$ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ ETF(SQQQ.US)$
Recently received this message:
SQQQ dividend with ex-date of 2022-12-22 has been paid, 9 shares paid 1.36 USD cash dividend, 9 shares have paid withholding tax 0.41 USD, Please check the asset changes and details.
So far, I have only long positions on SQQQ from time to time and close them fully to take profit (or loss) on the positions. I know there are dividends for QQQ positions but I am not holding any yet. Anyone can explain how...

With an ETF (preferably a broad-based ETF), you basically average out the volatility caused by a single stock or a bunch of stocks. Whether sideways or in a rising market, you won't feel too much pain when a particular stock plunged due to a certain news or rumour.
In a falling market, the ETF would also soften the fall as not all stocks in the ETF might fall or fall at the same rate. To take advantage of the falling market or industry, you might also consider a reverse ETF (also broad-base) to ...

First, you have to make sure that you have allocated the amount of money put aside for investing/trading. It would be worse if the money that you are trading with is what you need for your daily necessities - this will induce more fear in your trading and reduce your chance of success.
Next, decide if the trade still follows the same rules that you have put in for the trade. If the rules have been broken, exit the trade and wait for a better one. If not, you might not be the only ones losing mon...

Buying the rip would probably hurt more unless you have a different investment time horizon. Your heart would probably bleed a bit more as you see the stock price drops, right after you have made your purchase. The bleeding worsens when you have run out of bullets while chasing a lower price.
In general, DCA is a good practice to take emotion out of the trade. However, if you find out that the genaral market is on a downturn (probably cyclical), pause the DCA while you look for a brighter signal...

Can paper trading help? Yes and no.
It all depends on how you use it. Are you using it to have a feel of the market? (good for beginners) Are you using it to test out some trading strategies? Do you trade like it is your real money? (limit the amount of loss per session) Do you grill yourself to trade as often so that you can catch up to the speed of the market? (good for day traders to act on the moment)
Most important part is the emotion involved when you switch to trading with real money - c...