You know what’s new and beautifully unfamiliar?

Making friends where I don’t have to pretend.
Not pretending to be “okay.”
Not laughing at things I don’t find funny.
Not nodding while my soul quietly screams,
“Please don’t make me shrink to fit in here again.” 😩

This time, I’m showing up as me.
The real, honest, slightly weird, deeply feeling, healing, hopeful version of me.
The one who’s been through things.
The one who no longer says “I’m fine” when she’s crumbling.
The one who now values truth over performance, connection over perfection.

🧠 Neuroscience tells us that the human brain is wired for connection—not performance.
But trauma teaches us to people-please.
To scan the room for danger instead of support.
To be likeable rather than authentic.
To be accepted—even if it means being unseen.

And honestly? I’m done with that.
Done with the masks, the “easygoing” me who wasn’t okay, the over-smiling, over-performing, emotionally exhausted version of myself.

These days, I want real.
✨ Laugh-until-we-snort real.
✨ Text-you-random-thoughts-at-2am real.
✨ Cry-if-I-need-to real.
✨ Be-silent-without-it-being-weird real.

I want the kind of friendships where healing happens without having to explain everything.
Where nervous systems feel safe.
Where I don’t have to earn my place by overgiving or overexplaining.

🌸 Because here’s the truth:
When you start being you—the full, messy, tender, honest you—
You stop attracting people who only liked the mask.
And you start finding the ones who see you and say,
“Yes, that’s the you I’ve been waiting to meet.” 💛

So here’s to making new friends—
Not with the version of ourselves we think is acceptable…
…but with the version we finally love enough to share.

No more pretending.
No more shrinking.
Just me.
Fully, beautifully, finally me.

#AuthenticConnections #HealingAndFriendship #BeTheRealYou #NoMorePretending #FriendshipAfterHealing #SoftGirlEra #EmotionalSafetyFirst #CPTSDHealing #NeuroscienceOfConnection #RealOverPerfect