glimmers — A SPRINKLE OF LIGHT

glimmers
noun

tiny micro moments of joy—fleeting, everyday moments that elicit a rush of happiness, gratitude, calm, peace, safety, or goodwill. Some examples of glimmers include: Spotting a rainbow. Hearing your favorite song in the grocery store. Feeling the warmth of the sun on your skin.

So this concept/word is one that I came across a friend’s instagram last year or so.

Trigger(s), the antonym of glimmer, is a commonly used term in our world today. You hear people use it all the time and I think a lot of us find it easier sometimes to look for triggers. Our brains have this natural tendency to look for the bad, the dangers, that will help us stay safe. Except, and I can speak from experience, sometimes our brains stays in that headspace.

So I’ve been trying my best to look for glimmers all around me as often as I can. Not only that, I’ve started an album on my phone where I have saved pictures of glimmer moments that I feel and recognize, so that I can savour it and look back on those moments when I’m not having the best day or need a little mindset reset. This means I’ve been trying to be more intentional and stopping, reflecting and taking a picture at that exact moment, no matter how odd the timing is.

Apparently (according to Google and research and knowledgeable individuals), the practice of noticing these glimmers can help counteract the effects of stress, improve mood, make you more present, and can have beneficial impacts on long term mental health.

They don’t have to be this big, life changing, moments or events. From the pretty flowers you see at the market, to enjoying some peace and quiet with a good book, to belting out a song in the car for your own version of carpool karaoke. They can be super small, positive moments. I’ve scrolled through my glimmers album and can picture exactly the exact moments those pictures were taken, sparking a little bit of joy or peace when I am in need of some. It has also been such a good reminder and reflection of God’s goodness in my life.

As this month is Mental Health Month, I wanted to share this particular post because it has helped me and I also wanted to share to encourage you to use it as part of your own mental health toolbox!

Here’s couple of pictures from my glimmer album to share with y’all.