What’s a Glimmer?: Moving Beyond Just Triggers By Lauren Buice

Picture yourself on a hike and imagine these two scenarios:

• You only focus on the tree roots tripping you up, constantly check over your shoulder for bears, and are highly aware of the burning sensation in your legs as you go up a steep incline. 

OR

• You know to watch out for obstacles, but you also take time to look around at the breathtaking view, listen to the sound of chirping birds, and relish the feeling of the sun on your skin.

Now, ask yourself- which of these hikes would you rather be on? And which one are you on currently in your life?

Sometimes when we are on a journey of healing, we tend to focus on what is dragging us down and things we know are going to bring up uncomfortable emotions for us. We focus on the obstacles on our hike (triggers) and forget to look for the things that make us smile (glimmers). In doing so, we’re missing out on positive experiences, mindfulness, and healing potential.

The word and concept of “triggers” have become much more present in society and pop culture, and if you’ve spent any amount of time in therapy there’s a good chance you’ve discussed them with your therapist. Whether it be under the name of trigger or something else (like red flag or trauma stimulus) identifying and making plans for what to do when you encounter them is important. However, we often stop there and leave all of our focus on the bad and fail to put as much effort into recognizing the good. We go on alert for triggers and simply don’t notice or give ourselves credit for when things are actually going well and we feel safe, calm, and regulated. This is where the idea of glimmers comes in.

What Are Triggers?

Our bodies and minds are constantly searching our surroundings for signs of either danger or safety. When we encounter a threat (can be physical, emotional, etc.) our nervous system activates into a fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response. We feel on-edge, we tense up, we shut down, or have other responses in order to respond to the perceived danger. After experiencing trauma, people often develop triggers associated with the adverse experience. Triggers can include certain sounds, places, people, phrases, tones, kinds of touch, etc. Some people’s trauma responses to triggers can be debilitating, or the anxiety of encountering a trigger can keep them from living their fullest life. 

In mental health treatment, it’s absolutely important to identify one’s own triggers. Whether it be driving by a certain bar that induces cravings in an alcoholic, the smell of a kind of cologne worn by a person’s abuser, or getting corrected by a teacher in front of classmates, knowing what typically puts you in the fight-flight-freeze-fawn response is essential for identifying core issues, preparing for triggering situations, and working through trauma. 

What Are Glimmers?

Now, if triggers are what make us feel unsafe, anxious, or angry, then glimmers are what make us feel safe, calm, connected, regulated, and present. Glimmers are the things that comfort us, that make us feel more confident, and that bring us little sparks of joy in our day-to-day. Like triggers, these can be sounds, places, people, objects, etc. Perhaps for you it’s petting an animal, or maybe it’s when you have an extra five minutes alone in your car with your coffee before going into work. It can be “little” things like the smell of your pillow that you brought from home on a trip, or a “big” thing like the words and touch of a supportive friend when you’re upset. There doesn’t have to be a huge rush of happiness or intense fulfillment; in fact, the effects can be much more subtle, making them harder at times for our brains to “catch” unless we are mindfully seeking them out and cherishing them. 

Some examples of glimmers are…

-the nod of a head that shows a person is really listening to you

-petting an animal

-spending time outside

-rewatching your favorite tv show for the hundredth time

-your outfit for the day fitting perfectly

-an extra nugget included in your meal

-a hug from a parent

-effectively implementing a coping skill

-and so many more!

How to Use Your Glimmers

Putting in effort to mindful and “catch” your glimmers and the subtle ways they improve your mood- with time- can start to rewire your brain to a more positive mindset and make you more aware of the bright side of situations. They also give your brain a much-needed break from stress and anxiety. 

Catching glimmers becomes easier the more you practice. Start off small by making an achievable goal for yourself, like finding one glimmer a day and writing in a journal or notecard. Spend some time remembering glimmers from your past that impacted you, or your earliest experiences with a certain glimmer. Challenge yourself to find glimmers in increasingly difficult situations. And when they’re hard to find- make your own! 

Remember that you are more than a traumatic past or the really sucky situations you’re finding yourself in right now. Find your glimmers and remind yourself that you are safe, connected, loved, and can experience great hope and fulfillment in this life.