Writing Toward the Truth: Finding Your Authentic Self on the Page

We hear a lot about authenticity these days—as if it’s something you can buy, brand, or pin down in a personality test. But the truth is, authenticity isn’t a fixed trait. It’s a practice. A remembering. And often, it’s found not in big declarations, but in quiet moments of clarity—many of which come when we write.

Writing is one of the most direct ways we can encounter ourselves. Not the curated self we show to the world, but the deeper, messier version underneath. The self that wants more, fears rejection, craves belonging, and sometimes contradicts itself. That self has things to say—if we’re willing to listen.

Whether you journal regularly or haven’t picked up a pen since high school, you can use writing as a tool for reconnecting with what’s real for you. Here’s how.

✍🏽 Writing Prompt: “What Is True for Me Right Now?”

This deceptively simple question can open up a powerful doorway. Set aside five to ten minutes and create a space where you can write uninterrupted. A notebook and pen can help slow your thinking, but typing works too. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s honesty.

Here are some steps to guide you:

1. Get Grounded

Before you start writing, close your eyes. Take three deep breaths. Feel your feet on the ground. Drop into your body. Ask yourself: What am I carrying today? What sensations are present? No need to judge or fix—just notice.

2. Set a Timer

Give yourself five minutes of uninterrupted writing time. The prompt is simple:

“What is true for me right now?”

Start with that sentence and keep going. If you get stuck, write “what’s true is…” again and again until something new comes out. Don’t censor. Don’t worry about grammar. Just follow the thread.

3. Look for the Sparks

After writing, take a breath and read over what you’ve written. Underline or highlight any lines that surprise you. Maybe it’s a longing you didn’t realize you had. A truth you’ve been avoiding. A small joy you forgot mattered. Those sparks are clues to your authenticity.

4. Ask, “What Do I Want to Do With This Truth?”

Authenticity isn’t just about uncovering truth—it’s about aligning with it. You don’t have to act on everything right away. But asking the question invites you to consider what might shift if you honored what you just wrote.

Would you set a boundary? Call someone? Create something? Rest?

Even one small act of alignment can move you closer to your authentic self.

A Practice, Not a Performance

There’s no gold star for being “authentic enough.” This isn’t about having a perfectly defined identity—it’s about feeling congruent. About not leaving yourself behind. Writing lets us witness who we are beneath the noise.

And the more you practice, the more familiar your own voice becomes. You start to notice when you’re betraying it—or when you’re bravely following it, even when it’s scary.

So this week, I invite you to write.

Start with the question: What is true for me right now?

And see where it takes you.

With you in the rewriting,

— Penny and Ria