Daily Press

She won’t stop posting about partner

- Send questions to askharriet­te@harriettec­ole.com or c/o Andrew McMeel Syndicatio­n, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106

I’ve been with my girlfriend for two years now, and things are great. But I am starting to get a little bit uncomforta­ble with how often she posts about me on social media. It’s nice that she wants to share our moments, but the attention can be a bit too much. I’m not on social media, and even people from my job have seen some of her posts. I’m feeling a bit invaded; what advice can you give me? — No Privacy

An important part of establishi­ng ground rules in relationsh­ips these days occurs around boundaries of privacy. That includes social media. Often, couples do not share the same views on what is public informatio­n and what is not. The more social partner in

Dear No Privacy:

a relationsh­ip may feel the urge to post intimate moments that the other may consider private.

You need to talk about it. Some people require approval of any image they are included in before posting. Some limit the frequency of posting. Some decline any posting at all. You need to negotiate this with your partner. It may be difficult, especially if you don’t share the same views on the subject. Ultimately, you may come to a compromise that allows both perspectiv­es to be considered.

Be sure to include the impact that postings can have on your career, your status in the community and, of course, your privacy.

Dear Harriette: A woman I know moved into my building, and I noticed many people that we know in common coming to visit her. That’s lovely. The thing is, some of them are now wanting to visit me as well. I am somewhat reclusive and do not want to have guests. Plus, I have lived in my apartment for a thousand years and it is really cluttered. I am not ready. What can I say to people who now want to drop by? — No Entry

You do not have to welcome people into your home if you are uncomforta­ble doing so. You don’t really have to say anything. When you see these people in the hallway or the elevator or wherever, just greet them warmly. If they ask to stop by to visit, politely decline.

Beyond that, though, you may want to seek out help to dig out of your thousand years of clutter. If the state

Dear No Entry:

of your home is causing you to keep people away, that may be a sign that you could use help in excavating your home and creating a more welcoming life for yourself. Many services exist that can support you to clear out your physical space and psychologi­cally help you begin to think differentl­y about how you live.

The Mayo Clinic suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy can help people who hoard to start making healthier decisions about the way that they live and what they choose to keep and discard. To learn more, go to: https://mayocl. in/3ItUFNS.

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