You don’t need an hour of meditation or a weekend retreat to feel calmer. All it takes is one small moment – a glimmer. Free, quick, and quietly powerful.
We all know about “triggers,” those moments that spark stress or unease. Glimmers are their gentler opposite: small, fleeting sparks that remind your nervous system what safety and joy feel like. They’re the micro-moments that help your body soften again.
Why Glimmers Matter
Life moves fast, filled with constant notifications, noise, and never-ending to-do lists. Our systems are on high alert more often than we realise. Glimmers help reset that. When we spot something good, even for a second, it tells the body: you’re safe here. That’s how we begin to regulate and rest.
It’s not about ignoring the hard stuff; it’s about remembering that calm and chaos can coexist.
What Counts as a Glimmer?
They’re different for everyone, but they’re always simple:
- That first sip of your morning coffee or tea.
- Sunlight flickering through trees or your window.
- Unexpectedly hearing the one song that lifts you.
- Climbing into fresh bed linen.
- Catching the scent of something nostalgic, like a loved one’s perfume.
- Feeling the sun on your face after a never-ending winter.
- Laughing until your stomach hurts: that easy, childlike laughter that surprises you.
Basically, anything that makes you pause for half a breath and feel, oh, that’s nice.
How to Notice More Glimmers
This part’s easy, but it takes intention. The trick is slowing down just enough to notice them. Try this:
The 5-4-3-2-1 reset
- Name 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
Therapist Deb Dana, who coined the term “glimmer,” suggests setting a glimmer intention for the day: aim to spot one before lunch. The more you look, the more they appear. It’s a little like training your nervous system to find the light again.
Turning Glimmers into a Daily Practice
When you notice one, take a second to acknowledge it. That pause helps your brain wire calm as a habit. You can also keep a glimmer journal – nothing fancy. Maybe a note in your phone:
“Sunlight through the kitchen window.”
“My dog’s ears flopping when he runs.”
It’s gentler than a gratitude list. More instinctive. More forgiving.
You don’t have to go hunting for joy. Just stay open to noticing it. Somewhere between the rush and the quiet, a glimmer is waiting to be seen.
🌙 Try finding one today, and see how it changes the shape of your day.
