Authenticity - A Personal Truth, One Day at a Time by Marianne Rothmann
“Authenticity” is having a moment.
It is one of those words that seems to appear everywhere — in podcasts, leadership workshops, social media captions, brand slogans, and self-help circles. We are constantly encouraged to “be authentic,” “live our truth,” and “stay true to ourselves.” While the message may sound empowering, its meaning is often oversimplified — and at times, misunderstood.
Authenticity, in popular culture, has started to resemble a performance: something you must prove to others, defend on cue, or consistently exhibit in a recognizable way, but real authenticity has little to do with what others see. It is not about being bold or loud, staying the same, or meeting someone else’s expectations of who you should be. In fact, the very idea that someone can declare another person “inauthentic” reveals how much we still misunderstand the concept.
At its core, authenticity is a deeply personal and ever-changing alignment — between your actions, your values, and your present reality. It is about being honest with yourself, not about conforming to someone else’s idea of what your truth should look like. It is not fixed. It evolves as you do.
That is why authenticity can not be measured in absolutes. What feels true today might shift tomorrow, and that does not make it less real — it makes it human. Sometimes, authenticity means changing your mind. Sometimes it means stepping away, letting go, or reintroducing yourself, even if that unsettles those around you.
Living authentically requires space to grow. It asks for patience — not just from others, but from ourselves. It asks us to approach life with presence, humility, and self-compassion. That is where the practice of one day at a time comes in.
We do not become “authentic” overnight. We live it slowly — in our choices, our reactions, our boundaries, and our self-awareness. Some days, living your truth will feel natural and empowering. Other days, it will feel unfamiliar and uncertain. Both can still be authentic. The goal is not to appear consistent to others, but to remain connected to what is true for you in this moment.
When we embrace authenticity as a daily practice — rather than a permanent state — we free ourselves from the pressure of perfection and performance. We give ourselves permission to shift, reflect, and re-align. We stop chasing the need to explain or justify our evolution and begin trusting the quiet knowing that we are enough, even when we are still becoming.
In a world that often prioritizes image over depth, authenticity asks something radical of us: to be real, not polished; to be present, not performative; to be truthful, not simply agreeable.
And that work — the real work — happens one day at a time.
