[m463]

> I don't owe anyone my authentic self.

that makes sense, since to be authentic, you need to be vulnerable.

Maybe what the article means is not so much to bring up something deeply personal, but to show a unique part of yourself.

I remember a guy came to work on my heating system and while he was wrapping up, somehow he told me he liked slot machines. That led to a 15 minute discussion about them. Next he told me his wife let him keep 6 of them in his living room and he showed me pictures.

I think that was not revealing too much personal stuff, but an enthusiasm for something that added life to the conversation.

So maybe carefully think of things you can reveal that make you who you are, without pulling back the curtain completely.