DEAR HARRIETTE: My 16-year-old teenage daughter landed a part-time job this semester, and I can tell she's really feeling the pressure of trying to juggle work, school and her social life all at once. I want to support her independence and growth, but I can see how stressed out she is getting. I'm trying to figure out how to help her balance this workload without swooping in and taking over everything. I want to be there for her and guide her without stepping on her toes, making sure she learns what commitment means. What would you suggest is the best approach for this? -- Teen Work-Life

DEAR TEEN WORK-LIFE: My advice is to step back and allow your daughter to figure it out for herself. If you helicopter parent her, she will not learn how to deal with mistakes, how to manage time or how to get up when she falls down. She has to live her life and experience these things in order to learn and grow. Yes, it might be hard for you to keep your mouth shut if you notice her slipping up on occasion. But you need to give her space to live her life and experience these things.

That doesn’t mean you completely say nothing, but it does mean that you aren’t there course correcting at every turn. Let your daughter know that you are always there for her when she needs you, but you want her to learn how to manage her life herself. This experience will be an invaluable lesson for her future, and letting her do it on her own is a gift.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently started a new workout routine at the gym, and I've run into a situation with one of the regulars. This person keeps giving me unsolicited advice and corrections about my form during my workouts. I know he means well, but it can feel intrusive and even discouraging. I'm all for improving my form and getting the most out of my workouts, but I want to find a way to address this situation politely without causing any awkwardness. How can I address this situation respectfully and maintain a positive gym environment? -- Unsolicited Gym Advice

DEAR UNSOLICITED GYM ADVICE: I can only imagine how annoying that person is to you, no matter how well-meaning. You may want to engage a trainer at the gym for a few weeks so that this person can see that you are getting professional help -- and to ensure that you are doing your workout correctly and not hurting yourself. When you stop seeing the professional, if the other gymgoer jumps back in to offer advice, you can say thank you, but you are following the lessons from your instructor.

You can also just say thank you for wanting to help you, but you want to work out alone. Put on headphones and play music. When the person comes over, you can nod but not listen to the advice. If you ignore him, eventually he will go away.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions toaskharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I’m a 26-year-old freelance writer who’s been struggling to find a steady stream of clients and projects. A few months ago, a friend generously offered to refer me to someone in his network, but they have started making demands for quick turnarounds and extra revisions beyond what was initially agreed upon. They often communicate the edit requests through my friend, so I feel unable to say no. He is a good friend, but he tends to be on the stricter side when it concerns work. I want to maintain a professional relationship as I appreciate the referral, but I need to manage my workload effectively. How can I address this client’s extra demands without jeopardizing my chance for more clients from my friend? -- Freelance Client

DEAR FREELANCE CLIENT: This is tricky. Since you were without steady work for some time, you may want to stick with the struggle and stretch yourself a bit longer to establish deeper ties with your friend’s community of clients. You may become the go-to writer because you are willing to turn around extra edits when others might balk. Yes, it may be challenging to manage, but I think it could be worth it to build the reputation of being the person who gets the job done no matter what.

You can also speak to your friend after your reputation of being excellent is solidified and ask him to help you establish some boundaries around workflow. Point out that you are delivering work in an effective manner, and in order to continue optimally, you need to manage expectations.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am a 25-year-old man who always makes a conscious effort to adopt a healthier lifestyle through better eating habits and regular gym sessions. However, my girlfriend tends to gravitate toward junk food and a more sedentary routine. I met her before she fell into this lifestyle. We used to be so in sync with our health. I don't want to impose the old habits on her, but I find it difficult to stay motivated and committed to my health goals when surrounded by unhealthy choices at home. Furthermore, my girlfriend gets upset when I decline to eat out with her, especially when she suggests fast food options that don't align with my health goals. How do I find a way to balance my personal health journey in this situation? -- Healthy Living

DEAR HEALTHY LIVING: Have a serious conversation with your girlfriend about her eating and health choices�. Point out that you have always been committed to your health and thought she was, too. Tell her you don’t mean to hurt her feelings when you don’t agree to eat fast food or sit around, but that is not the life you want, and you are unwilling to do that with her. Invite her to join you in becoming more active and making wiser choices about her health.

You are young. As you think about your future, consider if your girlfriend is the right partner for you. While you do not have to share all the same interests, it would be helpful to share similar values and goals around how you live.

(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.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: My sister and I co-manage our family business, a local bakery. We’re clashing over its direction: I prefer to maintain our traditional baking techniques and recipes, which have served us well for years. She wants to import and sell modern, trendy breads from other shops to diversify our offerings. In short, she wants to hop on trends like fast fashion clothing. I’m concerned this could dilute our brand, which is known for its traditional, home-cooked breads that our loyal customers love. Our parents already passed away, so the decision comes from the two of us. How can we find a compromise that respects our brand identity while exploring new opportunities? -- Maintaining Brand

DEAR MAINTAINING BRAND: Talk to your sister about your bakery’s brand identity. What do each of you believe the bakery stands for, and where do you want it to go in the future? Write down key words and thoughts to help you draw out your understanding of its value.

I’m not sure what the fast fashion correlation is to the baking industry, but if your sister can find high-quality baked goods to complement your bakery, that may not be bad. Perhaps she can curate a section of the store with exotic finds while the rest of the bakery is dedicated to the classics your loyal customers know and love. Compromise can be a good thing!

DEAR HARRIETTE: Even though it’s only the middle of September, I am the type of homeowner who loves decorating for any holiday, so I’m preparing for Christmas now. Although excited, I’m forced to tone down my display because my neighbors expressed concern about the large blow-ups and lights I put up last year. They feel it’s excessive and affects the neighborhood’s aesthetics. I live in the suburbs where they all like green and beige. I want to be considerate of my neighbors, but I enjoy creating festive displays so much. What would be the wisest course of action for this? -- Festive Enthusiast

DEAR FESTIVE ENTHUSIAST: What if you go all out in an aesthetic that better matches your neighborhood? For instance, you could create a design featuring a monochromatic look with the same scale of lights and ornaments. Staying in the green and beige trend of your community, select an array of lights and other elements that bring your dynamic vision to life without drawing too much attention by reducing the display of color. This will show your neighbors that you are listening to them and wanting to be in alignment with the community’s values as you also intend to continue to be more dramatic than they may be.

You don’t want to ignite a war with them, even though you do have every right to decorate your property as you choose. Think about the big picture as you make your decisions. Remember that you chose to move into a more sedate suburban neighborhood. It is important for you to learn the unwritten rules of your environment and determine how you can become part of it rather than being oblivious to where you are. You don’t want a holiday display to ruin your relationship with your neighbors for years to come.

(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.)