Hmmm... This is a tricky one. As far as covering up bad emotions, I usually try to but those who know me well (or anyone who happens to say something that pushes the "start bawling" button... You know what I'm talking about!) will be able to notice that something is "off" about me. For example, one of my good friends (ENTP) always has to ask me if she's boring me when she drags me along on errands because I will never admit it on my own. (And even when she asks, I always make a non-committal answer like, "I don't care what we do" or "I'm fine with whatever you want to do.") I also use this "mask," I guess you could call it - though I don't really consider it so much of a mask as a beneficial outward display of pleasantness - when interacting with someone I don't like or when someone's telling me about something that bores me to tears. I smile, chuckle, and maybe throw in a generic response here or there, all while my inner world winces in awkwardness. I consider this not a detriment but an asset... Then I can never be accused of being impolite.
But other than that, I always try to let my genuine, cheerful, silly self show through! I'm not afraid to tell anyone anything that they want to know about me, so long as I consider him or her a "safe" person, even if he or she isn't a particularly close friend. If I get a good vibe and feel that click, I'm going for it.
Here's a question I have that goes along with this topic: Does anyone else experience that really weird, closed off and rigid feeling when talking to someone you consider "better" than you? This happens to me a lot. I'm very hierarchial and always have a firm feeling that I'm either equal to or worse than someone else. It's not really much to do with age, mostly to do with that person's personality and talents. If it's someone I consider higher up than me, I have a strange communication problem where everything I say seems flat, rigid and pathetic. I can't seem to find anything of consequence to say, even if it's a topic I'm interested in. It's kind of hard to explain... Mostly I just end up with a lot of "Oh"s and nods and awkard silences, and if I say anything it's usually just repeating what they said. If they ask me something I answer quickly, tersely and awkwardly. I feel like a stone... Not frozen in a stage fright kind of way, but in a robotic way. Does anyone else share this experience?
Sorry if this is a bit off-topic... Maybe I should start a new thread for that question.