DEAR HARRIETTE: I went on a business trip with a colleague who is a fitness buff.
Every morning, he got up early and worked out at the gym before coming to meetings. All of his meals were super health-conscious, which was inspiring — but after a while, I began to feel paranoid.
I slacked off big time during the pandemic and never was very fit anyway.
This guy’s routines got me feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable. I don’t know if he meant to do that, but he did. I know I should do more to take care of myself, but I didn’t like feeling awkward every time I was around him.
How do you handle being around people with different habits than your own?
Out of My Comfort Zone
DEAR OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE: This situation represented more than being uncomfortable. It sounds like this guy made you think hard about the choices you have been making. That may be a good thing.
What if you decided to work out more? Eat differently? Did he inspire you to make any changes in your daily activities and intake? If so, hold on to that.
It would be different if he intentionally did things to shame you. But if he was simply living his life and doing his thing, so be it.
For you, his example may just be the wake-up call that can get you to jump-start your health management. Consider it a gift rather than an annoyance.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I have too much stuff.
I know this, but whenever I go to throw things away or give them to charity, I freeze. Well, I do manage to give away a few things, but not nearly enough. What can I do to let go?
I worry that if I give away clothes that are two sizes bigger than I am now, I may gain weight and have to buy new things. Or if I give away dishes that I only use every few years, when I want them, I won’t have them. I don’t have anywhere to store them, though, so things just pile up.
How can I get better at letting go of these items?
Need To Purge
DEAR NEED TO PURGE: Do you have a friend who may be able to help you? Sometimes having a neutral party who is not attached to your stuff can help you get rid of things more quickly.
Ask a trusted friend to help you sort through items one afternoon, and see how that goes. You can also call a professional service that helps people purge, like 1-800-Got-Junk or other professional organizing companies.
As for old clothes and other things that you haven’t used for years, do yourself a favor and release them. Marie Kondo suggests that you thank the items for their service and pass them on. This allows you to have space for what you need. If you end up back at that bigger size, you can give yourself permission to purchase in that size.
For now, you don’t need to clutter your space with things that cannot serve you.
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)