When Shadows Speak

Welcome to Episode 4 of "A New Leaf" I am your host Carl Tambeau. Todays Episode, When Shadows Speak, is from our book "The Attitude Shift" - A Motion by the Ocean original. Every one of us walks with shadows. Some are small and quite - the worries that whisper when the world goes still. Others are larger - the memories, the regrets, the voices that echo from the past. We don't like to admit that they're there. We fill our days with noise to drown them out. But shadows have a strange truth about them... They only exist when there's light nearby. When my own shadows start speaking, they never shout. They remind me of every misstep I've made, every dream I've delayed. They sound convincing - like they know me better than anyone else. But over time, I learned something important: They're not there to break me. They're there to teach me. Your shadows don't need to be silenced. They need to be understood. Every negative thought, every old fear, every harsh word you whisper to yourself - it's a message, not a verdict. It's your mind's way of saying, "This part of me still needs care." So instead of asking, "How do I stop these thoughts?" Try asking, "What are they trying to tell me?" That question changes everything. Maybe the voice that says, "I'm not good enough," is really saying, "I need to rest. I need support." Maybe the thought that whispers, "You're too late," is actually saying, "I still want to try." When we listen without judgement, the shadows soften. They stop demanding attention and start revealing truth. You don't defeat darkness by fighting it. You defeat it by turning on one small light - AWARENESS! The moment you notice a negative thought and name it, you've already dimmed its power. It's no longer hiding in the corners. It's out in the open, where healing begins. Here's something I practice: When my thoughts grow heavy, I say quietly, "I see you. I know you're afraid. But we're okay." And then ... I breathe. Not to erase the feeling, but to remind myself that I can hold it without drowning. Because feelings are waves - not verdicts. They rise, they crash, they pass. And every time they do, you learn a little more about your own strength. There's a calm that comes after the storm - not because the storm disappears, but because you've learned how to stand in the rain. That's growth. That's grace. And maybe that's the real purpose of the shadows, to remind you of the light you carry, the one that keeps returning no matter how many nights pass. So tonight, if those thoughts come back - the ones that tell you you're behind, or not enough, or too late - just listen. Let them speak. Then answer softly, with the truth they forgot: "I'm still here. I'm still learning. And I am more than what I fear." Because every shadow proves the presence of light. And if you listen long enough... You'll hear it speaking, too.