That dip back in 2017/2018 is still fresh in my mind, and what I would do different this time. The rite of passage for retail buyers- going through the bear market, twice.

15th December 2017, BTC price was at USD 19.650. A year later? USD 3,185. The dip was hard? Wait till you see the inevitable decline that numbs you down.

That wasn't the worst part- it was thought that the alts would have survived. Stellar Lumens, Ripple, you name it. After going x40, some of them crashed and had never seen its previous ATH, last seen back in 2017 till this day.

I did what any person would do- chucked away my cold wallet for 2 years and carried on my life without even considering about getting any news about crypto.

Back in 2017, the buzz were on ICO. Initial Coin Offering. I left the subreddit, and came back around late 2020, only to see the buzz on NFTs creeping in. I checked my Ledger, which is then not working anymore despite a couple of times' worth of use back in 2017, and proceeded to just check some exchanges which I had left my coins in.

WEX was gone. Poloniex became a larger player. Binance is now the go-to site for everyone in 2020, it seems. There's a lot to catch up, but I then realize in 2021 how big of a loss it was because I didn't DCA.

Was DCA the answer all along? Short answer is 'No'. Because the answer had always been on keeping tabs on the news. I didn't stayed informed, and well- after losing 90% of your portfolio in 2017/2018, felt like I did the right think by leaving- but I came back.

In 2021, I vowed to stay informed. To make my decisions when the tide is low, and keep at it.

I have realized several things over the years-

1. You need to experience the bear market yourselves, and this is the most crucial time to study the market.
2. Learn your own tendencies to make decisions when you're under pressure.
3. It's OK to leave your portfolio for a while, but keep tabs on the news of the industry.
4. Charts are the least reliable indicator to forecast the price of a coin.
5. Insider news takes priority, and general news comes after.
6. Keep a calendar entry every month to log-in to your cold wallet if you have one. Make sure you don't lose the habit of logging-in. This is a fairly easier practice than having to induce some form of anxiety trying to recover your wallet.
7. You are your own back, therefore, you are your own support. Create your own supporting structure.
8. I know I have to go through another 1-2 bear market before I make it.

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Most importantly-

- Knowing how the market would behave, what's the next check point?

To me, it's the halvenings. Or the BTC halvings. Up next, 2024, and possibly 2028. I need to have a DCA-Out plan in 2024-2028.

Those are my targets. I'm not whale. I can't make a monthly worth of income just by gaining 2% of trade. I need years, and I'll bank in on the big bois- BTC and ETH.

If all else fail, my flair serves as a kind reminder on what I have to do.

If you need to talk to somebody, do it. Just be informed, and always be willing to change your mind. Good luck, fellas. AMA if you're interested on knowing how it was back in 2017 or something. I know there are a lot of legacy users here, but there's no harm extending a conversation when the market is in this situation.