Just Ask Juliet

You want the right people to know all about the good work you're doing without having to tell them yourself. But it doesn't work like that. You have to advocate for yourself in a way that feels authentic to you.

Wedding planning is a special kind of stress and that makes it hard to think clearly and be confident in all your decision-making. Lots of people will tell you after the fact that they wish they had made different choices. Reversing course on a bridesmaid decision is particularly angsty.

Was it a one-time thing or is this a pattern of behavior that's never going to change? That's the question you really want to find out the answer to.

People don't like doing things that could jeopardize their standing at work. Everyone needs a job and no one wants drama when it comes to their paycheck. Mobilizing a group to act, even if it's for the best possible outcome, is a tall order.

We've all heard a cute story about how some couple met at work, fell in love and got married. It happens. What also happens is a lot of messiness and distress when you go for it and it doesn't work out. Is it worth it?

Before social media this kind of information was restricted to catch up chats with a mutual friend you at lunch or over the phone. It was much easier to allow people to float in and out of your life because their photos and major life milestones weren't being broadcast. Let's remember that it's also normal to lose touch with people whether or not there's been a falling out.

You know when someone is not valuing your thoughts and emotions because you can feel it. Instead of trusting that feeling, a lot of us will assume we're doing it wrong and if we approach it differently we'll get a better response. But what if there's nothing wrong with your approach in the first place?

Texting has added a layer of complexity to dating that we could really do without. Dating was already hard and texting hasn't helped. The key, I think, is to peel back the ancillary layers to get to the core of what's actually happening (or not) in the relationship.

Respecting work boundaries is something talented leaders excel at naturally. I don't know of anything you can do to control him, but I believe you can firm up your boundaries to show him how you like to work best.

A wedding can make even the most sane person seem unreasonable. I think it stems from feeling so much pressure, from every possible angle. It's really the only time in your life it happens that way, so no wonder it's tough to think straight. There is a way to get through it without sacrificing the things that are most important to you.

Always treat the in-laws with care and you'll never regret it. Over the course of a marriage all kinds of sticky issues will present themselves with your family and his, but there's almost always a graceful way out of it.

Is quitting inherently bad? No. So, why do we think it is? What if quitting is one of the most valuable underrated life skills that no one talks about?

In any partnership relationship, the household work is never evenly divided but that doesn't mean a never ending 80/20 split is normal. It should fluctuate the way life does so sometimes one person carries a larger load before it switches. If it never switches, that's a pretty big problem.

Regaining trust after a breakup is tough. After a second time it's much harder. She's going to say, 'why should I believe you now when I've heard all of this before?'

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

Saving and losing weight have one thing in common. They both require discipline and while you probably had a health class in high school, I bet you didn't have a money class. It's kind of shocking schools don't teach students how to budget income to pay bills and also save. But it's never too late to learn.

Being nervous in an interview is a good thing because it shows the meeting is important to you. But you don't want that nervous energy to take over and impede your ability to represent yourself well. There's more than one thing you can do to help feel more relaxed. The key is finding the mix of things that work best for you.

We've all got at least one friend who does this and it's just rude behavior. Didn't their parents teach them this?! Unless the person she's bringing is a surprise for you that she's knows for a fact will thrill you, it's unacceptable.

Pets are the best and dogs in particular are amazing, in my opinion. I love cats, too, just not the litter box. And if you're not prepared to train an animal you should not own one. You get out of the experience what you put into it and at the start, you've got to put in a lot of energy and effort.

Companies should be investing in developing their employees and it doesn't happen often enough. So when it does, people might feel like they need to show their appreciation in ways beyond just doing their very best work. A good question to ask yourself is this: where have I seen loyalty to a corporation really benefit an employee?

Needing a job you don't want to go to everyday is a super tough spot to be in and finding a new job never seems to happen fast enough! But there are some things you can do to affect your mindset and they're not woo-woo; they're real action steps.