Advice Column

I (31F) have been friends with Sarah (31F) for over 20 years. We’ve been through a lot together—school, heartbreaks, careers, growing pains. She’s seen me at my worst, and I’ve seen her at hers. Neither of us has been perfect over the years, but recently… something shifted.

Sarah cheated on her husband.

They’ve since split, and the fallout has been painful to watch—especially because her ex, Alex, is someone our whole friend group loves and respects. He didn’t deserve what happened, and I can’t make sense of why she did it. She hasn’t reached out, and I haven’t either. I don’t even know what I’d say.

[Read more…] about “My friend cheated on her husband and don’t know how to move forward with the friendship.”

I’m 20 years old, and I want to be successful in life. I don’t just mean money (although that’s part of it). I mean I want to feel proud of where I am, be good at what I do, and not feel lost or behind all the time.

The problem is, I have no idea where to start. I scroll through Instagram and see people my age starting businesses, traveling the world, becoming “influencers,” or already in their dream careers. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to figure out what I’m even good at.

Sometimes I feel motivated, and I try to make a plan, but then I get overwhelmed. Other times, I just shut down and waste hours on my phone. I don’t want to drift through my 20s and wake up one day feeling like I missed my chance.

[Read more…] about “How do I become successful in life?”

I’ve been dating a 34-year-old man for six months. One-on-one, we really click — we share similar values, traditions, and long-term goals. But I’m hesitant to introduce him to my family and friends because, in group settings, his behavior often comes off as cringey and immature.

He constantly brags about money, especially when comparing himself to people who went to university — I have a master’s degree, and he didn’t attend college. He’ll go on about how much wealthier he is than his family and how jealous they supposedly are, even though they seem like kind, normal people. I’ve gently tried encouraging more humility, but it hasn’t landed.

[Read more…] about “I like him but get second hand embarrassment”

My wife’s been distant lately. We’ve had problems before, but this feels different. I tried to connect with her recently—nothing. I suggested we spend the day together, but she said she wanted to go to the library and work on her book.

Then she got dressed up—full makeup, perfume—and her phone lit up with a message from a guy I didn’t recognize:
“I’ll be waiting for you in bed. Bring me a coffee, please.”

[Read more…] about “My wife met up with another man”

Sometimes, out of nowhere, I’ll remember something awful I did years ago. It hits me like a punch in the chest. No matter how much time has passed, the guilt feels fresh. It’s not every day, but when it happens, it’s hard to breathe. Sometimes it even keeps me up at night.

I’ve tried forgiving myself. I’ve tried distraction. I’ve tried reminding myself that I’ve changed. But the memories still come back, and when they do, I feel like the worst version of myself.

How do you move on when your own mind won’t let you forget?

[Read more…] about “Thinking about the bad things I’ve done in the past keeps me up at night”

I’m 20M and I was raised to treat women properly — respect, honesty, not like objects. That’s just how I roll.

But now, it feels like everyone online calls that “simping.” Like… what? Being a decent human is weak now?

Meanwhile, so many people my age think hooking up or sliding into random DMs will fix their insecurities or make them feel validated. I just don’t get it — it seems like a short-term band-aid that messes with your head long-term.

I wanna understand: why is being genuine, respectful, and secure suddenly seen as uncool? And how do you even navigate dating today without turning into someone you’re not?

[Read more…] about “Why tf is treating women like humans considered ‘simping’”

My girlfriend and I have been together for a year. Things have been solid—we communicate well, we support each other, and I’ve always made a point to be respectful of her independence. I’ve never tried to control what she wears, who she talks to, or what she posts.

But earlier today, she uploaded a picture of herself in a thong, facing away from the camera—just her, full view of her butt, no context, no caption beyond something cheeky. And I’m not gonna lie… it caught me completely off guard.

[Read more…] about “Girlfriend posted revealing photo on Instagram”

I’m a woman in my 30s and I’m struggling with a deep sense of shame that I can’t seem to shake. I have two children, both from different fathers. I love my kids more than anything, but whenever I introduce myself or have to explain my family situation, I feel this wave of embarrassment rise up in me. It’s like people are silently judging me, even when they don’t say anything.

The truth is, I never planned for life to look this way. Both relationships ended badly, and I often feel like those failed choices are written on my body in the form of my kids. I adore them, but I worry about how others will perceive them, and me. I hate feeling like my family is something to apologize for.

[Read more…] about “My children have multiple fathers”

Okay, so I’ve been dating this girl for about a year. She recently made a new group of friends that I have not met and it includes several guys. One of the guys in this group asked her if she would have dinner with him just as friends. He knows she’s dating me. They went out to dinner and split the bill. She said he didn’t hit on her.

I’m completely against the situation, I think it’s too easy to turn into a bad situation. If they had known each other for a long time i would feel differently. Am I being too jealous?

[Read more…] about “Is it okay for your girlfriend to have dinner with another guy?”

My younger brother (22) and his wife bought a house a few years ago for way too much money—at least according to me and my parents. They never even calculated their bills before locking themselves into a $2,000 mortgage. His attitude was always, “It’ll be fine.”

Right after that, they financed two $20k trucks, plus full coverage insurance. The problem? His job is seasonal, and he doesn’t pick up work in the winter. Eventually, they were about to lose the house and ended up begging our grandparents for $7,000. The deal was weekly repayments, but in six months they’ve only made one payment of $200.

Now he just told me he bought a camper—for $2,000—at the end of summer, while still owing my grandparents and facing another winter without steady work. On top of that, they’re trying to have a baby with fertility treatments.

[Read more…] about “My brother is ruining his life”