DEAR HARRIETTE: I consider myself a smart person, but I haven’t always made the best choices. I have had great moments in my work and personal lives, but for the past few years, things have been rough. I have no savings, and I work freelance. I worry that any little thing could topple me, and I wouldn’t be able to survive the hiccup. Sometimes I wonder if I would be more valuable dead than alive. I don’t mean to sound melodramatic. I’m serious. The one smart thing I did after my children were born was to buy a hearty life insurance policy. No matter what, I pay that each month. I don’t have two pennies to rub together, as my grandmother would say, but I’m worth a million dollars dead. Part of me wants to call it a day. Do you understand where I’m coming from? -- Hopeless
DEAR HOPELESS: Every day that you wake up, you have the opportunity to make a better experience for yourself and your family. As despondent as you are feeling right now, you need to believe that you deserve happiness and abundance, and it is possible for you to experience these things. Now is a great time for you to get support, too. If you have medical insurance, consider going to see a mental health professional who can help talk you through some of your issues. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255 to talk to someone about how 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.)