Hey turtleneck welcome to PC!

I agree with your observation that feeling comfortable with yourself when you meet someone new, actually helps you get to know the person for who they are. There's a great TedTalk about vulnerability (someone else mentioned it too, in another thread in PC) Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability | TED Talk

Isn't it interesting that being vulnerable is *key* to having authentic relationships with other people. Just imagine if people stopped putting on a mask to impress others. IF everyone was real to themselves, and real to others, so many problems would disappear with the way we communicate and interact with each other.