It's easier to keep things surface-level. Deciding to be real with someone — even a stranger — is a genuine act of bravery.
Courage doesn't mean dumping everything at once. It means sharing one true thing instead of the safe version. That's enough to start.
Most people respond to honesty with warmth. Your fear of rejection is almost always larger than the actual danger.
When you're real, you give the other person permission to be real too. You create the conversation both of you actually wanted.
Not the polished version. The real one. That's the one worth showing.