Shadow Love: Where the Dark Teaches You to Shine
I thought I had made peace with my rage.
I believed it was behind me—that I could move through life with assurance and confidence, that my healing had settled the storm.
But yesterday, rage came back.
Not as a whisper. Not as a flicker.
It came as a wildfire.
It was sparked not by a personal slight, but by something much larger—the leader of our country and those who defend him. By their silence. By their refusal to address predators: the sex traffickers, the pedophiles, the rapists—while silencing survivors.
Their actions, and their silence, send a clear message: You don’t matter.
If you’ve lived through it, you know the echo of that message. It’s the sound of shame. Of worthlessness. Of not being seen.
Missing the First Signals
At first, I reasoned it away. Of course I was upset—anyone would be. I told myself to keep moving, that it was just part of the world we live in.
What I didn’t realize was that something deeper had been touched. The wound wasn’t new—it was old, and it had just been awakened.
It’s normal to miss the first signs. We all do it. You don’t have to stop the world to process every single emotion that passes through you. But when the feeling doesn’t pass—when it gets louder, heavier, more insistent—that’s your invitation. That’s your grab-you-by-the-scruff moment.
For me, it came when I literally dropped to my knees in tears. That’s when I knew: it was time to get still. This was more than a bad day. This was Shadow Love calling me in.
The Breakdown That Breaks You Open
My body told me before my mind caught up.
The breakdown became a breakthrough.
The clouds parted, and I could finally see: there is still work to do. Personally. Culturally.
Shadow Love isn’t about wallowing in darkness—it’s about learning from it. It’s about letting the shadow teach you where you’re still holding pain, and trusting that facing it will only make your light burn brighter.
Why This Matters for All of Us
Sometimes we numb instead of feeling—maybe with alcohol, maybe with sugar, maybe by withdrawing from the people and places that light us up.
It doesn’t mean we’re broken. It means we’re hurting.
The feelings we try to push aside can be messengers, showing us where we’re still carrying something heavy. When we listen, we give ourselves the chance to heal at a deeper level. That’s the work of Shadow Love—meeting your darkness with compassion so you can return to light, stronger than before.
Your Invitation
If you’re feeling something that disturbs you, don’t rush past it. You don’t have to dissect every emotion—but if it’s persistent, if it’s pulling at you—pause.
Get still.
Listen.
What you find might not be easy. But it might just be the thing that moves you closer to your truth.
This isn’t just my story. This is a record.
This is a call.
This is Shadow Love—where the dark teaches you to shine.
Teresa Rodden Return to Light with Shadow Love
About Teresa Rodden
Teresa Rodden is a coach, author, and guide for women in their prime who are ready to stop numbing, start feeling, and live with purpose. Through her signature message, Love Yourself Back to Light, and her newest body of work, Shadow Love, Teresa helps women embrace every part of themselves — even the dark places — as essential to their brilliance.
Her work is about more than “fixing” what’s wrong; it’s about returning to truth, rewriting limiting narratives, and allowing the shadow to teach you how to shine. Whether through her writing, coaching programs, or live workshops, Teresa invites women to explore with curiosity, meet themselves with compassion, and reclaim the power of their own story.
Connect with Teresa on Instagram @i_am_teresarodden or learn more at TeresaRodden.com.
