Glimmers

Hello Reader,

“Nope! Not yet. Don’t bother me right now.” – Reader

…

“and…okay you can bother me.” – Reader

What were you doing, Reader?

“I was internalizing this art piece. It’s a beautiful concept and a beautiful day too. I really just wanted to feel it.” – Reader

Oh, that's cool! Tell me more about that.

“Well, sometimes when I am having a hard time, I try to notice the moment as if it is the only moment I have and appreciate it. It is much easier to do this when I’m on a hike and I stop to see the scenery or if I see an amazing waterfall or if I’m looking up at the night sky. I sometimes can create this beautiful feeling when I'm spending time with family on the holidays or if I’m spending time with a good friend.” – Reader

Is that so? I think you are talking about glimmers.

“Glimmers? What is that?” – Reader

Exactly what you were experiencing. They are small, micro moments of joy and safety. Let me ask you there, how do you feel when you experience those glimmers?

“Amazing! It is like a mini vacation mixed with beauty and awe. I’m not so sure how to describe the practice of finding glimmers though. Maybe you create them? Maybe they come to you? Maybe I’m just delusional?” – Reader

You’re not delusional, Reader, you're noticing. There are a few different ways you can notice those glimmers but you have to be careful not to minimize them as you experience them. They are powerful moments only if you accept them because they are also very easy to overlook.

Just as with trauma and how triggers can activate a trauma response, so can other cues activate glimmers in your life. While trauma activates the fight or flight response, glimmers activate the rest and digest systems of the body. Glimmers are not the opposite of triggers but rather they can coexist with triggers. It is a shift in perspective to notice your life and the situation you are in from a more calming perspective. I try to notice the glimmers as if the present moment is a cinematic moment or if I see a moment that would have been a good Instragram post. If I can see my present moment similarly to how an artist or a photographer perceives the moment, it becomes easier to notice glimmers.

“Oh I think I get it. I was naturally taking care of my mental health without even noticing I was doing that. In other works, I’m a badass!” – Reader

Haha that is what you got from this?! Alright sure, we can go with that. Own it, Reader!

Let’s take a moment and see if we can practice finding and/or noticing the glimmers in a stressful situation too. Let’s take being a parent as an example. What is a trigger and what is a glimmer when it comes to being a parent?

“Well a trigger might be when the kid is yelling and swinging their arms out of frustration or if they have a blow out from eating too fast or they are making a mess with their toys and not listening when they need to clean them up! Ugh!!! Just put on your dam shoes!!!” – Reader.

Oh gosh, yeah those are all definitely triggers. Keep in mind that triggers are easy to notice when you interact with life in a fast way, when you're trying to speed through an exercise, when you're trying to finish something as soon as possible, when your speech is fast or you try to make dinner as soon as you can or when you try to eat your food quickly. Living life fast is where triggers exist. What about glimmers? On the other end, glimmers live in moments where you can slow things down and notice the small details. So take that deep breath and tell me, what do you notice when it comes to glimmers being a parent?

“I guess if I slow things down and calm my breath and body, I can see how yes my kids yell but they are also so fun to be around and I love to see them grow and learn. Yes, they are in this hitting phase being so young but when they laugh, I just melt too.” – Reader

Good job! We often over look those glimmers and expect glimmers to be something large like going to a different country but glimmers are all around us just waiting to be noticed. Take a second, slow your breath and your body and look around for a moment and try to find those glimmers that remind you of how beautiful life is, from the steam emitting from a cup of coffee to that smile and laugh of a good friend.

Notice and own it.

Key Takeaways:

1)      Glimmers are in everyday moments that are seeking out to be noticed.

2)      Glimmers are cues that trigger the rest and digest systems of the body and can be found even in difficult situations.

3)      Glimmers are a great way to overcome the negativity bias, anxiety, and depression by bringing a bit more balance to your life.

4)      It is easy to overlook and/or minimize glimmers so noticing the small glimmers is as important of a practice.

5)      One way I find and notice glimmers is by pausing, slowing down my breath and looking around and noticing things that might make a good Instagram picture or would look very cinematic when in a movie. It might be the sun coming through the trees or the smile of a friend. You just have to filter out your life.