Life Advice
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Single File: A New Language
You don't have to be single to be shy, but it's more likely when your way of life pushes you to meet new people and make entrances ... solo. That's why it's so important to learn the language of SMALL TALK. (It merits capitals because it's not so easy to learn.) Truth is it's a totally new language for those of us who never inherited the gift of...Read more

Ask Anna: Dating in a world of bad news -- how to manage media overload for a clear mind and better love life
Dear Anna,
I’m a 29-year-old single woman, and lately, dating has become more stressful than exciting. Every day, I’m bombarded with news about global challenges — climate disasters, political unrest and economic uncertainties — which leaves me feeling anxious and overwhelmed. When I go on dates, I often find myself distracted and ...Read more

Is dating harder than it used to be?
Online dating has come a long, long way since its inception (I’m looking at you Match.com… which came out in the mid-90s!).
The online dating sites have evolved significantly (Tinder, the first major app that you only use on your phone, launched in 2012), offering new features designed with the hope of improving people’s experiences and ...Read more

Asking Eric: Domestic abuse survivor wants to keep son from dangerous patterns
Dear Eric: I stayed in an abusive marriage for too long, and for a wide variety of reasons, including that we needed my ex’s income and health insurance to cover chronic medical needs.
My now-adult son does not know the extent of the abuse in my marriage because I hid it. Regardless, he is three times more likely to become an abuser himself ...Read more
Playing It Safe vs. Living the Dream: Can You Have Both?
Dear Annie: My name is Jess, and I've always prided myself on being the "steady one." I have a good job as a marketing manager, a wonderful husband named "Fred," and a life that feels stable and predictable. On paper, everything looks perfect. But lately, I can't shake this persistent, nagging feeling that something is missing.
Growing up, my...Read more

Asking Eric: Older couple only invited when gift is expected
Dear Eric: My spouse and I are an older couple with some family members who live in the same town as us and some family who live out of state.
The families who live near us only invite us to functions where a gift is needed, such as weddings and birthdays, etc.
We feel very sad about this since we spend many holidays alone. May I add that my ...Read more
Supporting the Strong One
Dear Annie: I've always been the person who people turn to for support -- friends, family, even co-workers come to me when they need advice or a shoulder to lean on. And while I genuinely love helping others, I'm starting to realize I don't have anyone I can turn to when I need the same kind of support.
I'm not sure if it's because I've built...Read more

Asking Eric: Family won’t stop sending widow Valentine’s Day greetings
Dear Eric: Valentine’s Day is approaching and members of my family and friends send me “Happy Valentine’s Day” texts, knowing that I am a widow. They claim that Valentine’s is for everybody, not just couples.
I feel otherwise and this just rubs salt into my wounds. These wishes feel to me very thoughtless and insensitive. How do I ...Read more
When Is It Too Late to Heal a Marriage?
Dear Annie: My husband has always seemed "old for his age." For years, I managed the household while he worked full-time, but when he retired, I expected him to pitch in more with chores. That expectation has become our biggest source of conflict. He struggles to keep up with my energy, and I feel like he holds me back. I've grown bitter. I ...Read more
Millennial Life: Just Work Trip Stuff
I'm sitting in a hotel in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I feel the rumbling of a low-grade cold that soaked through my house this week, sparing me until now through intense efforts of arching away from uncovered coughs, cheek kissing the husband, and washing my hands like I'm going into surgery after I deposit a pile of snotty tissues in the trash.
I'm...Read more

Asking Eric: Caregiver abandoned by siblings
Dear Eric: I am a retired 70-year-old. My mother is 93 and lives alone about 20 miles from me. She has lived in her home for more than 50 years, is relatively healthy and can still take care of herself.
We have discussed assisted-living facilities, but she strongly wishes to remain in her home.
I am her primary caregiver. She does not drive. ...Read more
Love and Loyalty: When Your Partner Won't Take Your Side
Dear Annie: I've been in an eight-year relationship that now seems to be ending, largely due to issues with my partner's daughters. They've become disrespectful and jealous, and one has crossed serious boundaries by stealing from me and sabotaging our relationship.
Over the past year, I've been struggling with a mental health condition, which...Read more

Asking Eric: Older brother fears siblings is headed for relationship trouble
Dear Eric: My brother is 22 years old and has always had a girlfriend, though none of the relationships have ever lasted. His previous girlfriends have been controlling and possessive, to the point that he breaks up with them.
His current girlfriend seems to be the same way, but he is head over heels for her. Not only is she possessive and ...Read more
My Mother-in-Law's Criticism Is Hurting My Marriage
Dear Annie: My husband, "Mark," and I have been married for eight years, and we have a good relationship. We've always butt heads a little bit about his mother, but recently we have started really clashing over her. She's always been a little overbearing, but lately, it feels like she's trying to control our lives. She'll drop by unannounced, ...Read more
Single File: Sexual Bill of Rights
Sexual/sensual expression is important to mental and physical well-being. Let's agree on that. And being unmarried, you also know how important it is for your satisfaction to feel a partner's caring. The truth is sexual union has the potential to be spiritual communion when it joins soul mates. But it takes a bit of doing for the unmarried to ...Read more

Redefining your 'type': Expanding your dating parameters can change everything
For years, I’ve worked with clients who come to me saying the same thing: “I just can’t find the right person.” When I dig a little deeper, a common theme appears — they’re clinging to a very specific idea of who their “type” is. (It often starts with a physical attribute, but it goes beyond that, too.)
And here’s the kicker:...Read more

Ask Anna: Making Valentine's Day work when one partner hates the holiday
Dear Anna,
My partner of three years absolutely despises Valentine's Day. He calls it a "commercialized scam" and refuses to participate in any way. I understand his perspective — yes, it's commercialized. All holidays are! And yes, we should show love year-round. But here's the thing: I genuinely enjoy having this day dedicated to ...Read more

Never married and never happier? How attitudes about marriage are changing among singles in America.
More Americans are getting married later in life—if at all.
That's according to a 2023 report by the Pew Research Center, which analyzed Census Bureau data to reveal that a record-high share of Americans over 40 have never been married. One in 4 40-year-olds had never tied the knot as of 2021, up from 1 in 5 in 2010.
Forty-year-olds ...Read more

Evacuated? Hosting someone who is? Try these 9 tips for harmonious communal living
LOS ANGELES -- Togetherness can be a mixed blessing.
As the Palisades fire raged, every member of the Cullen family — deeply rooted in Pacific Palisades since the 1960s — found themselves displaced. 10 family members from multiple households there were forced to flee the homes they owned as the inferno swallowed up their neighborhoods.
Six...Read more
Millennial Life: Live From the Trenches, It's Their Lives
There's something incredibly surreal about living through a moment that feels ripped straight out of a history book. But instead of thumbing through the black and white photos, now it's captured in high-def on TikTok.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, I found myself sitting at the kitchen table with my mom, just like I had as a kid during countless ...Read more