Life can feel heavy at times. Stress, grief, health concerns, life transitions, and the demands of everyday living can draw our attention toward what feels difficult, uncertain, or unfinished.
Our brains are naturally wired to notice problems. This negativity bias helped our ancestors survive by keeping them alert to potential threats. While this instinct can still be helpful, it can also leave us feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or disconnected from the moments of goodness that exist alongside life's challenges.
The encouraging news is that our brains continue to change throughout our lives.
Through a process called neuroplasticity, we can strengthen pathways associated with resilience, gratitude, emotional well-being, and hope. One simple way to support this process is to notice and savour what therapist Deb Dana calls glimmers.
What Are Glimmers?
Glimmers are small moments that bring a sense of safety, connection, calm, joy, wonder, or gratitude. They often arrive quietly and can easily be overlooked.
A glimmer might be:
- Watching fireflies dance on a summer evening
- Seeing a hummingbird appear
- Experiencing a moment of calm, contentment, or gratitude
- Finding a fossil or sparkly stone during a walk
- Sitting beside a campfire with a warm mug of hot chocolate
- Watching the moon rise, a sunrise, or the northern lights
- Sharing dinner with people you love
- Feeling your pet settle beside you
- Receiving an unexpected act of kindness or a stranger's smile
- Pausing to recognize how far you have come in your own healing and growth
These moments may last only a few seconds, yet they can have a powerful impact when we pause long enough to receive them.
Why Glimmers Matter
Many positive experiences pass through our awareness without leaving much of a trace. We notice them briefly and then move on to the next task, worry, or responsibility.
When we intentionally slow down and savour these moments, we allow our brains to absorb them more fully. Over time, these experiences can become inner resources that support us during difficult seasons.
Glimmers can help us feel:
- More grounded and present
- More connected to ourselves and others
- More hopeful during challenging times
- More aware of beauty, meaning, and possibility
- More resilient in the face of stress and uncertainty
This isn't about ignoring pain or forcing positivity. It is about allowing moments of goodness to exist alongside life's difficulties.
The HEAL Framework
Neuropsychologist Rick Hanson developed the HEAL Framework to help positive experiences become lasting inner strengths.
H — Have a Positive Experience
Notice something good in this moment, however small.
E — Enrich It
Stay with the experience for a few extra seconds. Become curious about how it feels emotionally and physically.
A — Absorb It
Allow yourself to receive the goodness of the moment rather than immediately moving on.
L — Link (Optional)
When it feels safe, gently hold a positive experience alongside a difficult one, creating space for both pain and possibility.
Small Moments Matter
Healing is not always found in dramatic breakthroughs. Often, it unfolds through small moments of connection, beauty, kindness, and self-awareness.
A hummingbird.
A warm cup of tea.
A butterfly landing nearby.
A memory of how far you have come.
These experiences remind us that we are more than our struggles. They help our nervous systems remember safety, connection, and hope.
A Gentle Invitation
As you move through your day, notice one glimmer.
Pause.
Take a breath.
Stay with it for a few moments longer than usual.
You do not need to search for something extraordinary. Sometimes the smallest moments become the sweetest moments to savour and remember.
What glimmer is present for you today?
Erika Caspersen
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