- glimmers are the opposite of triggers.
- they are tiny moments of awe.
- they spark joy & evoke inner calm.
- they have a positive effect on our mental health.
- they are micro-moments causing tiny mood shifts.
- they send cues of safety to our nervous system.
- they bring feelings of ease and contentment.
- our body response with positive energy.
- they allow us to feel hope when lost.
- our nervous system is strengthened by them.
- they can help increase our well-being.
- once we start embracing them it can become a beautiful way to see the world around you.
@h.e.l.e.n.m.a.r.i.e
I really loved the idea of glimmers. I think for autistic people our glimmers are often related to our passions and interests, and to some extent related to seeing justice enacted. I know I certainly feel a sense of inner calm and balance when imbalances are addressed, and mistreatments corrected. I definitely feel a sense of inner unrest, and feel adrift in the world when I see injustice and mistreatment happening. I can fixate and ruminate on these things; on examples of discrimination and on unfairness when I see it.
Glimmers are the antidote to negative input, whether that’s uncomfortable sensory experiences, the demands of others or societal pressure to conform, sudden change or just those days when I feel like I’m not allowed to exist.
Glimmers are small but powerful moments when everything aligns; our focus, sensory needs, and emotions come together in a way that feels right. For Autistic people, these fleeting moments of joy, peace, or connection offer grounding and relief in a society that often feels overwhelming. Glimmers help us feel safe, reconnect with joy, and provide nourishment, allowing us to feel more in tune with ourselves and the world around us.
A glimmer is “a satisfying sensory delight that fills someone with fervent ecstasy.” (Bec Secombe, 2022) It is the opposite of a trigger (a stimulus perceived as threatening and unsafe). A glimmer is a source of endless wonder and fascination. I love bones and things that sparkle. I can stare at sparkly things for hours. I love soft sweaters and yarn. These are my glimmers.
The New Language of Autism | Psychology Today United Kingdom
Glimmers refer to small moments when our biology is in a place of connection or regulation, which cues our nervous system to feel safe or calm.
We’re not talking great, big, expansive experiences of joy or safety or connection, these are micro moments that begin to shape our system in very gentle ways.
Deb Dana, a licensed clinical social worker specialising in complex trauma and author of “The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy,”
Glimmers give us a calm, peaceful and joyful state. They are micro moments of goodness that help our body to restore to our thriving state of being. They reduce emotional distress and can help us be more in our learning zone.
Some examples of glimmers:
- basking in nature
- petting animals
- shaking or rocking the body
- humming
- wrapping our body around a soft blanket
- freshly baked bread
- scented stationary
- gardening
In the same way that certain sights, sounds, scents, people, or actions can trigger us, these can also be sources of glimmers as well.
Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. They’re small moments that bring a sense of peace, joy, or connection. They can be as simple as:
- The feeling of sunshine on your face
- Watching your pet’s excitement over something small
- A song that lifts your mood
- A moment of kindness from a stranger
These moments may seem insignificant, but they are actually powerful tools for regulating the nervous system. When we’re overwhelmed, our bodies go into fight, flight, freeze, or fawn mode. But when we intentionally notice glimmers, we send a signal to our nervous system that we are safe, allowing us to shift out of survival mode.
Finding Light in the Dark: The Power of Glimmers by Julie Bjelland, LMFT — Julie Bjelland
Glimmers are small but deeply powerful moments when everything aligns, our focus, sensory needs, and emotional states converge in a way that feels ‘just right’. These moments may seem insignificant to others, but for many of us, they carry real meaning. A glimmer might be the satisfaction of solving a complex problem after hours of deep focus, the relief of sensory alignment as we splash into a puddle, or find a certain twig or pebble that just feels good!
Glimmers are the opposite of triggers. Instead of leading to negative thoughts, and traumatic memories, they bring a sense of joy. Deb Dana first used the term glimmers to describe “micro-moments of regulation that foster feelings of well-being.” She continues by sharing, ” Once you learn to look for glimmers, you find they are all around, you pay more attention to them, and you naturally begin to look for more. Glimmers are a reminder that ventral energy is always there waiting to be noticed and nourish your nervous system.”
Deb Dana suggests we can all benefit from embracing glimmers and we need to Embrace Glimmer Practice into our lives by adopting the following approach:
See: What are the cues that you have found a glimmer? What happens in your body that lets you know you are in a glimmer moment? What do you do when you feel that spark of energy? What thoughts arise? What emotions do you feel?Stop: Now that you know the cues, use them to notice glimmers as you move through your day. Glimmers happen regularly, but because they are micro-moments you need to be on the lookout for them. Look for predictable glimmer moments in specific places, with particular people, at certain times. Find the ways glimmers routinely appear. Be open to the unpredictable glimmers that may also appear. When you recognize one of the cues you identified, stop and find the glimmer.
Appreciate: Create an easy way to acknowledge a glimmer as it happens. You might repeat a simple phrase or make a small movement (perhaps your hand on your heart or a finger pointing toward the glimmer) each time you find a glimmer. Notice all the different feelings your glimmers bring. Spend several seconds in appreciation letting the glimmer land in your system.
Remember: Find ways to keep track of your glimmers. Experiment with ways to build your collection and create a personal glimmer library.
Share: When you share your glimmers with someone else, they come alive again in the remembering and retelling. You might text your glimmers to a friend or make talking about daily glimmers a family ritual. You could find a glimmer buddy or create a glimmer group”.
