Bear Markets are normal- There has been 26 bear markets in the S&P index since 1928. However, there have also been 27 bull markets - and stocks have significantly risen over the long term.

Bear Markets are short lived- The average length of a bear market is 289 days or about 9.6 months. That's significantly shorter than an average length of a a bull market which is 991 days or 2.7 years.

Every 3.6 years- That's the long-term average between bear markets. Though many consider the bull market that ended in 2020 to be the longest on record, but that bull ran from December 1987 until the dot-com crash in March 2000 is technically the longest (a drop of 19.9% nearly derailed the bull, but just missed the bear threshold.

Bear Markets have been less frequent since World War II- Between 1928 and 1945 there were 12 bear markets or about one every 1.4 years. Since 1945 there has been there has been 14-one about every 5.4 years.

Half of the S&P 500 Index's strongest days in the last 20 years occurred during a bear market- Another 34% of the markets best day took place in place in the first two months of a bull market - before it was clear a bull market had begun. In other words, the best way to weather a downturn could be to stay invested since it's difficult to time the markets recovery.