Glimmers

Do you guys know what glimmers are? The word does not just rhyme with “triggers,” it is actually related, but in the best opposite way. Triggers remind us of stress or pain, but glimmers are those tiny, almost fleeting moments that remind us of joy, safety, or calm.

I first learned about this idea a while ago, and it stuck with me. Now, whenever I come across something beautiful: a sunrise, a sunset, an act of kindness, an open parking spot when I need it most, food that tastes just right, or even a song that feels more alive than usual: I pause and tell myself, “If this is not beautiful, what is?”

It has become my way of being mindful and really noticing these little gifts life keeps offering.

The word glimmer can mean a faint light, or just a small hint of something, like a glimmer of hope. But for me, it is about those subtle, personal sparks that remind me life is worth pausing for.

Here is the thing. So often, when I see something beautiful, my first instinct is to reach for my phone. But I have started trying something different. After snapping a picture, I put my phone down, take a deep breath, and just let myself be in that moment. I tell myself, “If this is not beautiful, what is?”Sometimes the real magic is not in the photo, but in fully feeling the moment.

Lately, I have been noticing my own little glimmer moments:

• That first bite of good spicy food that makes my taste buds dance

• Coffee that hits just right and feels like a tiny hug in a mug

• Laughing until my cheeks hurt

• Sunrises and sunsets that are so colorful and calm they make me stop in my tracks

• Stars scattered across the night sky like someone sprinkled magic dust

• Cleaning or organizing and feeling this weird but satisfying sense of calm

• Pink Floyd playing perfectly and making everything feel a little bigger and brighter

• Meditation that actually recharges me and reminds me I can just be

These little sparks make ordinary days feel extraordinary, and I have started to look for them more intentionally. They remind me to pause, smile, and say, “If this is not beautiful, what is?”