DEAR HARRIETTE: I went to a business dinner the other evening and met a number of very influential people. Two of them gave me their cards and asked me to keep in touch with them. I was honored to receive their cards, but I have no idea what we would talk about if we were to follow up with each other. One woman is a legend in her field. The man is on the rise at his company. Me, I’m just trying to reinvent myself after having worked for 20 years in one field, only to see it virtually shut down recently. I don’t see why they would want to talk to me. I’m thinking they gave me their cards just to be nice. What should I do? -- Timid, Falls Church, Virginia

DEAR TIMID: Clearly these individuals saw something in you they liked since they offered you their cards. Use this opportunity to expand your horizons. Follow up with them and say how much you enjoyed meeting them. State something specific you remember about your interaction that could spark further conversation. Trust that there is a good reason these people wanted to be in touch with you. Do your homework. Learn about what they do. Think about whether there are any synergies between you. Each of them may have knowledge and insight that could be helpful to you as you reinvent yourself.

Prepare to talk to them by being aware of who they are and clear about where you are headed. These people may have job opportunities that could be perfect for you. Have faith in yourself and find out.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have recently lost a lot of weight. I’m down about two sizes of clothes, which makes me elated. I want to get rid of the clothes that don’t fit anymore. With good intentions, I offered some of my clothes -- that I think are very nice -- to one of my girlfriends. She was highly offended. She told me she is not that big and how dare I assume she could fit these clothes. She went on and on berating me for calling her fat, which I did not. I had selected some really nice pieces I thought she would appreciate, but the whole thing backfired. How can I get her to forgive me? And what should I do with the rest of my clothes? They are really nice, and I didn’t want to just give them to charity. -- Generosity Gone Wrong, New Orleans

DEAR GENEROSITY GONE WRONG: Congratulations on your weight loss. You should be proud of your accomplishments. You are already seeing that weight loss and friendship can be a prickly pair. While your intentions were good, offering a friend clothes that are too big for you is tough to do without hurting feelings. Another way to handle that could be to send out an email to a friend group or to individuals saying you have some clothes you are looking to give away. State what the size of the clothing is, and invite people to contact you if they are interested. This way the individuals have to be proactive in order to receive them. If nobody bites, it’s perfectly good to give your clothing to charity. Be sure to get a receipt so you can write it off your taxes.

(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: Happenstance or convenience or whatever has caused me to spend a lot of time with a co-worker who gets on my nerves. She constantly talks about people from the moment she gets to work until she leaves in the evening. She and I are the only single people at our job, so we gravitated to each other due to our situation. We started going to happy hour sometimes, and even working out on occasion. Now I realize I can’t take her endless negativity. How can I peel myself away from her without causing a rift at work? I don’t want to end up being one of the people she starts talking about. -- Running for Cover, Monticello, New York

DEAR RUNNING FOR COVER: Friendships that begin based on convenience often become fraught with challenges over time, because they are cultivated for less-than-optimal reasons. That said, you do not have to commit to hanging out with this woman for the rest of your tenure at your company. You need to wean her off of your constant interactions with care and strategy.

Think about how you would prefer to spend your time. What hobbies might you want to take up after work? Join a class but simply tell her you are busy. Don’t talk about the class, because she may want to join it too. Do extra work on some days so you become unavailable to eat together. Be proactive and get to know other members of your team. Just because they aren’t single doesn’t mean you have nothing in common. Spend time cultivating bonds with your boss and other co-workers. You can tell her that you want to get to know the whole team so that when she sees you doing it, your behavior won’t come as a surprise.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am getting so tired of politics. My husband keeps some news channel on at every waking moment, and I have had it. I don’t want to hear the crazy stuff coming from the White House or from the range of pundits that my husband is obsessed with watching. I have had enough. It isn’t that I don’t feel love or responsibility for my country. But I don’t see anything changing, just people yelling at each other. We have two kids, and I don’t want them to think that our country is made up of arguments with people getting nothing done. How can I limit the onslaught of news and protect my family? -- Turn it Off, Dallas

DEAR TURN IT OFF: Talk to your husband about the importance of creating safe space at home -- meaning safe from the woes of the world, both political and violent. Ask him to agree to turn off the TV during particular hours and in specific common rooms so the children’s exposure is limited.

On key occasions, talk to your children about current events so they are aware of the political landscape. Help them form their own opinions about particular political topics appropriate to their ages. Help your children understand the mechanics of the political process as well. They can have a voice, if they choose, but your home doesn’t have to be ground zero for every pundit to state his or her case.

(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: I put my foot in my mouth this weekend. My kids got into a war of words with some of their friends that I felt, as a parent, needed to be addressed with the other parent. I talked to the other mom, and ultimately this conversation made the whole situation much worse. The kids had moved on from what seemed like a very negative situation and felt that it was resolved, only to have me stir the pot again. I have apologized to my kids, but is there anything else I should do or say? -- Foot in Mouth, Cincinnati

DEAR FOOT IN MOUTH: The best thing you can do now is nothing. Please do not call the other mom again or grill your own children. As hard as it may be for you to step back and let your children figure out how to manage their lives, you must attempt to do that. Of course, there are times when a parent should step in, particularly when the children’s safety is at risk. Outside of that, it is best to stay on the periphery observing to make sure the children are doing their best to work through a challenge without getting involved in it. Pay attention. In time, your children may double back to give you an update on what’s going on in their lives. They need to have the space to make mistakes and learn from them without having Mommy too ready at the rescue.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I feel so bad. Somehow moths got into my family’s winter clothes when they were stored away. We have just pulled out our sweaters and almost all of them have moth holes in them. I feel terrible that my children have to wear sweaters with holes, but I cannot afford to replace them. I am afraid my children are going to be ridiculed from wearing holey sweaters, but I don’t know what to do. How can I suggest that they spin this situation so it doesn’t seem so bad? -- Full of Holes, Boston

DEAR FULL OF HOLES: Sadly, many families are opening their winter clothes along with you to discover that moths have invaded. The first thing you should do is invest in mothballs. Even though some damage has already been done, you need to exterminate the moths that are in your home to prevent further damage in the coming days and weeks.

For the damaged clothing, you may be able to sew some of the holes. Invest in colored thread and carefully sew or darn -- if you know how to do that -- as many of the holes as possible. Some clothing may fare better with patches. Get creative.

To prevent moths from taking over your valuables in the future, be sure to keep all of your clothing clean, especially wool and cashmere items. Handwash immediately after you soil such clothing items, and keep them stored in airtight containers.

(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.)