On a cloudy day your shadow barely shows. Soft light makes everything a little more forgiving.

Harsh light makes every edge sharp, while softer light hides nothing and makes it all easier to look at. The same holds for how you talk to yourself and to other people. The facts stay the same, and the amount of glare is yours to set. Severity is not accuracy, though it does a good impression of it.

Turn the light down a little this week when you go over how something went. Say what happened plainly, without the extra commentary about what it proves about you. Then offer that softer version to one other person.