The Power of Income — and the Need to Look Beyond

There’s no denying it: regular income brings comfort. It gives structure, predictability, and a sense of progress. That’s why so many investors chase monthly yields. And for a while, I did too.

But in the stock market, comfort isn’t the whole story.

If you want to grow, you have to observe. You have to study. You have to wait for the moment that fits your investment best — the one that isn’t handed out monthly, but emerges from market cycles.

That’s why I made the shift. Not because income is bad, but because there might be something bigger out there — something worth waiting for.

From Income to Timing

Instead of focusing on fixed monthly income, I began watching for key inflection points — using technical indicators like RSI and sentiment signals like the VIX. When fear peaks, I prepare. When markets run hot, I take profits.

I no longer aim to earn money every month. I aim to earn meaningfully — a few times a year — when risk and reward fall into place.

Cash Is Not Idle

During the in-between months, I hold cash in short-term treasury ETFs that yield 4% or more. These aren’t exciting, but they’re strategic. They give me breathing room — both financially and emotionally — while I wait.

My Philosophy: Wait for Pain, Sell into Strength

Now, I operate with a very different mindset.

I don't expect the market to reward me monthly. I wait for pain — those moments when VIX spikes, when fear is loud, and RSI touches levels no one wants to see. And then I move.

I don’t chase the bottom. I wait for confirmation. And when the rally comes? I don’t get greedy. I sell into strength, not because I predict the top — but because I’ve already planned my exit.

Cash Is Not Lazy — It’s Strategic

In the past, I hated holding cash. It felt like waste.

Now I keep idle funds in short-term treasury ETFs yielding over 4%. They don’t need to beat the market — they just need to keep me safe while I wait.

That wait is everything. It’s where I regain clarity. It’s where I build conviction.

How I Manage Emotions: Tools, Not Predictions

I still use technical indicators — but not as crystal balls.

RSI tells me when exhaustion is near. VIX shows me the emotional temperature of the market. But more than anything, they remind me: I am not the market. My job is not to predict, but to respond with intention.

When markets fall, I don't ask "how much did I lose?"

I ask:
→ Was I prepared to act?
→ Did my system protect me from panic?

I hope this note brings a little more clarity, calm, and richness to your life.

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(Follow Olivia for more slow thoughts and steady growth)


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