Doom and gloom… But, is it just fear?

In Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first inaugural address 77 years ago, he stated “… the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”

Like now, the country, and indeed the world, was in deep financial trouble. Then, it lead to a depression. Now, hopefully, it won't go that far.

Yet, the worst is what’s on people’s minds, fueled by the media. But, is it really all that bad?

There have been positive things:

• Overvalued assets have realized their actual value. 
  
• CEOs of major companies are now being paid for performance. The era of bonuses as an entitlement, regardless of a company's performance, are over. 
  
• Massive fraud that managed to survive for decades has been discovered.
  
• Companies have had to address the realities of their industries and markets.
  

These are things that may not have changed were it not for the situation.

But, now what?