If you’ve been watching the stock market the past few weeks, it’s been rough. Nobody likes to check their portfolio only to see that it’s gone down, but that’s the reality of the markets these days. Things can turn on a dime. That shouldn’t be a surprise, though. If you’ve done your research on the markets and your investments, then you are probably well aware of the importance of diversification. It’s been a while since I’ve discussed it here, but I’m all in favor of diversifying your investments to help insulate you from market downturns. Now, that’s not to say that you won’t lose money or your portfolio won’t take a bit of a hit from time-to-time, but diversification can help soften the blow when that happens. Over time, that can be huge in regards your portfolio’s performance as it gets you close to consistency. If you haven’t had a chance to do so in a while, now is a good time to take a look at your investments and consider whether you might need to diversify your holdings. Do your investments cover different parts of the market? Or are they primarily centered around one industry or market segment? If your answer is yes to the former question, you are probably heading in the right direction and most likely pretty well diversified. However, if your answer to the latter question is a “yes” then you probably want to consider expanding your investments and looking into investments in other market sectors. If you have questions about the make-up of your portfolio or how to create a more diversified one, you should speak with a certified financial planner or wealth manager or other investment professional. They should be able to help you create the desired level of diversification within your investment holdings.