“], “filter”: { “nextExceptions”: “img, blockquote, div”, “nextContainsExceptions”: “img, blockquote, a.btn, a.o-button”} }”>
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!
>”,”name”:”in-content-cta”,”type”:”link”}}”>Download the app.
If you’ve found yourself searching for a way to be more present throughout your day, “glimmers” can jumpstart that journey.
“Glimmers are the small, everyday occurrences in which we can find a sense of peace and gratitude,” says licensed clinical social worker Alyssa Mancao. “They take our life off autopilot and get us to notice the beauty that’s in front of us.” The trending term asks that you delight in the mundane, elevating the smell of your morning coffee or the sound of laughter to an event worth reveling in.
The concept of glimmers was coined by another social worker, Deb Dana, in her book, The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy, as a tool to help clients regulate and even repattern their nervous systems. Mancao notes that, unlike toxic positivity, which discourages less pleasant feelings and realities, glimmers are all about noticing the beauty that exists within the larger framework of everyday life.
“While they both refer to emotional experiences, glimmers acknowledge the complexities between noticing moments of joy amidst painful experiences,” she explains. And though snippets of beauty may be minute, even commonplace, keeping an eye out for them can be a quick way to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
Gratitude and Mental Health
“Gratitude enhances what psychologists call ‘reward sensitivity,’ which is our ability to notice and experience positive emotions,” says psychologist Terri Bacow, PhD. “Intentionally shifting our attention toward rewarding experiences and emotions not only feels great, it boosts mental health.”
Bacow references a recent study in which individuals who were encouraged to consistently and actively enhance positive emotions through mindfulness techniques experienced a reduction in symptoms of anxiety and depression compared to a group that was exclusively instructed to reduce negative emotions.
“Practicing gratitude by noticing glimmers can activate specific neural networks related to positive emotions,” says Mancao. “When we are able to notice the small, everyday experiences and develop an appreciation toward them, we are able to increase our overall baseline for emotional wellness.”
How to Identify + Maximize Glimmers
Appreciating the minutiae of our lives may sound simple. But maintaining an active awareness involves intention and attention.
“Ask yourself the following questions: What’s an everyday occurrence that I tend to take for granted and how can I start noticing these things on a daily basis?” suggests Mancao, who recommends taking stock of your glimmers at the end of each day.
Being on the lookout increases your likelihood of experiencing and clocking your glimmers. “Be open to the small pleasures in life such as someone holding the door open for you, kindness from a stranger, lovely scents, or the taste of your food,” says Mancao.
In short? The light is there. Let it in.
1. Set An Intention
Set yourself up for the shimmer of success by setting goals around your glimmers. “It can be helpful to consider making a daily practice whereby you commit to intentionally noticing a glimmer (or two) each day,” says Bacow, who adds that even noting a glimmer once or twice a week is a worthy practice. “Once you’ve happened upon one, say to yourself, ‘This is happening and it is awesome.’”
2. Slow Down
Noticing all that glimmers in your world can become a lot easier when you decrease your pace. “In a world that is heavily rushed, be open to slowing down so that you can savor the experience of life,” says Mancao. “Remind yourself that life is more than a list of things to do—it is our experience of the collective moments.”
3. Pay Attention
Life’s tiny pleasures are compounded when you notice yourself noticing. “Pay attention to the feelings and sensations that each glimmer brings so that you anchor those feelings in your body,” says Mancao. This simple act can make recall of the feeling an easier feat.
“Situate yourself in the present and notice what is happening and what you like about the situation,” says Bacow. Use as many senses as possible to preserve the glimmer before it dissipates—the better to support a sense of gratitude that remains.
