Are Money Problems Stressing You Out? , Here's How to Face Your Financial Fears.br Have you been avoiding br managing your finances?.br If so, you're not alone.br According to data from the National Retail Federation, almost half of all consumers in the United States went into debt during last year's holiday shopping season.br No one enjoys paying bills. .br If it feels a bit more difficult for you, br check out these helpful ways to br quit avoiding your finances:.br Face Your br Fears Directly.br Helpful in self-preservation, our brains are inclined to find rewards and to run from anything associated with pain.br Experts say it's important to power through the fear of checking your br account balance and form br new positive banking habits.br Watch for br Bad Habits.br A trigger, an action and a result are the three elements of a habit loop.br It can be as simple as noticing, you know, 'Oh, when I think about money... I go and br clean my kitchen.' , Judson Brewer, psychiatrist author, via NPR.br Experts say to do your best to br avoid falling into bad habits, br face your financial fears head-on.br Don't Waste br Time on Regret.br We all stumble sometimes trying to move forward with our finances, but experts br say being hyper-critical of yourself br can be counterintuitive.br Approach yourself with kindness.br These two flavors of awareness – kindness and curiosity – can really help us in all things. , Judson Brewer, psychiatrist author, via NPR.br ...more kindness, more curiosity.