Through the Shadows: Finding and Sharing your Light

“We are each other’s harvest; we are each other’s business; we are each other’s magnitude and bond.” – Gwendolyn Brooks

As those of us in the Northern Hemisphere enter December, we face some of our shortest days of the year. While early sunsets can bring challenging shifts to our daily routines, it’s fascinating how humans across cultures and time have responded to this darkness with light. From holiday lights in windows to candlelit tables, we create brightness exactly when nature provides the least of it.

This interplay of darkness and light calls to mind the significance of seeking out those “small lights” of inspiration and refuge in the world around us. These moments, however subtle, carry profound meaning — not only for ourselves but in uplifting others. It’s a powerful reminder that even the smallest light holds the potential to illuminate and connect.

Yet shadows aren’t always tied to seasonal darkness. They can manifest as personal challenges, the weight of daily demands or the moral dilemmas that compel us to reflect on our values — deciding how to stand up for fairness or navigate conflicts with integrity. By recognizing these experiences as part of our shared humanity, we uncover opportunities to find light in unexpected places.

These moments of light — whether emerging from the world around us or from within — reveal the resilience, courage and curiosity we each carry. They may feel fleeting, like the bravery to transform vulnerability into something authentic and meaningful, the warmth of an unexpected gesture or the spark of wonder that drives us to ask questions and seek understanding. These small but profound lights can be easy to overlook, especially when life feels heavy, yet they possess the ability to shape our interactions, shift our perspective and even boost our motivation to live fully.

Yet, this year, we find ourselves navigating not only the natural darkness of winter but also the emotional weight of a world in turmoil. For many, there may be a deep sense of disappointment — whether from the choices of others, the uncertainty of the future or unmet aspirations. These feelings are valid and deserve to be met with understanding, rather than avoidance or dismissal. This may be the moment to fully acknowledge the intricate web of emotions we carry — even those we’d rather avoid. 

By making space for both struggle and possibility to coexist, we honor the complexity of our experiences — the shadows we navigate and the light we uncover within them.

When we give ourselves permission to be fully human, we can stay present with whatever arises, holding our emotions and lived experiences with compassion. The practice is to pause — take a breath, drop into the body and connect with the feeling. By staying with the intensity of the emotion, we shift from a judging mind to an open heart and take ownership of our experience. Over time and with practice, those feelings and experiences begin to soften and our inner light gradually reemerges.

At the same time, practicing equanimity — cultivating a composed and balanced mindset — helps us find solid ground, whatever the circumstances may be. This sense of steady composure doesn’t mean suppressing what we feel but rather meeting life’s chaos with perspective and without becoming overwhelmed or reacting impulsively. Together, these practices remind us of our humanity, allowing us to gradually turn up the dimmer switch by holding the experience with presence.

Here’s another tender truth — the brightest lights often emerge from those who carry the heaviest burdens. I think of single parents balancing work, childcare and financial insecurity, the unhoused or anyone navigating their own struggles in silence, without a clear way forward. Even amidst adversity, we each have something to give.

Another striking quality of our inner light, based on my lived experience, is its quiet strength — its ability to endure and persist, especially when life feels overwhelming. Though our inner light may flicker, its resilience continues to bring warmth and hope, illuminating the very space we find ourselves in. What if we imagined December not as a season to endure, but as an invitation to recognize and honor the light within and around us — a chance to pause, reflect and nurture the often unnoticed brilliance that shapes our lives and connects us to the world each day.

Consider these four mindful living tips below and discover simple ways to bring more intention, connection and light into your daily life: