Glimmers

The other day I came across a concept that is now my new favorite—glimmers. This is an idea first developed by a writer and therapist named Deb Dana.

Glimmers are the tiny moments in our lives that can spark a sense of joy.

Glimmers are very simple and can be just about anything that makes you smile or feel warm and peaceful. Looking at a pretty moonrise can be a glimmer, as can petting your dog. Having a nice conversation with a neighbor while in line at the store can be a glimmer. Glimmers are all around us.

So often we wait for the big things to bring us happiness—a big event like a wedding or a performance, having a successful year and making a good profit, getting that new truck we’ve wanted. Focusing on this means we miss the little glimmers of joy that happen every day.

Glimmers bring a sense of calm for a moment. If we look for them, we can train ourselves to find them everywhere. And that means a sense of joy and calm becomes a bigger part of our day. Once we know what our glimmers are, we can create more of them for ourselves. We can listen to that song that makes us smile, or spend two minutes every evening listening to the birds before going into the house. Intentional glimmering.

In these tough times, having more moments of calm and joy is a real gift.  So, let’s all give ourselves the gift of glimmers. They will help us stay calmer and happier, and keep us thriving on the farm.