We all know triggers - those sudden jolts that throw us off balance, flood our senses, and push us into fight, flight, or freeze. Most of us can name exactly what sets us off.
Recently, I learned about an opposite force - glimmers.
Coined by therapist Deb Dana, glimmers are small moments that signal safety - tiny cues of joy, calm, or ease.
If triggers launch us into survival, glimmers return us to connection. They’re not mere distractions—they’re the nervous system's resistance to a world wired for urgency, fear, and overload.
What do your glimmers look like?
For me, it’s a friend sending me a song that lifts my spirits. Raindrops clinging to our ginkgo tree’s leaves. The scent of freshly ground beans at a morning meeting. The way our dog leans in when I scratch behind her ears.
Glimmers remind us we are built for resilience. We may dismiss them as too small to matter - but they anchor us, expand our capacity, and restore our presence.
Glimmers are not a pause from the work.
They are part of it.
Stop. Appreciate. Remember. Share. Glimmer.
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