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Life Kit: Stressed about money? Scared to check your balance? These tips are for you

Podcast · 2021 · NPR Life Kit, hosted by Andee Tagle, with guest Judson Brewer, MD, PhD (psychiatrist and neuroscientist; author of Unwinding Anxiety)

Scared to open your banking app? That's a habit loop, not a character flaw. 💸

Who it's for

Avoiding your bank balance can feel like a private failing.

Anxious→Clear-Headed

Feelings it meets

What it is

This December 2021 episode of NPR's Life Kit looks at money avoidance: wincing at your banking app, not opening bills, and feeling stressed whenever finances come up. Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Judson Brewer explains why the brain learns to steer away from money worries and offers steps to break the habit, with an emphasis on curiosity and self-compassion.

Where to find it

NPR Life Kit feed on NPR.org, Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps; transcript and companion article on NPR.org.

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Before you start

Heads up: Discussion of financial stress and debt.

Age: Not rated (suggested 14+)

I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship.Louisa May Alcott, Little Women, Part 2, Chapter 44

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