That seems important. The guarding. Why would you guard your other feelings? That's not a way to be connected. That's a way to push people away. Ironically, it's protecting yourself that causes most people to get hurt....
Many things to work on. Start with you. Start with focusing on you and being honest in the things you can improve. I'm not going to say correct, because you are who you are. Improvement is what I think is more important. Find those things that you don't like about yourself and improve them. Always. Always. Always improve. Do the work.
AJ
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" MLK Put the glass down... "Yesterday I was clever so I wanted to change the world Today I am wise, so I am changing myself."