DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 25-year-old living in an expensive city in the United States. I've always been frugal, but lately, this mindset has led me down a troubling path. I've found myself giving in to the temptation to steal items from stores rather than purchase them. At first, it seemed like a harmless way to save a few dollars, but now I can't shake the guilt that accompanies me when I look at each item. The other day, I stole a blow dryer because I had broken mine and didn’t want to pay for a new one. That same day, my blow dryer started working again. Now I have two, and I don’t know what to do with the old one.
I know stealing is wrong, and I hate the feeling of being deceitful. Deep down, I know I need to stop, but I'm unsure how to break this habit and make things right. How can I overcome my aversion to spending money responsibly and stop myself from resorting to stealing? -- Sticky Fingers
DEAR STICKY FINGERS: Take a deep breath and pause for a moment. Look at your life. Ask yourself what you are doing and why. More, ask yourself what you want for your life. Do you want to be a criminal? Do you want to be someone who takes from others? Do you want to live in a city you cannot afford? What do you want? You have choices here. Before you anchor yourself in a blurred reality that convinces you that stealing from anyone is a viable choice, decide what kind of person you want to be.
Get professional help so that you can sort through your feelings and behaviors. You need to figure out what has led you to steal from others so that you can learn how to stop.