DEAR HARRIETTE: Every year around this time, I get sad and broke. I am a freelancer, and work dries up for me in the summer. No matter how hard I hustle to get work all year long, I feel like there’s nothing right now. That’s not true for my friends, by the way. Somehow, they figure out how to have a side hustle or something to keep them going. Me, I’m just stuck. I’m not stupid. I think of myself as a smart person, but you would never know by how I am right about now. I don’t have enough money to pay my bills or to eat. What can you recommend I do so that I don’t get in this situation again? Making excuses for why I can’t pay my bills is getting old. -- All Dried Up, Dallas

DEAR ALL DRIED UP: This won’t help you much for this year, but moving forward, think of yourself like a squirrel. They work overtime during periods of plenty to harvest food and store it safely so that they have enough during the off-season. This is what you need to do with your resources. Save money, even if you receive only small amounts. The going wisdom is to save 10 percent of whatever you earn so that you have that extra cash as a cushion. If you start doing that now, next year you should have some money set aside for this difficult season.

For now, look around with fresh eyes to see what you can do to make extra cash. Can you offer to mow lawns, do yard work for your neighbors, baby-sit? Is there a local small business that might need extra help during off hours? Get creative and put yourself out there to see what projects you can do for extra money.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am finishing an internship, and I want it to turn into a full-time job. I was told that there are no positions available now, but I still want to ask the company to consider me. I got along well with my boss and the rest of the team, and I think I did a great job. How can I lobby for a position if there doesn’t seem to be one? -- Want That Job, Washington, D.C.

DEAR WANT THAT JOB: Put together a proposal that states what you have learned and what you think the company needs from you to be even better than it is today. Come up with a position that you imagine will be valuable to the company, and pitch your boss on it. Explain that you know they don’t have this position right now, but you believe it’s worth investing in to get the company to the next level. Offer to volunteer in that role at first while they consider your proposal. Many volunteer positions have turned into real jobs. If you can afford to extend your internship for a while, you may just end up being that lucky one.

(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 am a 25-year-old guy who still lives with his mother. I have had some trouble finishing college and getting my career together. But in reality, I think I’ve been sacrificing my needs for the needs of my mom. My mom is a divorced, lonely woman, and I think she likes having me at home. I know I need to get my life together and be an adult. I feel I am stuck between making my mother happy but sacrificing my future, or leaving my mom by herself and trying to pursue my life and dreams. How do I navigate this situation? -- Lonely Mom Vs. My Own Life, Baltimore

DEAR LONELY MOM VS. MY OWN LIFE: Many sons of single mothers find themselves in the position of serving as more than just a son. They take on the role of caregiver, too. You have to be mindful of caring for your mother and forging your own destiny. Make a 12-month plan for yourself. Write down your goals, and then list steps that can get you there. Finishing college should be at the top. Getting a job so that you can save to get your own home is key. Spending time with friends outside of your home is important. Talk to your mother about your plans, and work to get her support. Going out on your own does not mean you are abandoning her. It means you are growing up and becoming independent. It is time.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I work in the entertainment industry and love my job. I am surrounded by creative and wonderful people. I am 99 percent sure that both of my bosses are gay men. (I am a straight young woman.) They have both been constantly winking at me. Is that weird? Or am I just used to gross straight men winking at me when it’s not wanted? I don’t think this qualifies as sexual harassment of any kind and I don’t even think it makes me feel uncomfortable, but I don’t know what to make of it. -- Accidental Wink, Ithaca, New York

DEAR ACCIDENTAL WINK: If you are up for it, ask them what their winks mean the next time you notice it. You can be upbeat when you ask. Humor is a great way to break the ice and address awkward situations. Behavior doesn’t have to be considered harassment in order to be uncomfortable. You can tell them that you are finding it difficult to read some of their behaviors toward you, and you want to know what they mean. They will probably be surprised and may not even realize how they have been behaving. Your alerting them may make a difference.

Since it is odd to you but not untoward, don’t make a big deal of it. If they give you an answer, take it at face value. Ultimately, know that people can be awkward and clumsy with each other even when they are well-meaning. This may just be a sign of their idiosyncrasies.

(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: Two of my close friends are going through a hard time in their marriage. The wife confided in me when asking for a suggestion for a therapist. While she was sharing what was going on, I realized that her marriage is way better off than my own. What’s more, she is addressing their issues head-on. I stopped fighting for things that I think are important years ago because it always turned into an argument. Now that I see what this couple is going through because they won’t settle for living in conflict, it makes me think that I should revisit some of the friction that seems to plague my marriage and try to get my husband to talk with me about it again. I begged him to go to therapy years ago, but he refused. Now that his friend is going to therapy, maybe I can convince him to reconsider it. What do you think? -- Conflicted Marriage, Detroit

DEAR CONFLICTED MARRIAGE: One of the best things that can happen when you are helping others is that you shine a lens on your own life and discover ways that you can help yourself. If you have been going along with a marriage that is unfulfilling and your friends have helped you to notice that, take the time now to work to rekindle the flame. Talk to your husband. Tell him what you want for your marriage. Ask him what he wants. Suggest that you revisit the idea of therapy to bring the two of you closer together. You can point out what’s happening with your friends as a point of encouragement.

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my neighbors has decided to write a book -- a memoir, I guess it would be called. She is passionate about this and comes to me regularly to help her get her ideas together because she knows that I work in the publishing industry. My problem is that as much as I love her and want her to fulfill this dream, I can see that she is a terrible writer. I don’t have time to edit her work, but I know that no publisher is going to sign her at the rate she is going. Her writing skills are poor. Her grammar skills are abysmal, and she is a mediocre storyteller as well. What she has going for her is that her raw story is moving and compelling. As a writer-editor, what would you say to this woman to be of support without taking on too much? -- Novice Writer Reality Check, Denver

DEAR NOVICE WRITER REALITY CHECK: As a professional, you can sit down with your friend and tell her that you would like her permission to give her a trained assessment. With her blessing, tell her if she truly wants to get her book published, she will need help. Perhaps she can take a memoir-writing class. She may want to consider getting a ghostwriter to help her write the book. At the very least, she needs a copy editor to ensure that the grammar is accurate. Tell her about the self-publishing option, but note that she should not self-publish until her book is of adequate quality.

(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.)