DEAR HARRIETTE: I constantly feel like I am behind the eight ball. I had a robust career that ended some years ago when my industry began to tank. I have worked independently since then on a variety of projects. From the outside, I look successful, but my bank account tells a different story. Plus, I keep seeing people in my field who seem to be prosperous trying out new technology or aligning with big brands while I seem to be scrambling for crumbs. I am beginning to feel like there’s no more room for me and my talents and creativity. But I’m still in my 50s and have a family. I have to keep working, but I’m not sure what to do to reinvent myself. I don’t want to give up, but I need some guidance. -- Second Act

DEAR SECOND ACT: Do not despair. You are not alone. In fact, statistics show that there are more seniors than 18-year-olds in the United States. This is a time when our mature population should be valued more, and there are organizations out there that are trying to make that happen. Open your eyes to the possibilities for people in your age group with your skills. Polish your resume, and highlight the things that you have excelled at over the years. Stop worrying about your contemporaries, and look for opportunities that feel right for you.

You must also work on your mindset. If you are feeling down, you will not attract the bounty that you want and deserve. To change your attitude, you can exercise more, drink a lot of water, choose to think positive thoughts, surround yourself with people you love who are supportive of you, and seek professional help if you need it.

When you look for jobs, you can go to various online job boards, but be sure to narrow your search based on your skills and abilities. Look for sites that specialize in your field, or go to jobs.aarp.org to check out a job board for older people that might have leads for you. For ideas on how to reinvent yourself, go to bit.ly/REINVENTSS.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been making many friends recently. A couple of days ago, I befriended a guy, and we hit it off. We had many things in common, and we talked for hours. However, there were some red flags that were going off when I was around him. He would make me uncomfortable and touch me in places I didn’t want to be touched. I told him to keep his hands off, and he would comply but eventually continue anyway. My biggest mistake was giving him my contact information. He texts me every day, from morning to evening, asking me too many personal questions. I don’t want to be mean to him, but whenever I tell him to leave me alone, he persists. I am scared, and I don’t know what to do. -- Always Followed

DEAR ALWAYS FOLLOWED: Block this person from your social media and your phone. Refuse to respond to his texts. Silence may work to make him realize you really are no longer interested in him. If it escalates, you may need to report him to the police to get this incident on the record.

(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 have a friend who is super picky. My mother is Thai, and she makes many Thai delicacies whenever I have friends over. My other friends eat -- and enjoy -- my mother’s food. However, this one friend refuses to eat it or says it’s disgusting.

I have tried numerous times to find certain foods that my friend may like, to no avail. At this point, whenever I have her over, I have to order food instead of eating my mother’s home-cooked meals. I know my friend is picky, but her reactions to my mom’s food are a bit rude. I love my friend, but she can be such a handful when it comes to food. What should I do? -- Picky Friend

DEAR PICKY FRIEND: Your friend is rude, and her behavior is unacceptable. If she cannot find a way to be more gracious about eating your mother’s food at your home, stop inviting her over. It would be one thing if she were allergic to the food your mother prepares, but that’s not it. She just doesn’t like it.

Think about your mother. I’m sure it hurts her feelings to know that you order food especially for this person when she visits your house. Don’t insult your mother by giving in to your friend’s eating peculiarities. Instead, spend time with her elsewhere. You can let her know that you will not be inviting her over to eat anymore because the cuisine is not to her liking and you refuse to allow your mother to be insulted anymore.

DEAR HARRIETTE: This is the start of a new semester in college without one of my good friends. I met him my freshman year, and we have been almost inseparable ever since. He recently transferred to another school to complete his major, and it has been different ever since. We used to talk every day when we were in school together. Now my friend is working long hours at his job, so it has been hard for us to properly hang out. I miss spending time with him. He always listened to me whenever I was in trouble, but now it feels different. I want him to live his life, and I support him all the way. I just feel like I am missing my second half. I still have many friends at my school, but I feel lonely without him. Is there any way to describe how I feel? Is it OK to feel this way? -- Lonely Half

DEAR LONELY HALF: Just as your dear friend is pursuing his degree at this other institution, you need to refocus your lens on your future. Of course you miss him, but you cannot allow your emotions to derail your dreams. Remind yourself of what you want to do with your life. Outline the steps that it will take to manifest your desires. Write them down so that you can check them off each day.

Beyond that, look around. Notice people who share common interests with you. Step out of your comfort zone and try to make new friends. Nobody will replace your friend who has left your school, but you may be able to cultivate a new friendship that helps to ease the loneliness that you feel.

(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 have two amazing friends. They both are cool, funny and understanding. However, one of them does not like the other. My friend, friend No. 1, does not like friend No. 2. So whenever I talk to or hang out with friend No. 2, I am unable to tell friend No. 1 because I know it will upset her. I love friend No. 1 to pieces; she is basically a sister to me. I tell her everything, but when it comes to friend No. 2, I can’t let her know when we hang out. Friend No. 1 once told me if I ever spoke to friend No. 2 again, she would never talk to me.

Friend No. 1 talks badly about friend No. 2, and I don’t like hearing all the negative things she says about her. I want to tell friend No. 1 that I still hang out with friend No. 2 and we should all just put this aside. Should I tell her? -- Stuck in the Middle

DEAR STUCK IN THE MIDDLE: This is a tough situation that is not uncommon. The issue is how should you handle this. My vote is to make it clear to both friends that you will remain friends with each of them. While you are willing to keep your friendships separate, you are uncomfortable with the ways in which they talk about each other.

You may want to give each friend one more chance to explain why they do not like the other person. Listen carefully to see if you believe that any of their complaints are valid. If so, you can bring up those points to the person in question. After considering your friends’ positions, if you decide to remain friends with both of them, make that crystal-clear to all, and let them know that you are unwilling to continue to listen to them spouting negativity about the other. If you lose a friend in the process, so be it. But you should not have to endure vitriol about people you love. Stand your ground.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have a passion for writing. I love to create short stories and share them with others.

Whenever I write, it takes me into a whole new world. It is a way to delve into my creativity. Sometimes I go back to my stories and swap my old ideas for something new or better. However, lately I feel like everything I write is awful. I have this sense that people are lying to me whenever I ask if my stories are OK. A majority of the stuff I write is a bit out of the norm.

I want to be able to write something different than every other writer, but I keep finding my stories generic, boring and unoriginal. I have run out of ideas and been left with writer’s block. My dream is to publish my short stories, but I want to know how to better my writing and gain more confidence. Any suggestions? -- Writer’s Block

DEAR WRITER’S BLOCK: Join a writing workshop where you and the other writers share your work and critique one another with the intention of refining your work. Take a short story writing class at your local community college. Find a professional environment where you can strengthen your skills and gain the confidence you desire.

(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.)