Life Advice
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Millennial Life: When Empathy Feels Impossible
There is always a moment after tragedy when the public is told to summon empathy, usually for the person who caused the tragedy. But this week the ask for empathy was for someone who many felt didn't deserve it and who wouldn't have offered in return. Many people bristled, asking why they should care about someone who actively promoted damage in...Read more

Asking Eric: Widowed mother-in-law wants to bring new beau for holidays
Dear Eric: My mother-in-law, Dana, 79, was married for 51 years before her husband passed six years ago.
She still visits us frequently. When she does, she stays at either our house or one of my husband’s sister's homes.
Within the last six months, my MIL began dating another senior gentleman, Peter. Apparently, Dana and Peter knew each ...Read more
10 Years Later, the Hurt Remains
Dear Annie: I have been part of the same group of friends for more than 30 years. About a decade ago, when I got married, I asked one of them, someone I considered like a sister, to be my maid of honor. She and I had always been close. She was there when my daughter was born, we grew up side by side, and I thought of her as one of my very best...Read more

Asking Eric: Friend’s complex needs strain friendship
Dear Eric: "Bella" and I met more than 35 years ago as volunteers. We maintained a friendship despite totally different life paths: she had a string of relationships that never went very far; I married, became a stepmom, then had a baby.
She wasn't able to maintain a career due to increasing mental health issues that also affected her physical ...Read more
Always on the Gift List, Not the Guest List
Dear Annie: I was invited to, and attended, both an engagement party and a bridal shower. I spent a bit of money on gifts for both. I wasn't invited to the wedding, which hurt me somewhat, but I understood the couple was trying to keep it small.
Now, two years later, I've been invited to the baby shower. While I'm happy for this couple, I can...Read more

Asking Eric: Neighbors’ yard feature ruins view
Dear Eric: Nine years ago, we moved into our dream retirement home. We’ve been incredibly happy with our choice except for one thing. Our next-door neighbors moved in about a year after we did. The previous owners of their home had installed a large homemade sandbox with railroad ties and a plywood covering. We never saw their kids play in it ...Read more
Stepdad Stepping on My Toes
Dear Annie: My mom remarried last year, and her new husband, "Ken," has made himself very at home -- too at home, if you ask me. I'm 26 and still live with my mom while saving up to buy a condo. We've always had a good rhythm: we cook together, watch movies, take walks. But ever since Ken moved in, everything's changed.
He rearranged the ...Read more

Ask Anna: What to do when you've been dating for months but aren't 'official'
Dear Anna,
I'm a 28-year-old woman who's been seeing this amazing guy (31) for eight months now. We spend most weekends together, text daily and I've met some of his friends, but we've never actually had "the talk" about what we are. I’m pretty sure he's not seeing anyone else because we're together so much, and I'm pretty sure he knows I'm ...Read more

Asking Eric: Perfect’ husband refuses intimacy
Dear Eric: Twenty years ago, I married a man who took care of me and my kids. He tells me he loves me, brings me flowers and supports me.
The problem is, he doesn't want to be physical with me, and it is tearing me apart. I am not asking to go to the moon; I am simply asking for some physical TLC. I have asked, cried, you name it. I don't want ...Read more
Boundaries Before the Wedding
Dear Annie: My fiance, "Mark," and I are getting married in six months, and there's one issue I can't shake. His best friend, "Tyler," makes me uncomfortable. Tyler has a history of cheating, drinking too much, and making offhand comments that cross the line -- especially toward women. At Mark's bachelor party planning dinner, Tyler joked that...Read more
Single File: The Other Woman Speaks
DEAR SUSAN: This is my response to your recent column about single women dating married men. You tell us that when the man's wife learns of the affair and gives her consent, single women seem to lose all interest in continuing it. Well, Susan, I disagree mightily.
In the past, I happened to be the other woman, and I desperately wanted him to ...Read more

Ask Dating Coach Erika: 'When is the best time for the 'what are we?' question?'
We have a selection of questions today, ranging from “feminine energy” to the sometimes dreaded “What are we?” conversation. I’m here to shed some light on, and hopefully, demystify a few common dating questions.
Q: What does it mean to be in your feminine energy?
A: I don't use language like this, so I’m not 100% sure what the ...Read more

Asking Eric: Lifelong ‘loner’ struggles to make connections post-retirement
Dear Eric: I retired a couple of years ago. I, like many people, I think, have realized that most of my friends and even acquaintances were work-related. My family doesn’t live close. I’ve always been a loner, so this doesn’t normally even bother me. I recently had a health issue come up where I needed a “responsible adult” to drive ...Read more
No Claim After Decades Together
Dear Annie: My husband and I have been together for 34 years, married for 25 of them. We both brought children from previous marriages into the relationship; he has two and I have two. A week before our wedding, he surprised me with a prenuptial agreement. I had no time to consult an attorney. The choice was to sign or cancel the wedding. At ...Read more

Asking Eric: Friends disrupt concert outings by talking
Dear Eric: We go to a lot of concerts and sporting events, and I want to watch and/or listen. However, so often, others just want to talk. I need a polite way to ask them to leave me alone so I can watch and enjoy the event. Any ideas?
– Here for the Band
Dear Band: It’s probably easiest to address this beforehand. If you’re going with a...Read more
Unwanted Attention, Lingering Doubts
Dear Annie: I have been married to my wife for 25 years, and overall, we have a strong, trusting relationship. But something happened recently that I cannot seem to shake, and it has been gnawing at me more than I would like to admit.
My wife's best friend's husband, whom I will call "Charlie," came to her with a very strange request. He told...Read more
When Intimacy Fades
Dear Annie: I married my best friend 19 years ago, but we have known each other for nearly 40. Our shared history runs deep. We have weathered life's highs and lows together, raised children, supported each other through illnesses, job changes and the inevitable challenges of growing older. In many ways, our bond is strong and steady.
However...Read more
Millennial Life: Presently Aware of Too Many Things Not on Socials
A TikTok video I saw the other day suggested that I should reclaim my attention to the present. Mid-scroll, the app that makes money off my distracted brain suddenly wanted me to log off and be present. That's like the bartender telling you to quit drinking while he pours the next shot.
Be present, as if the present is some enchanted meadow we'...Read more

Asking Eric: Single mom wants to start relationship with handyman
Dear Eric: I'm a 40-year-old single mom of twin 5-year-olds. I'm a professional woman, but due to my commitments to my children and the overall daily grind, I have little to no time for socialization and dating.
However, I need occasional help around the house, and my cousin (let's call her Jen) was kind enough to refer me to her handyman. He's...Read more
The Power of the Pause
Dear Annie: I read the letter from "Sideline Mom With a Heavy Heart" with deep empathy. My husband coached both of our sons, now grown men, in baseball, wrestling and football. While he was not as intense as the father described in that letter, he certainly had his moments.
Early on, I sat him down and said, "No one feels worse about missing ...Read more
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