DEAR HARRIETTE: I participated in a wonderful family celebration, and we took a ton of photos. I took some on my phone, and as per usual, I posted some of them. My husband hit the roof. He was so angry that I had “violated” our family’s privacy. I never thought I was doing that. I am proud of my family and happy to share. I use social media all the time. I don’t think other family members had the same opinion, but my husband is livid. How do I handle this in the future? -- To Post or Not to Post, Chicago

DEAR TO POST OR NOT TO POST: Some people want their private moments to remain private, which is difficult in these days of social media. Your husband is not wrong to have wanted the times you spent with family to remain within the family. That you typically post photos, though, means he knows this is your practice. His alarm could be out of proportion to your common practice.

It is smart for you to ask before posting pictures, even images of your family and friends. Before the advent of social media, it was common practice for people to be required to sign photo releases stating that they had given permission for their image to be broadcast or published. This is still a regular practice professionally, but it is hard to enforce when nearly everyone has a smartphone and a social media account.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been dating a guy for about six months. He is nice and thoughtful, but he wears way too much cologne. I’m not sure why he thinks he needs to spray it on so heavy, but sometimes it gives me a headache. I am very sensitive to smell, which he doesn’t know. I figure he sprays it on a lot because he wants to impress me. How can I let him know I would prefer he didn’t wear it, without hurting his feelings? -- Creative Courting, Dallas

DEAR CREATIVE COURTING: You have endured too much cologne for six months, which means your guy probably has no clue you don’t like it. Speak up, using your sensitivity to smell as the lead. Tell him how you react to fragrance, whether you get a headache or sick to your stomach, whatever happens. Explain you didn’t want to hurt his feelings because you know he likes to wear cologne. Admit that while you think it’s nice, it really is hard for you.

If you like this guy, you must give your relationship a chance by asking him to take away this barrier to intimacy. You cannot expect him to know how you feel about fragrance -- or anything else -- if you don’t tell him. The key to a successful relationship is communication. It’s the little things that make the difference in effective communication, too. Be kind and clear when you talk to him.

(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.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: Now that so many stories are coming out about sexual misconduct at work, I have remembered several incidents that I faced in my job when I was a young woman. I shrugged them off as part of life because my other female colleagues had mentioned that our boss was a serious flirt. As I recall it, though, I ended up leaving this particular job because my boss wouldn’t stop trying to get me to go to bed with him. He was married, and I was barely 20 years old. I have gone on to build a fine career for myself. I’m wondering, though, if I should add my voice to this discussion. My former boss is still running his company (even though he doesn’t own it) and still could be harassing women. I’m still working and don’t want to cause a problem for myself. What should I do? -- Speaking Up, Denver

DEAR SPEAKING UP: What is powerful about the groundswell of voices in what has come to be known as the #METOO movement is that there is power in numbers. As women (and men) in many fields have spoken up and told stories of how they were harassed on the job, the message is ringing loudly that it is not OK to violate another’s rights.

In your case, to protect yourself you may want to go to your current boss first and explain what you remember. Tell your boss you want to expose your former boss for the violations that occurred with you because you are concerned about his current employees. Keeping your boss in the know should protect you during this process.

Go to your former company’s owners -- whoever is above your former boss. Let them know what happened to you and that you think it’s important for them to know. Ask them if they intend to address it or if it will be necessary for you to go to the press or social media to out this man.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I just went through some old photos from my childhood, and I had mixed feelings. On the one hand, I saw many old friends at events when we had a wonderful time together. I also saw friends who have already died. And most of us don’t look anything like we did when we were young. I have been struggling with my weight and health for a few years now. Seeing myself as a young person makes me realize I didn’t take good care of myself. I feel ashamed. Part of me feels it’s too late to turn things around. My doctor says that if I work hard, I can regain good health. Seeing the photos makes me long for the past when things weren’t so hard. -- Giving Up, Raleigh, North Carolina

DEAR GIVING UP: Let those old photos inspire you -- not to become your teenage self, but to claim good health and work toward it. You may also want to reach out to old friends to reconnect with them. Don’t let your transformation over the years hold you back. Everybody has changed, not just you. Enjoy your friends and move your body.

(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.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my best friends is battling an eating disorder. I have thought this for years, but I never knew quite what to say. She recently told me she went away to a rehab place to try to learn how to eat properly. She went and did everything she was told, but she hasn’t gained weight. I am so worried about her. She is kind of tall and probably weighs less than 100 pounds. How can I be a friend to her during this period when she is trying to face her demons? -- Supporting a Friend, Las Vegas

DEAR SUPPORTING A FRIEND: According to the National Eating Disorders organization, it can be tough for a friend or family member to have an impact on a loved one who is suffering an eating disorder. What you can do is be honest and firm about what you are observing about the person and how you feel about it. People who are battling eating disorders have an illness, and they need professional help.

Tell your friend you love her, but she must go to a doctor for the medical and emotional support that can get her healthy again. Encourage that. Take care of yourself as well. Do not get so caught up in your friend’s ups and downs that you forget yourself. Be an example of good health by eating in moderation and exercising regularly. For more ideas, go to bit.ly/HCEatingDisorders.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am friendly with a group of women, and we all have teenage children. We represent many backgrounds, and our friendships have been rewarding for years. Now, as our children become interested in dating, things are beginning to change. There are fewer “play dates” between our children now that there is a chance they might actually date each other. I get that most of us would like for our children to date people who share their ethnic background or their socioeconomic reality, but we all are in the same school. We chose to be there. I hate that suddenly my black child is not as accepted on the dating scene in this largely white environment. How can I help my daughter manage what now feels like rejection? -- No Longer Welcome, Cambridge, Massachusetts

DEAR NO LONGER WELCOME: Naivete says our culture should have advanced beyond such polarization in 2017. Many people do believe that our children should be able to love whomever they like and create a family accordingly, regardless of race, religion, economic background or anything else. And yet many people, deep down inside, prefer that their children marry within a certain community. This is also true among many African-Americans.

What can you do about it? Expose your daughter to a broader group of young people, including people who share her background. Do not just rely on school friends as potential dating partners, especially when you see the friction that seems to be growing among her peers. Reinforce in your daughter that she is beautiful and worthy of a partner who will love and cherish her for who she is. When others shun her, remind her that she deserves to be treated with respect. Those who do not offer that do not deserve her time.

(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.)