The Quiet Magic of Glimmers

      Have you heard of glimmers?

      If you haven’t, glimmers are moments when something sparks joy or happiness… completely the opposite of triggers.

      A few months ago, our couples therapist said something that really stuck with me: If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. It made me realize how often we approach life with the same old tools… reacting out of habit, fear, or survival mode. So much of our struggle comes from not having new tools, or what he called cognitive inflexibility, to handle life on life's terms.

      That’s where glimmers come in.

      When I read about glimmers, those small moments that spark joy or calm, I knew I needed to start practicing noticing them. Glimmers rewire the brain, shifting focus toward what’s good, even when life feels hard.

      At first, I would only say my glimmers in my head. But with the hustle and bustle of life, I wouldn’t remember them the next day. So I decided to start journaling them, because some days are hard, and I needed the reminder that there’s still good here. Even on the rough days.

Sunshine
Just that. The light and warmth I longed for all winter. It felt like hope. So I wrote it down.

One of my chickadees trusting me with a bad grade
Not a joyful moment in itself, but it was the trust and safety she felt to be honest that made it meaningful.

Green grass
Seeing that patch of green poking through the dry, gray brush reminded me that spring always comes.

Budding weeping willow
Weeping willows have always been my favorite. There’s something romantic and soft about them. Seeing them come back to life again warms my soul.

Weekend getaway wedding present
Time away gave us space to just be us… to celebrate, to reconnect, to reset, to breathe.

Chickadees happy to see me
The way they light up when I pick them up from their dad’s… the love, the warmth. I’m still their safe place.

A poem inside a chocolate wrapper
A little unexpected gift that made me grin, like I’d found a golden ticket.

Fresh haircut and color
A way overdue moment of self care. Feeling light, fresh, and a little more like myself.

A long, tight hug freely given by a chickadee
Unprompted, honest, full of feeling. The kind of hug that says… I see you. I love you. I’m here. And it meant everything.

      And here’s what surprised me the most.. the more I write them down, the more I see them. It’s like my heart is remembering how to spot joy again. I don’t get as triggered. My nervous system doesn’t stay on high alert as long. And when life feels like too much (which it still sometimes does), I have pages of proof that goodness exists. That joy is happening around me, even if just for a moment.

      They aren’t Instagram worthy, flashy, or polished moments. They’re real. They’re mine. They’re the tiny golden threads weaving something beautiful through the fabric of my life.

One glimmer at a time, the light returns.