I totally get what you are saying on your last couple of posts about still being yourself. I think we all get a bit lost in the behaviour changes DB promotes & forgot to be ourselves. We can still adapt our behaviour - but a complete personality change is just not realistic or sustainable as you mentioned.
I like your swagger Yankee, you aren't worrying and analysing what he is doing, you are doing things & communicating differently & he is responding. This seems to be working better for you guys.
I've started a new thread, because I wanted to try & get some advice off people when the R talk is the elephant in the room sometimes, that neither party really want to bring up.
We still haven't talked about what next and I don't know where we are at. Oh well, no news is no news as they say.