in a relationship, roughly the only thing that matters is if you can be yourself around them… shared hobbies, attraction, lifestyle alignment is downstream. if you can’t be fully yourself around someone, you’re either performing or negotiating constantly. & over time that

The paradox of human connection: We avoid speaking difficult truths to protect relationships. But that's what prevents those relationships from becoming truly meaningful. You can’t be accepted for who you are if you’re not showing up as who you are.

Be yourself