I've gotten more and more nervous about showing stuff to people unless I'm in absolute please-critique mode--and sometimes even then. I find I open e-mails from friends and even family who've read my stuff with the sort of trepidation I used to feel when I opened e-mails from editors. On the other hand, as for the editors, if they reject the work, I don't mind it quite so much anymore (I think...)

I'm so, so happy, though, when a story works for people...