Just Ask Juliet

My wife wants to spend thousands on a fancy washer & dryer because her friends all have something similar. How do I convince her this is nuts?!

These appliances have gotten very sophisticated over the years and when you go looking it's easy to get sucked into the "clearly we need this" mindset. But really all that's needed is a new washer & dryer and not the most expensive. And there is a way to keep that top of mind as your weighing the options.

I really don't like meeting new people. I feel awkward and like I don't know what to say so is there a trick to making it easier?

Social skills are really like any other skill you learn in life; they just might feel harder to master than others. But anyone can do it. Would you feel encouraged if I told you all it takes is time and practice?

My boyfriend and I just broke up and next month we were planning to go on vacation together. He says I should pay him the cost of the non-refundable airfare because I chose the destination. Is that reasonable?

An unexpected break up catches everyone off guard and we are typically not at our best in these moments. Not everyone is flexible and adaptable (which is why these skills are so coveted in the workforce!). So sorting out what's actually fair in this scenario is likely to take more time than it should.

We're expecting our first baby so we told our parents and swore them to secrecy. But my mother-in-law told the whole family. Is it okay to get mad at her for this?

It's a terrible feeling when someone betrays your trust by capriciously sharing a major secret. Being a good secret keeper is a skill that way too many people have not mastered. So when it happens to you, the only thing you can control in the aftermath is how you choose to react.

My husband doesn't want to go on vacation because he's nervous about his job. But we really need a break so how do I convice him?

We are hearing about lots of layoffs in the news these days and feeling like you're walking on eggshells at work really sucks. Do you plan for the worst and hope for the best? It feels better than going into that worry thought loop every single day.