I didn’t expect this kind of clarity. Not from a barstool, a balcony, or a few questions from strangers. But sometimes, it’s in the stillness, when you're not performing, that something real shows up.

I showed up. Real. Intense. Human. Then I flinched. Not because they judged me—because I judged myself. We say we want authenticity, then shame ourselves for giving it. If that’s you, read this one.

Not because I didn’t feel something—but because I didn’t trust what might happen next. We all do this. With people, with opportunities, with truth. This is about fear, control, and the price we pay for trying to manage the outcome.