By design, elections have clear winners and losers. But the real winners were investors who avoided the temptation to base their decisions around election results and stayed invested for the long haul.

The volatility that is often associated with the month of October has arrived with the market sell-off on Wednesday, October 10. Experiencing market declines and increased volatility can be unnerving for any investor, but if we can take a step back and see the big picture, that the market and economic environment remain positive, it can be easier to weather these challenging periods.

The first day of fall may be in September, but the beginning of October is when that autumn feeling really kicks in. Whether you’re mourning the end of long summer days or embracing the return of pumpkin spice at your local coffee shop, October also signals that we’ll soon be closing the books on another year. And while the start of the fourth quarter may trigger a look back on the year so far, it doesn’t mean things are slowing down.