Discovering Your Glimmers: Finding Moments of Joy

What Are Glimmers?

The term “glimmer” was coined by clinician Deb Dana in her 2018 book The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy to make the complex polyvagal theory more accessible.³ Glimmers refer to the moments of positivity we experience that can combat difficult situations or negative emotions. Glimmers can be as simple as seeing a rainbow or feeling accomplished. These small moments of positivity are healthy coping mechanisms that can give us hope. The concept spread widely in 2022 when glimmers trended on TikTok, introducing millions of people to the practice of noticing small cues of safety and joy.

What Are Examples of Glimmers?

Examples of glimmers include the smell of cut grass, a spectacular sunrise, a pet’s companionship, and dancing to a favorite song. Glimmers are personal, shaped by your own experiences, preferences, and values.

Here are a few examples of glimmers:

• The smell of cut grass
• Spotting a rainbow
• A spectacular sunrise
• Spending time in nature
• Seeing your grandchild for the first time
• A random act of kindness
• The companionship of your pet
• Spirituality or religion
• Doing something creative
• Discovering a new hobby
• Getting together with friends
• Feeling a sense of connection with others
• Dancing to your favorite song

What Is the Difference Between a Trigger & a Glimmer?

A glimmer is the opposite of a trigger. Whether it’s the sound of a siren, seeing a certain symbol, or smelling a particular food, our minds can quickly associate these cues with either negative or positive emotions. Triggers are cues that signal to our brain that we are in danger, whereas glimmers are cues that signal safety and an allowance to unwind.

What Happens When You’re Triggered?

When a person feels triggered, their amygdala has activated the fight-or-flight response. This trigger can cause the person to experience many emotions, such as fear, anxiety, anger, or sadness. Their body responds to these emotions by releasing adrenaline and cortisol, which can manifest physically as shaking, sweating, or racing heart.

For people living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma triggers can set off intense waves of anxiety, low mood, flashbacks, or other symptoms. When somebody experiences a trigger, it typically means that they have encountered a situation or stimulus that elicits an intense emotional response or set of emotions. For example, someone who has experienced abuse or trauma might be triggered by a smell, sound, or a particular situation that reminds them of their abuse or trauma.

What Happens When You Feel a Glimmer?

A glimmer usually feels quiet rather than dramatic: a brief sense of warmth, ease, or connection, a softening in your chest or shoulders, or a small internal “that was nice.” The power is in noticing it, which trains your nervous system to register safety more often. Pausing a few extra seconds to soak in the moment, a practice researchers call savoring, helps your brain register the experience more deeply.

How Do Glimmers Work in the Nervous System?

Glimmers come from Dr. Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory, a popular framework for how the autonomic nervous system shifts between states of threat and safety. A key part of the model is the vagus nerve, which helps slow the heart rate as part of the parasympathetic nervous system.² It is worth knowing that some of the theory’s specific physiological claims are debated among researchers (Biological Psychology, 2023), but the practical idea behind glimmers, deliberately noticing cues of safety and joy, is consistent with well-supported research on positive emotions.

In polyvagal terms, glimmers are brief moments when the ventral vagal system, the state Dana associates with safety and connection, comes online and signals to your body that you can settle. Porges calls the nervous system’s automatic scanning for cues of safety or danger “neuroception,” and deliberately noticing glimmers feeds it more evidence of safety.

Does Noticing Small Moments of Joy Actually Improve Well-Being?

Yes. A large 2025 study found that spending 5 to 10 minutes a day on small, intentional moments of joy measurably improved well-being within one week. The Big Joy Project, run by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, is the largest test to date of “micro-acts” of joy, practices that work much like deliberately seeking out glimmers.

The study, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research in 2025, analyzed 17,598 participants from 169 countries. For seven days, each person completed one brief daily practice such as making a gratitude list, watching an awe-inspiring video, doing something kind for someone else, or celebrating another person’s good news. After the week, participants reported significantly higher emotional well-being and positive emotions, a greater sense of control over their own happiness, lower perceived stress, and modestly better sleep. People who completed more of the daily practices saw larger gains, and benefits were strongest for participants under financial strain and those from marginalized groups, the people who often have the fewest resources for their mental health.

The study had no control group, so some caution is warranted, but its scale and dose-response pattern support what clinicians who teach glimmers have long observed: tiny, repeated moments of positive attention add up. Senior author Dr. Elissa Epel of UCSF summarized it simply: small doses of joy, practiced daily, can shift how people feel in about a week.

How Do You Identify Your Glimmers?

You can identify your glimmers by slowing down and tracking what reliably brings you small moments of ease, joy, or connection. Six reflection strategies make this easier:

1. Reflecting on Who Inspires Glimmers

Take a moment to reflect on who inspires glimmers in your life and how. Is it a particular person who motivates you to pursue your passions? Is it a favorite book or film that transported you to a new world and inspired you to think outside the box? Is it a transformative event experience that changed your perspective on life? You’ll want to identify a person, place, or thing that makes you feel safe, welcome, and happy.

2. Reflecting on What Actions Inspire Glimmers

Think about what activities or actions make you feel satisfied, happy, and nourished. It could be as simple as organizing your closet or as difficult as solving a complex problem. Whatever the activity, make a note of how you feel during and after the task.

3. Reflecting on What Motivates You

What motivates you to take action? Maybe it’s the sense of accomplishment or the knowledge that you’re making progress in a particular area. Pay attention to the aspects of the task that spark inspiration and motivation.

4. Trying New Things

While it’s important to embrace your existing glimmers, don’t be afraid to try new hobbies, activities, or experiences. This can help you discover new passions and interests. Be open to new experiences and try things that you might not have thought you would enjoy before. Sometimes, we may not even know what our glimmers are until we stumble upon them.

5. Paying Attention to What Excites You

Take note of the activities or hobbies that make you feel energized and excited. Ask yourself, “What am I doing when I feel most engaged and alive?” Our emotions can be great indicators of our glimmers. If you feel excited, passionate, or energized about something, that may be a sign that it is a glimmer for you. Think about times when you felt particularly happy or fulfilled. What was happening during those moments?

6. Looking for Patterns

If you notice that certain activities or experiences consistently bring you joy and happiness, that may be a sign that they are a glimmer for you. Do these patterns tend to occur in particular settings or with certain people? Understanding these patterns can help you recreate those situations in the future to experience more glimmers.

How Can You Embrace Glimmers & Heal From Triggers?

Healing from triggers and embracing glimmers work together: as you become less reactive to cues of danger, you create more room to notice cues of safety. This requires a significant shift in mindset from one of fear and avoidance to one of acceptance and even gratitude. In essence, you are taking steps to “rewire” your brain. Triggers are opportunities for growth and healing. This may require some hard work and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone, but the rewards are well worth it.

It takes time and effort to peel back the layers and uncover what specific situations or circumstances can trigger feelings of anxiety, fear, or even anger. However, once those triggers have been identified, the next challenge is figuring out how to move past them and even embrace them. It can be an essential step in personal growth and healing.

Some ways you can embrace your glimmers include:

• Curating your social media: Using glimmers in social media is a great way to showcase your accomplishments without coming across as boastful. Unfollow social media accounts that are triggering for you.
• Making time for your glimmers: Schedule time in your calendar to work on your passions or hobbies. This can help you stay motivated and focused on the things you love, even when life gets busy.
• Finding joy in the ordinary: Sometimes, the most mundane, everyday tasks can be the most fulfilling. Take time to appreciate the simplicity of life and find joy in the ordinary, everyday moments.
• Practicing gratitude: Gratitude is a powerful tool for cultivating joy daily. Take time each day to practice gratitude by reflecting on what you’re grateful for and appreciate the blessings in your life, no matter how big or small.
• Practicing mindfulness: Mindfulness allows you to pause and become fully present in the moment. This means paying attention to your senses and being aware of your thoughts and emotions without judgment. If you are new to the practice, this guide to mindfulness for beginners can help. As your attention steadies, mindfulness makes it easier to catch glimmers, brief moments of joy or calm that often pass unnoticed.
• Keeping a journal: Journaling is a great way to reflect on your day and record the things that made you happy or brought you joy. By focusing on the positive, you’ll be able to cultivate a more positive mindset and start to notice the glimmers in your life.
• Surrounding yourself with positive people: Surround yourself with supportive friends and family who encourage and support your passions and interests. This can help you stay motivated and confident as you pursue your glimmers.
• Celebrating your progress: Recognize the small victories and milestones along the way. This can help you stay motivated and build momentum as you work towards your goals.

When Should You Seek Professional Help?

Therapy can help people who are struggling with triggers and finding it hard to identify any positivity in their life. There are therapeutic approaches that may be beneficial for those suffering from depression, anxiety, or other conditions that may affect their ability to see the good in life. These may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or mindfulness-based therapy. There are online therapy options available to find support or you can check out an online therapy directory.

It is not uncommon for people to experience triggers that can cause emotional distress, anxiety, or depression. Identifying these triggers can be challenging. It can be difficult to find any glimmer of hope leading to feelings of hopelessness and a decreased sense of well-being. Seeking therapy can be an excellent first step on the path to healing and thriving.

In My Experience

In my practice, I’ve seen how living in a fast-paced world can send us into robot mode. So often, we forget to cherish small yet valuable moments of joy that bring a spark of happiness within us. It’s important to find these “glimmers” and make the effort to acknowledge and appreciate them more often.

Engaging in activities that bring us joy, spending time with loved ones or nature, or simply taking a moment to appreciate the little things in life can all contribute to increasing our overall happiness. I’ve seen firsthand how my clients are able to take some simple steps that motivate them to find moments of joy in their lives by discovering their glimmers. Therapy can be a fast track to finding those glimmers that are accessible to all of us.