Recently, I was in a yoga class where the instructor began by asking us if we knew what triggers were “Yes, unfortunately” was the consensus in the room. She went on to introduce the concept of glimmers and said they are essentially the opposite of triggers and that it is backed by legitimate studies in psychology.
This immediately sparked my attention as I thought of all the simple yet joyous everyday occurrences that I could, at last, put a label on – the first bite of breakfast, a friend smiling at you, the feeling of the sun hitting your bare skin, or unexpectedly hearing your favourite song.
Fleeting moments of comfort that bring us back to the present putting a smile on our faces.
The Science Behind Glimmers
So what are glimmers, you ask? The idea was pioneered by psychotherapist and author, Deb Dana who in her words describes glimmers as “tiny micro-moments of joy that allow us to feel calm and give us a sense of inner peace.” They essentially hide everywhere we look in plain sight if we are receptive enough to see them. Think about the fact that flowers exist or the loyalty of your dog, how about gazing out onto the ocean? These all play a significant role in, according to Dana, calming your central nervous system which leads us to the theory that backs up her work with glimmers – the Polyvagal theory. What this theory essentially suggests is that our autonomic nervous system is (although unconsciously) constantly scanning our environment for danger or threats, thereby this complex structure of nerves has a profound effect on our mental health.
Seems like an intense task and all the more reason to seek out glimmers. In addition, glimmers, though short bursts of joy, do have the added loyalty in that they according to Mariel Buquè, PhD assist in rewiring an overactive nervous system thanks to the malleability of our brains.
As someone with on/off bouts of anxiety, learning about glimmers makes me want to go out and collect as many of these moments as my mind can hold. The beauty of glimmers is that it has the potential to alter the lens through which we view our world as the small pockets of pleasure we find throughout our day, add up over time to weave a tapestry of a life where we feel more appreciation, fulfilment and overall less stress.
And in my opinion, I would hope it gives little power to our triggers as we come to realize that all they are is fear and without our reaction, they begin to lose hold on our mental health.
How to Tap in and Find Your Glimmers
There doesn’t seem to be an exact one-size-fits-all approach to finding glimmers as they are personal and do not have to make sense to anyone besides you. However, you will tend to find yours rather quickly as they bring about a swift sense of ease and familiarity without hesitation. There are a few prompts one can follow that act encouragingly in identifying glimmers. And remember, they are found no matter where you find yourself.
- Where does your mind wander when you daydream? If it’s related to nature then perhaps the smell of the forest or the feeling of sand touching your feet.
- What brings about a sense of warm nostalgia for you? This can stem from what made you feel safe, calm and happy as a child.
- Think of your family, friends, or romantic partner.
- When all the work is done what do you naturally feel inclined to do for fun?
- Think back (for example) to a vacation, concert, or party you went to. What moments during that time hold the greatest memory for you?
A Few More of My Own
- The way the ocean carries me when I float on my back.
- Thinking back on a first kiss or any other great kiss.
- Homemade jam on homemade bread.
- Dancing to the beat drop of a great song.
- Staring at the Moon.
- That bees sleep in flowers with their butts hanging out (Google it).
- A hug.
- The sound of my mother’s voice when she’s comforting me.
- When I’m about to sit down for a home-cooked meal with my family.
- Laughing so hard my eyes begin to water.
P.S. Glimmers reminds me of a book I read back in high school called “The Book of Awesome” by Neil Pasricha. As a teenager, I just thought of it as merely a list of awesome things. In hindsight, I now realize this book is alluding to glimmers in a simple yet impactful and fun way. I mean we can almost all agree that the smell of bakery air is definitely a glimmer!
Thanks for reading!
xo Missy
*the above image was taken by me in the German countryside.
