Finally feeling good about my Gold IRA after years (military retirement)

• •Just had to share, because for a while there, I was wondering if I’d made the right call.
• •I retired from the Navy back in 2018 after 26 years, and took a good chunk of my TSP and rolled it into a Gold IRA.
• •We're talking probably $350k of it, maybe a bit more.

Just had to share, because for a while there, I was wondering if I’d made the right call. I retired from the Navy back in 2018 after 26 years, and took a good chunk of my TSP and rolled it into a Gold IRA. We're talking probably $350k of it, maybe a bit more. Living here in Honolulu, you really feel the burn of inflation, especially with everything shipped in. Watching the news out of Asia and the South Pacific, I just had a gut feeling that owning physical assets, especially gold, was the smart move. Stocks felt too volatile, and frankly, a bit too tied to policies that don't always look out for the average guy.

For the first couple years, it felt… flat. Gold prices moved up, but gently. I remember looking at my statements and thinking, "Is this it? All that geopolitical worry for this?" My wife was giving me the side-eye occasionally, asking if maybe we should have just kept it in a broad market index. But I held fast to the conviction that the long game was the only game, especially with the way central banks were printing money like it was going out of style. The instability in some key shipping lanes and the constant talk about currency devaluation just reinforced my decision, even if the immediate financial gratification wasn't there.

Fast forward to now, and I’m seeing some serious returns. That initial $350k is comfortably over $550k. It's not "get rich quick" money, but it's a solid, stable gain that frankly, I don't think I would have seen with the same confidence in other investments given the current global climate. It’s a huge relief to see that foresight pay off. The peace of mind knowing a good portion of my retirement is in a tangible asset, outside of the direct whims of government spending or stock market euphoria, is invaluable.

Anyone else feeling this sense of validation lately with their precious metal holdings? Or am I just catching a lucky wave here off Waikiki? Curious to hear others’ long-term experiences, especially those of you who might have also transitioned from military pensions or similar situations.