DEAR HARRIETTE: My great-aunt and great-uncle recently shared their intention to leave me their cherished small jewelry store when they pass away. This business holds sentimental value, as it was established and nurtured by them, becoming a local staple. While my cousins or siblings would gladly inherit this legacy, I’m uncertain about taking on the role of a business owner, particularly as I approach middle age. The stress and responsibility associated with running the store are daunting to me. How can I address this situation delicately without disappointing my relatives or feeling overwhelmed by this unexpected inheritance? -- Inheritance Woes

DEAR INHERITANCE WOES: Be grateful that your aunt and uncle gave you the heads-up about their plans. Instead of freaking out, spend time with them learning about the ins and outs of the business. Thank them for their confidence in you to continue their dream, and be forthright about your apprehensions. Start by asking them as many clarifying questions as you can. Why have they chosen you for this daunting role? What do they see in you that makes them trust that you are the right person for the job? How does the business function? Is it profitable? What are the weak points? How do they source inventory? Who works for them and can be trusted? Learn absolutely everything that you can so that you are ready when they pass -- or so that you can respectfully and clearly tell them you cannot accept their generous gift.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently went on a first date with a nice guy I met online, but during our time together, I noticed his attention often wandered to other women around us. While we haven't established exclusivity, given this was date No. 1, I'm unsure if my feelings of discomfort stem from being overly sensitive or if it's a sign of potential compatibility issues. He's asked me for a second date, and I'm conflicted about whether to accept. Should I give it another chance and go on a second date, or is it a cue to reassess our connection and expectations moving forward? -- Wandering Eyes

DEAR WANDERING EYES: If you find the guy interesting, you have a couple of options. You can talk to him before accepting his invitation and tell him that while you enjoyed his company, you are a bit surprised that he called you for another date because you noticed that he was distracted by other women the whole time you were together. If he can’t focus on you during your date, you will pass on going out again. That may seem abrupt, but it addresses your concern directly and gives him an opportunity to see his behavior and react to it.

If you don’t think you can be that bold, you can go out with him one more time. At the first indication of wandering eyes, you need to check him on it. You can use humor by saying something like, “Are you on this date with me, or are you interested in inviting someone else to join our party?” If he acts surprised, point out that he is doing something you noticed on your first date, namely being distracted by other women when he is supposed to be paying attention to you. Make it clear to him that no matter what his excuse is, if he wants to date you, he needs to put on some blinders.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions toaskharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: As the eldest in my family, I’ve unintentionally become the default babysitter for my grandchildren, great-nieces, nephews and other younger family members during gatherings. This shift has made family reunions less enjoyable, as I anticipate being on constant babysitting duty.

Considering this, I’m contemplating skipping the upcoming family reunion. How can I navigate this situation and maintain family connections without feeling burdened by constant child care responsibilities? -- No More Child Care

DEAR NO MORE CHILD CARE: As the elder in your family, your family should respect your wishes, including how you spend your time. You should stop allowing your family members to assume that you want to babysit. Rather than ditching the family reunion, ditch that role.

Before the event, let everyone know that you will not be on duty for child care. Explain that you will no longer be able to fill that role, so they need to arrange for someone else to bear that responsibility. Of course you are happy to greet the children and give them some loving attention, but you will not accept the extremely important caretaking role that has been assumed to be yours up to this point.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I'm reaching out because I'm facing a significant challenge in my romantic relationship. My partner and I have been together for a couple of years, and we've always had different perspectives on travel. I'm passionate about exploring new places and crave the excitement of frequent adventures, while my partner is more of a homebody, preferring the comfort and routine of our domestic life.

Lately, this difference in our preferences has become a source of tension. I feel a strong desire to travel, experience new cultures and make memories together, but my partner is resistant to the idea. It's causing stress in our relationship, and I'm worried about the long-term impact. How can we find a compromise that allows me to satisfy my traveling desires while also respecting my partner's need for stability? -- Traveler Vs. Homebody

DEAR TRAVELER VS. HOMEBODY: The challenge you have described has been there since the beginning. Somehow, you were able to accept it when you got into a relationship with this person. How were you able to find peace with their travel choices then? Think back. What made you look beyond this significant difference?

It could be that you liked your partner enough to forgive them for being different. Can you do that now? It doesn’t mean you have to throw your travel dreams away. It may mean you have to modify them.

Do you have any friends who do like to travel? I know many married people who have homebody spouses. They fulfill their travel bug by taking off with friends to go on adventures. There’s safety in numbers, and the group is actually friends, so there’s comfort in knowing that you are in good company. Other folks decide to take an annual trip on their own. They map it out and create an itinerary that they then give to their partner or someone else who is happy to keep an eye out on them from a distance.

You don’t have to give up your passions to be a good partner. You just have to be an honest and excellent communicator.

(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: During a family trip with my in-laws this holiday season, everyone gathered, including my wife and her sister, brother-in-law and nephew. I've never been close to my wife's family. They've made jokes insinuating that I'm snobbish due to our differing backgrounds. On Christmas Eve, I found out that there was a planned lunch to which everyone was invited except me. My wife mentioned they assumed I wouldn't enjoy the food and decided I'd prefer my own plans. I ended up skipping lunch when they invited me after I asked about it and booking the first flight home without notifying anyone. Was this an overreaction on my part? -- I’m Out

DEAR I’M OUT: You got their attention, that’s for sure. Could you have handled the situation differently? Yes. But to be left out in the way that you were had to have felt like complete rejection. That your wife was part of it only makes the whole situation worse.

I do have to ask you if you make an effort to be cordial with your wife’s family. You don’t have to be best friends, but it is wise to find ways to enjoy their company. If you are a grouch when you are together, they may be justified in leaving you out. Reflect back on your behavior to assess whether “snobbish” is the right word -- or is it “rude”? How do you treat them?

Talk to your wife about the situation. Work together to figure out a way for you to spend time with her family without it being hostile. The goal is for it to be warm and friendly.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’ve reflected on my New Year’s resolutions over the years and realized I haven’t achieved many of my significant goals. This sense of falling short leaves me feeling like I’ve failed. How can I manage to overcome these feelings of failure and setback? What methods or strategies have proven most effective for you in dealing with rough patches when your goals seem out of reach? -- Failure

DEAR FAILURE: It seems like New Year’s resolutions are made to be broken. Be wary of them. Instead, identify specific goals that you have. From that list, pick one that is measurable and achievable and then map out a plan of action to manifest it. List small steps that lead up to the big goal. By accomplishing little things day by day, you build up the confidence to keep going. When things don’t go well and you experience setbacks, don’t give up. Go back to your list and select something to focus on completing. Give yourself a deadline for completion. Do everything in your power to meet that deadline. Celebrate the small victories. This will give you energy to keep up the hard work.

When you don’t meet a goal and feel deflated as you reflect on your life, stop that negative thought spiral. Instead, choose to highlight a goal once again. Know that you can restart your commitments whenever you want to do so. Instead of lamenting what you haven’t been able to finish, cheerlead yourself on to a new victory. Enlist the support of friends who will rally on your behalf. That only helps you to stay the course!

(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.)