DEAR HARRIETTE: My best friend spends pretty much every holiday with my family because she really doesn’t have a family of her own. She's estranged from her parents and siblings and lives across the country from all of them. I love having her with me for the holidays; she’s the sister I never had.

Over the years, my friend has brought over different men and has made quite the ordeal about inviting them each time. She has brought four different men to my family home over the past three years and introduced all of them as her boyfriend. As we are approaching my family’s Fourth of July celebration, do you think it would be rude if I asked her not to bring another man over this year? It feels wrong to keep subjecting my family to a different stranger every year when it ultimately never works out anyway. -- Too Many Dates

DEAR TOO MANY DATES: There are two ways to look at this. You could tell her that you and your family are a bit uncomfortable with her over-the-top displays with these different men at each celebration. It’s hard to keep track of who’s who with the way that she brings these men into your home. You can recommend that she not make such a fuss over a guy if she chooses to invite someone. Let him simply be introduced as a friend, and you all see over time what he becomes. Another option is to come solo.

Or you can just accept your friend for who she is. She’s the sister who falls hard for men, but the relationships don’t always last -- at least not yet. Check in with your parents to see how they feel about it. It is their home. If they would like a reprieve from her dates, tell her as much. If not, just be in the moment and don’t judge her.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I went to visit my sister recently after two years of not seeing each other due to the pandemic. We have a weird relationship. She’s the oldest child, and she continues to try to control everything. She’s super neat, and I’m messy. During my visit, every time I stood up, she looked to see what I was going to do next. It is awkward being around her because I always feel like I’m going to mess up.

Sure enough, I used her guest bathroom a few times, and one time, late at night, I mistakenly used the towel rack to balance as I stood up and broke it off the wall. Now I have damaged my sister’s house. I am so embarrassed. How can I make it up to her? She doesn’t want money, but she is annoyed. -- On the Outs

DEAR ON THE OUTS: Apologize again for what was obviously an accident. Offer to pay for the repairs, even if it’s only a ceremonial gesture. Make sure your sister knows that you didn’t mean to do damage to her home. Hopefully, she sees the bigger picture: You made the effort to travel to spend time with her after so long apart.

(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: A longtime -- but not necessarily close -- buddy of mine has struggled financially for the entire time that I’ve known her. This year, she told me that she is making it her mission to move out of our college town to a city where she can start fresh. She has decided to move to Los Angeles. She started a GoFundMe to fund her travel needs, security deposit, and first and last month's rent for an apartment in the city. She told me she doesn’t have a job lined up, but she believes she will be able to find something fairly quickly when she arrives.

I think it’s foolish of her to move to the most expensive city in America without a plan, and I also refuse to make a donation for her living arrangements. I myself can’t afford to live in Los Angeles, and I have a job. Am I wrong for not supporting this move? -- Be Realistic

DEAR BE REALISTIC: You have every right to invest your money as you choose. This decision sounds reckless based on your friend’s history. Rather than simply not contributing, you may want to speak to your friend. You can tell her what you think about her latest idea. Don’t simply shoot it down. Instead, remind her of how expensive it is to live in Los Angeles. Recommend that she take the time to secure a job before moving. Alternatively, you can suggest that she slow down and develop a strategy for her life rather than jumping up and moving so quickly.

It is likely that your friend will do whatever she wants, but as someone who cares for her, you can at least let her know what you believe is best for her. Then leave it alone.

DEAR HARRIETTE: Before my injury, I would go for two runs a day. I get a huge adrenaline rush from running, and it’s one of the things I look forward to the most when I get off work. Now that I am injured, I was told that I would have to go through months of physical therapy before I can even think about running again. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been on crutches, and I can feel the depression setting in. I feel that a big part of me is missing. All I can do is sit around and wait to heal. How do I cope with my favorite hobby being taken away from me? -- Avid Runner

DEAR AVID RUNNER: Injuries can be hard to manage because the healing time is almost always longer than is comfortable. To the best of your ability, look at the big picture. How long does your doctor say it will be before you can run again? Mark that date on your calendar and start counting down the days. Ask your physical therapist what activities you can participate in as you lead up to running again. You probably don’t have to be completely still. In fact, that’s probably not encouraged. If you are able, start walking each day. Over time, you can build up your endurance and strength.

With a timeline in mind, you may be able to ward off the depression. If that doesn’t help, seek psychological counseling. You may need that mental health boost while you are going through rehabilitation.

(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: My stepmom suggested that I stole money from her bedroom while she was out of town. I know deep down that she has never liked me and was waiting for an excuse to point the finger at me for something like this. She has no evidence that I stole anything, and she can’t even give a straightforward answer for why I would have done something like this. I don’t care what she thinks, but my dad is “refusing to take sides.”

Would I be wrong to cut off my dad for not having my back? The hard part is that I still live with them. I just graduated from college, and I am looking for a job. I need to be here for a while longer, but I hate being accused of a crime in my own house. How can I handle this? -- Wild Accusations

DEAR WILD ACCUSATIONS: Your dad is caught in an extremely uncomfortable situation. He wants to trust you, and he wants to keep peace in his house. Right now, I’m sure it feels like there’s no winning in this situation for you. Rather than cutting off your dad -- which seems unrealistic since you are in his house -- talk to him. Tell him your side of the story. Don’t complain too much about his wife, though. You need to find a way to maintain peace with her while you are living there. Ask your dad to trust you and to look at your track record. If there is no previous reason for you to be considered a thief, point that out to him. Tell your stepmom that you are sorry she is missing money, but you did not take it.

Next, focus on getting a job and moving. Clearly, you are not welcome -- at least from your stepmom’s perspective. Plot a course toward your independence. When you are able to live on your own, you will feel more relaxed and can create space to be respected by your family on your own terms.

DEAR HARRIETTE: One of my friends was a nightmare client to another good friend of mine. Both of them are telling conflicting stories about their experiences. The toughest part of this is that one of my friends has a track record of being more credible than the other. I don’t really want to take sides, but it’s gotten ugly between them. I do feel some responsibility to help them resolve things, as I am the one who introduced them in the first place. How can I help them while remaining neutral? -- Conflicting Stories

DEAR CONFLICTING STORIES: Speak to each friend individually, starting with the one who was a client. Apologize for introducing them to someone who ultimately became part of a conflict at the job. Assure them that you didn’t expect such an outcome. Offer to help in whatever way you can to remedy the situation. Note that you are a neutral party here and only want to help come to a resolution.

Next, talk to the other friend and explain that you are sorry things haven’t worked out well with this project. Point out that you recommended them, so both of your reputations are on the line. Suggest that they step away gracefully, no matter who they think is right in the situation. Remind them that you are not taking sides, but to the bigger point of being professional, it is essential that they quiet the fire and move on with integrity.

For you, be careful before you recommend people for anything. Your word is bond in those situations, and as you see, that bond can feel like cement when things go south.

(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.)