Hi courage.
I am also someone who likes to say what I think, and while I don't think I suck at diplomacy, I'm willing to compromise only so much in communicating my thoughts. (Feelings is a bit different issue for me...) There is both personal and communal value in being direct and straight talking vs holding back our opinions (which can provide useful information to others if expressed/perceived in the right way) or behaving like a chameleon who just reflects the environment.
My view is that it's often more about
the way it's being presented, the style, rather than the actual content of what we want to express. Constructive criticism is a form of art imo, and none of us are always good at it... some people are more natural than others, but we can always learn. For example, I find parts of my job where I need to review others' work very good opportunities to exercise this. I am sure you know what I mean.
I think what Dee and Scott said above are key methods to achieve what I was alluding to about finding good ways of expression without having to compromise the message too much. Oh, and sustained sobriety
I definitely had lots of problems with saying things on a whim in early sobriety, and while I was typically aware of this or became aware quickly after it happened, it simply just took time and repeated experiences to shred this feature more. The good thing is that now we at least have some conscience and healthier self-criticism to address it