A flattering story about you can still leave out the parts that need care.

Being admired is not the same as being seen. A generous account of your competence can quietly make it harder to mention what is going badly, because the story everyone is enjoying has no space in it for that. Praise isolates as effectively as criticism does, and it does so much more politely.

Tell one person the unflattering half this week. Pick someone who is not attached to the version of you that has everything handled, and say the plain thing without softening the edges of it.