This Season, Look for Glimmers
The end of the year often feels like one big stressful blur. Projects pile up, inboxes overflow, and our personal calendars are crammed with obligations.
But what if calm was just a glimmer away?
Glimmers are micro-moments of safety, calm, or joy that help regulate the nervous system.
You may have heard of the term “triggers,” which activate your stress responses. “Glimmers,” on the other hand, spark a sense of steadiness. The term was coined by therapist and researcher Deb Dana. A glimmer can be as simple as that first sip of coffee in the morning, a quick laugh with a co-worker, or even noticing the way the sun hits the tree in your front yard.
Glimmers may sound like something sparkly and light, but they’re actually small but powerful tools you can use to reset your stress response which boosts your focus and well-being. Research on positive emotions and neuroscience shows that even short moments of feeling safe and connected help calm your nervous system. Here’s how to start finding and harnessing the power of glimmers in your day:
1. Notice
The first step is noticing. Pay attention to what gives you even the smallest sense of relief, calm, joy, or a feeling of safety. Throughout your day, pause and ask: What went well today? What am I grateful for? What brought me joy, even for a second?
Write these moments down in a notebook, on your phone. Over time, this practice will help you recognize and access them more easily.
2. Savor
Once you’ve identified a glimmer, the next step is to savor it. Neuroscience research shows that when we take 20–30 seconds to really absorb a positive experience, whether it’s a smile, a pleasant sound, or a feeling of accomplishment, the brain encodes it more deeply. This process helps balance our natural tendency to focus on stressors like what’s not working and what’s not going well.
At work, this could mean pausing to savor a finished project instead of rushing immediately to the next thing. Or at the end of the day, you can jot down what you appreciated about your day, even if it was just a beautiful song you heard or when you saw the moonrise.
3. Create
You also don’t have to wait for glimmers to show up. You can design them into your life. This could be as simple as putting a favorite photo on your desk, setting a daily reminder to stretch, or blocking a two-minute “reset break” in your calendar to watch cat videos. You can also design team practices around glimmers: Start meetings with a quick gratitude share, or celebrate small wins as a group.
By intentionally creating these opportunities, you can buffer yourself and your team against stress and burnout.
4. Share
Glimmers can grow and multiply. When you share a positive story, recognize a teammate’s effort, or try out a random act of kindness, you not only create a glimmer for yourself but also for others. Over time, these moments build a culture of trust, belonging, and, of course, resilience.
The reality is that we can’t eliminate stress from our lives. But we can learn to spot and savor the moments that remind us we’re safe, connected, and capable. This holiday season, look for glimmers. They might be closer than you think.
This article originally appeared in meQuilibrium.