Letting friends see your weak spots is risky. It’s also the only way they can actually have your back.

People cannot back you up on something they know nothing about. Keeping the hard parts hidden feels like strength and does protect you from being let down, but it also guarantees nobody shows up, because nobody was told there was anything to show up for. The risk is real and worth naming, since some people handle it badly. The only way to learn who handles it well is to hand somebody a small piece and watch.

Tell one person one true thing this week that you would normally cover with a joke. Start small. How they treat the small version tells you what to do with the bigger one.