What are glimmers and how to find them

Dr Anna Mandeville

Lead consultant and clinical psychologist

26 May 2026

Ever heard of glimmers? You might already be having them without even knowing, so what are they? They’re small moments of joy, that bring about a sense of calm and the exact opposite of a trigger. They’re a cue, either internal or external, that brings one back to a sense of joy, safety, or comfort.¹ Glimmers can be a pocket of peace in your day that helps create balance and contributes to positive mental wellbeing.

So, we’re sharing some easy ways to find some glimmers and add them into your daily routines, to help bring some calmness when life’s stresses get a bit too much.

How can glimmers help our mental wellbeing?

Glimmers vs triggers

As mentioned, the opposite of glimmers are triggers. Triggers can cause our nervous systems to react, leading to increased levels of stress, tension in our muscles and an increased heart rate.² Repeatedly being in this heightened state can have a negative impact on our mental wellbeing, and can contribute to burnout.

>Read more about what burnout is and how to recognise it

So, switching this around and adding glimmers into our daily lives can provide a much-needed balance. Glimmers can help stop the triggers taking over and provide the calm to the chaos. As the mental health website/app Calm highlights: “You can move your body out of the fight/flight/freeze state, aka your sympathetic nervous system, and into a rest/digest state, or your parasympathetic nervous system.”²

When our lives are full of stimulation, which can sometimes get too much and fall into overstimulation, these glimmers can help bring us back down to a calmer state of mind. Our brains are, in fact, ‘wired’ to look out for threat. With practice you can focus less on the threat and instead look for ways to turn down the noise and the stress and connect better with moments of joy.

How to find glimmers

It’s worth remembering that everyone is different. What one person finds brings them joy another might see as their worst nightmare. For example, joy might be found in heading to the local park and taking in your surroundings, but this wouldn’t be joyful for those with a fear of dogs.

1. Understand what works for you

There’s no right or wrong here, it’s about what brings you happiness and adding this into your day or week, if you can. It might be:

Sitting with a cup of tea in the garden.
Watching the sun rise.
Really focussing on a breakfast conversation with a loved one.
Putting on your favourite song.
Watching a film that makes you smile.
Taking a walk outside and listening to birds singing.

Anything that helps you relax and settle the nervous system.

2. Using all of your senses

Glimmers don’t have to only come from what you can see. They can also be found in what you hear, taste, touch and smell.

If the smell of flowers, coffee, fresh bread or a scented candle grounds you and makes you feel at peace, then that’s a glimmer.
If the sound of waves at the beach help you switch off and produce positive feelings, then that’s your glimmer.
Does eating certain foods bring back happy memories and bring you joy? Eating at a restaurant that reminds you of a holiday where you had similar food or having a sweet treat that reminds you of being a child… those are glimmers.

3. Keeping a record of your glimmers

Keep track of your glimmers, whether that be a journal or a note on your phone, make sure to write down when you experience one. You could also:

Take a photo and save it in “glimmers” album on your phone.
Create a “glimmers” playlist.
Print off some photos and create a glimmers photo album or scrapbook.

This can be an easy way to practice those glimmers without having to think about what to do. Keeping a log and writing down how it made you feel can also help you to determine if this is something that you wish to repeat.

4. Share your glimmers with others

Talk to friends or family about what glimmers you experienced on a daily or weekly basis.

By sharing what happened or what you saw can help you take a moment to reflect on the experience. It might also help you determine whether you want to use this again when you need a sense of calm and happiness.

By connecting with others in this way it also helps our mental wellbeing, as loneliness can negatively impact our physical and mental health.³

>Read more about the importance of social connections

Glimmers don’t have to be grand gestures or extravagant outings. They can be small, simplistic and unique to you. They can help you connect with others, bring about positive and happy feelings, counteract triggers and, importantly, give our mental wellbeing a boost in moments when we feel like we need it most.

References