What are 'Glimmers'? A look at the science of brief moments of joy
an exploration
Hey Homebodies,
This week we’re going on a deep dive about a magical mindfulness concept that I love called ‘Glimmers’.
Let’s dive in….
Lucy xx
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I’m sure we’ve all felt how stress and anxiety can impact our overall wellbeing. It’s so easy to get caught up in a negative thought spiral, so I’ve recently adopted a simple way to be a kinda circuit-breaker to those thoughts.
‘Glimmers’ please enter the stage…
🤎 What are Glimmers?
According to Deb Dana, author of ‘The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy’ and ‘Anchored’ (a past Homebody Book Club read), Glimmers are small moments that regulate our nervous system and signals that we can feel safe or calm. It’s a start of connection, moments that can create ease, safety or make us feel relaxed in the moment.
Glimmers are those small moments of goodness that we all experience throughout the day, whether it's a beautiful sunset, listening to your fave song or smelling that delicious, nostalgic dish that brings you back to your childhood.
"You feel something happen inside," Dana says,"There's an energy that happens around a glimmer, and then your brain then marks it as well."
🤎 Why are Glimmers important?
Okay I get it. You might feel like this is just another case of emotional bypassing or the ‘think positive’ movement. But this is not about discounting from our feelings.
According to Dana, when we intentionally look for and celebrate Glimmers of goodness, we shift the lens of our perception from what is wrong to what is right. We open up to the possibility that goodness is present in each moment, no matter how small or fleeting, and that we can use this to grow the circuitry of safety and connection in our nervous system.
Our brains are hardwired to focus on the negative. We are highly attuned to look out for danger, and often receive cues for potential threats, otherwise known as ‘triggers’. The problem is, often our triggers aren’t actually dangerous, but our autonomic nervous system doesn’t know that. What ensues is our fight, flight, freeze, fawn response, which outwardly shows as many things such as anger, dissociation or anxiety.
Focusing on glimmers can have a powerful impact on our mental and emotional wellbeing. Research has shown that cultivating positive emotions, like those associated with Glimmers, can help reduce stress, boost resilience, and even improve physical health.
For people with invisible illnesses, intentionally focusing on moments of goodness can help break the cycle of negative thinking that can exacerbate symptoms and make it harder to cope with day-to-day life. Personally, when I’m having a stressful day, I notice physical symptoms such as headaches and my hands ache (from Lupus/RA). Reducing or regulating my stress response has been helped by the Glimmer mindfulness technique.
Glimmers are also helpful for people who have experienced trauma.
Dana say: “…It's so respectful of their suffering. It allows them to understand that their biology is wired in a way that we don't discount the trauma or the crisis or the ongoing suffering, but we recognise that their biology is exquisitely set up to be able to also notice the micro moments of goodness."
🤎 How to incorporate Glimmers into your daily mindfulness routine
Incorporating glimmers into your daily routine doesn't have to be complicated, it just requires practice.
Glimmer Intention: we can create a daily Glimmer Intention, such as: "I'm going to look for one glimmer before 12pm today."
Make a list or journal: recording your Glimmers can help you to see the little things in life that make you happy, and can serve as a ‘Glimmer Menu’ when you want to feel calm and connected but don’t know where to start.
Head to Spotify: Make a playlist of Glimmer music that’s connected to positive memories or just make you feel great.
Get back to nature: Go to your favourite nature spot and curiously explore what you can notice around you. What can you hear? See? Smell? Feel?
Share your Glimmers: Talk to friends, family or with the Homebody community! Not only does this help you connect with others, but it can also inspire them to look for Glimmers in their own lives.
As someone with an invisible illness, focusing on Glimmers has been a game-changer for my mental and emotional wellbeing. By intentionally seeking out moments of connection or joy and reflecting on them, I have cultivated a greater sense of gratitude and created a circuit breaker for my negative though spirals (and occasional life crisis). It's a small thing, but it can make a big difference.
To further support your Glimmer journey, I will have a weekly story on Instagram for you to share your latest Glimmer. I can’t wait to hear from you!
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