DEAR HARRIETTE: I still wear the necklace my ex-boyfriend got for me when we were together. We broke up over three years ago, but it is a very nice necklace that I love wearing.
My current partner hates that I still wear the necklace because he thinks I do it to stay connected to my ex. As absurd as it sounds, and as much as I have tried convincing my boyfriend I wear the necklace only because it’s nice, he is insistent on me not wearing it. Do I have to stop wearing the necklace from my ex? -- Wear My Ex's Necklace, San Mateo, California
DEAR WEAR MY EX'S NECKLACE: Take a walk in your boyfriend's shoes for a moment. How would you feel if he were wearing an item of jewelry given to him by his ex? I doubt it would make you feel comfortable. In this instance, I think your boyfriend is right. Put the necklace away, at least for now. Grow your relationship without any encumbrances from the past. Tell him that you value him more than a piece of jewelry, and you are not interested in your ex anymore.
Ideally, you should get rid of the necklace. Sell it, pawn it, get some money for it and buy yourself something beautiful that is no longer attached to the man from your past.
(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.)