Life Advice
/Health
/ArcaMax
Dear Annie: Friend-Zoned and Feeling Confused
Dear Annie: I'm a 32-year-old single woman facing a predicament. I've been friends with a guy named "Stan" for a few months, though we haven't actually talked in over a month now. We were acquainted in high school, but we lost touch after a short while. Stan and I went on a couple of dates, and I thought things were going well, but then he asked...Read more
Asking Eric: Dance student wants to advance without insulting instructor
Dear Eric: I have been taking dance classes from the same instructor for years. There are a number of us students who would like to see more technique, as opposed (or in addition) to more steps, taught as some dance styles rely heavily on technique (West Coast Swing is an example).
We really enjoy the classes and the instructor's commitment to ...Read more
Dear Annie: Confronting a Loved One With an Eating Disorder
Dear Annie: My husband confided to me that his mother had an eating disorder in the past, and there are possible signs she may have relapsed. When she visits us, she will exercise for hours daily, regularly disparage her physical appearance and skip meals claiming that she is "too bloated" to eat. I'm never sure what is the best way to respond ...Read more
Ask Anna: Is it healthy for couples to need space from each other every day?
Dear Anna,
My girlfriend and I have been together for four years, and we’re constantly fighting about alone time. We both work full time but on different schedules. When she gets home from work, she immediately disappears into the bedroom for at least an hour — sometimes longer — to “decompress.” She insists this isn’t personal and ...Read more
Asking Eric: Deaf sister excluded by brothers
Dear Eric: I am the youngest of four and the only girl. I happen to be deaf (I speak and read lips). It's always been a challenge communicating with the whole family. Often the conversation feels like watching a ping-pong game and I often miss snippets of conversations and jokes.
My oldest brother got married to a woman who has a teenage ...Read more
Dear Annie: Aftermath of Dating a Narcissist
Dear Annie: After dating a guy who turned out to be a narcissist, my question is, how can I heal? I've tried everything, and I've even felt like I'm over it and I'm OK, but then I have my days. It's like grieving.
I fell in love with this man, and feel like I let my guard down way too soon, only to be disappointed. Yes, he pursued me heavily, ...Read more
Single File: Be Good to Yourself
This is more than an exercise; this is a commandment! You absolutely must make being good to yourself a daily event. And very few people, even those closest to you, can even begin to know what that means; even that inner circle can't read your mind. No, only you can give yourself what you need to grow and thrive. But now that I've got your ...Read more
Ask Dating Coach Erika: Is there a 'right' amount of time to have been single?
A new batch of questions, and a new batch of answers!
Q: When is it time to ask about how long someone has been single and whether they have been married before? In person or still in the app before meeting?
A: I have a question for you: What are you hoping to garner from this information? Is there a "right" amount of time for someone to have ...Read more
Asking Eric: Stepmother unsure about giving quarrelsome stepson inheritance
Dear Eric: My husband and I have been married 31 years. We each have two children of our own. They are all grown.
His boys have different mothers; I raised one and helped with the younger one. As soon as the younger one became an adult, the problems began. Around holidays he starts picking fights, stirring trouble, spreading rumors. Then ...Read more
All's Fair in Love and Sports?
Dear Annie: One of my good female friends graduated from a rival college of mine. We love talking smack about who has a better football team. When her school loses games, I gloat. One time this year, I said her school had zero chance of winning against my school. I did this level of trash-talking for two months, practically daily.
She said that...Read more
Asking Eric: Letter writer seeks the kindest way to end a friendship
Dear Eric: What is the kindest way to end friendships?
In the past, I have prided myself on being a good, loyal friend and therefore have friendships that last a very long time, some spanning decades now. However, through therapy, I have become more in tune with how I feel when I’m around people.
I have a few friends with whom I consistently...Read more
Deadbeat Boyfriend Must Be Cut Off
Dear Annie: I have been with a man off and on for seven years. He is my best friend, and I can't live without him. A few years ago, he stole my stimulus check of $1,200, and he brought other women home, claiming he was only doing business with them.
He doesn't have a job. I'm paying all the bills by myself, and I'm struggling. I have my own ...Read more
Asking Eric: Partner’s work perks create strife at home
Dear Eric: I am in a 20-year relationship with a mostly great guy, and we finally moved in together seven months ago. Things are going well for the most part considering we both lived on our own for the entire relationship.
I have a dead-end job in an office. Same old 8 to 5, five days a week. Nothing ever changes and every day is the same. I'm...Read more
Dear Annie: Don't Rule Out a Career Too Soon
Dear Annie: Kids today are pushed too early to make career decisions. The first two years of college are a good time to take different courses to see where one's interest lies. A major can easily be declared as a junior, and ample credits can be accumulated in that discipline in the last couple of years.
I took a career test in school that said...Read more
Millennial Life: The World We Could Build Could Be Good
The pause was brief, but stark, when some of us realized that a square on the Zoom was located in Minneapolis. There wasn't much to say as a reaction that hadn't been said before. The awkward dance feels as normal now as debating the right time to make eye contact and say hello to someone heading down the same hallway as you.
We have ...Read more
Asking Eric: Mother’s rambling tests patience
Dear Eric: I love my mother dearly but at 84 she has reached the point of rambling. She is still fully in control of her capabilities and is mentally acute, but her conversations are now filled with details about friends of friends and their problems, health issues, et cetera.
It would be one thing if I knew these people, but the people she ...Read more
Dear Annie: Attending the Wedding Shower with No Wedding InviteAttending the Wedding Shower with No Wedding Invite
Dear Annie: My grandson, "Billie" is 5 years old and still not potty trained. We have tried everything to get him to use the toilet -- rewards, bribes, "gentle threats," etc. We suspect he has encopresis -- the repeated, involuntary passing of stool into the clothing. This can happen when impacted stool collects in the colon and rectum, while ...Read more
Asking Eric: After years of moving, widow doesn’t know where to go in retirement
Dear Eric: I’m 61, widowed, and still work full time as a registered nurse in a very busy hospice house.
I lost my husband four years ago, and since then went through a medical scare twice, diagnosed with cirrhosis, sleep apnea and chronic anxiety, have bought and sold two homes, purchased a new car and created significant credit card debt ...Read more
Surviving Cancer but Still Struggling
Dear Annie: I was diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago. I've been through surgery and radiation treatments. According to the oncologists, I should now consider myself a "survivor." Since I have scars, I'm taking medication for the next 10 years that has potentially really bad side effects, and the chance of reoccurrence is a definite ...Read more
Asking Eric: Pet-sitting incident leads to damage and guilty feelings
Dear Eric: I recently pet sat for somewhat new friends. I had been invited on a weekend trip with them but had a work commitment that meant I couldn't go. I offered to pet sit for them, which is something I've done for other friends from time to time.
During the weekend there was an incident which wasn't really anyone’s fault that resulted in...Read more
Inside Life Advice
Popular Stories
- Ask Anna: My boyfriend keeps prioritizing other women -- what do I do?
- Ask Dating Coach Erika: How many dating apps should I be on?
- 'Bake Your Heart Out' event lets kids make sweet memories of loved ones on Valentine's Day
- They became 'chosen brothers' in a maximum-security prison. Then one got out
- Ask Anna: My girlfriend's male coworker texts her constantly -- should I be worried?






















