"It's better to travel well than to arrive" - Buddha

May be that’s why we love road trips. Because they are more about the journey rather than the destination. They are all about pit stops, music, chit-chats and non-stop laughter. These road trips are filled with unnumbered joyful moments. And these tiny moments are nothing but your glimmers of joy. While you arrive at the destination just once, but you live these glimmers countless times throughout your journey. And relive them in your memories forever.

Glimmers aren’t major milestones of happiness but little sparks of joy that you see everywhere. You can smell them in the monsoon breeze and feel them in warmth of winter sun. You see them in a blooming tree or in the cityscape of night. They could be hidden in the smile of a stranger or in the cuddle of a loved one.

Just as trigger is anything and everything that causes distress; on the other hand, glimmers is anything and everything that lightens your mood. While trigger causes traumatic experience; in contrast, glimmer soothes your entire system. In fact, glimmers are a sign that eventually everything is gonna be okay. They are basically a gentle reminder of all good things that life offers us everyday.

Understanding glimmers

The concept of glimmer is a part of ‘Polyvagal theory‘. According to this theory our autonomic nervous system can be broken down into three states:

Dorsal vagal state

Also referred as state of collapse or immobility. When taking action doesn’t work, a complete shutdown is the last resort. This state involves an overwhelming feeling of helplessness and despair. This is a state where a person is filled with sense of loss and hopelessness and may indulge in unhealthy coping behaviours like avoiding issues, self criticism or aggression.

Sympathetic nervous system state

This state triggers a ‘fight or flight’ response, our physiological response to stress. While fight is associated with anger and frustration; yet flight is linked with fear and anxiety. Stressor like financial pressure or work related stress are among the ones that stimulates sympathetic system and cause anxiety in individuals.

Ventral vagal state

Also known as social engagement state, and this is the state where glimmers belong. This is a state of mindfulness, compassion and calmness. In ventral vagal state we feel safe, grounded and connected to ourselves and the world around.

While the first two states are ruled by our triggers; glimmers on the other hand take you to the third state where you feel happy and contented. They are antidote to your stress. From the scent of your favourite perfume to the text from a distant friend, your glimmers are the collection of all the little reasons to smile.

You know your triggers, now look for your glimmers

We all more or less understand triggers. They are anything and everything that cause distress. Glimmers are exact opposite of triggers. They bring you back to peace and sense of safety. They are those positive and delightful moments that you want to hold onto over and over again.

Our brain is naturally hard wired to look for cues of danger; but identifying glimmers requires conscious effort. It needs mindful and deliberate efforts constantly throughout your day. But it’s not as tough as it may sound. Have a look at a few tips to help you start with:

Note down

Make a list of all your glimmers from past to present and try to notice them consciously everyday. And keep adding more and more to this list everyday. When you start paying attention, you will notice there are plentiful glimmers around that you were ignorant of.

Let the music sink in

Try not to do anything while listening to something soothing. Be it your favourite song, a hum, a melody, basically anything that is pleasant to your ears. All it needs is 5 minutes of your time to sink in your heart.

Spend some time in nature

Best thing to look out for is the green colour of nature. Be it any time of day or any kind of mood you have, sight of nature in any form is pacifying. As Angie Crosby has said ‘Nature is the purest portal to inner-peace’.

Think of your childhood memories

Memories that made you feel safe and cared for. Flip through those old scrapbooks and photo albums. Visit your school, old streets, you old neighbourhood and notice what all glimmers you can still bring from your childhood to your present. Let’s relive those memories again.

Be mindful

Be attentive towards your surrounding. Notice all the tiny wonders around. Make use of all five senses of yours to embrace the world around you.

Think about people who loves you

Remind yourself of how much you are adored and cared for. Think of all the small gesture they make to show their love.

Smell it

Give yourself extra 5 seconds in shower to smell perfume of your soap. Spare 2 seconds to smell your coffee before taking first sip. Pay attention to these relaxing scents and see the result yourself.

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Your mind is pretty powerful, when it is onto something, you look for it everywhere. If you consciously tune your mind to focus on glimmers you shall see them all around you, all the time. So if you want to stay in blissful state, don’t wait for episodic moments of happiness; they are handful and short-lived. Rather embrace little things in life.

"If you wish to know the divine, feel the wind on your face and the warm sun on your hand". - Buddha