Want to start your year off on a positive note? I know I do. That’s why this simple concept to add more joy to my life caught my attention. You and I can learn to notice micro-moments of joy throughout our days—even when they’re busy, stressful, or disappointing. Author Heather Alfonso calls these micro-moments of joy Glimmers.
I stumbled upon this concept of Joy Glimmers a few weeks ago while listening to one of my favorite podcasts, Today’s Heartlift with Janell. Here’s the podcast where she begins her discussion on Glimmers. (She loved the concept so much she has produced several episodes around this idea.)
What is a Joy Glimmer?
“Glimmers are micro-moments of joy that allow us to feel calm and give us a sense of inner peace.“
Heather Alfonso in Glimmers: Cultivating Joy in Everyday Moments
If you’re like me, life is so fast-paced and doing-focused that it goes by in a blur as I try (and often fail) to conquer the items on my to-do list. My attention is often focused on a problem I need to fix, a chore I need to accomplish, or something in the back of my mind that’s weighing me down. I’m so focused inside my own head that I’m often oblivious to what is going on around me.
In other words, I typically go through my day missing many glimmers of joy that I could notice and enjoy. I intend to change that. I am cultivating some new habits that will gradually help me become more mindful of the small moments and simple joys that fill my world.
“By learning to identify and cultivate glimmers, we open ourselves to a world where gratitude becomes a guiding light, and joy is no longer elusive but an integral part of our daily narrative.”
Heather Alfonso
Glimmers as the antidote to triggers
We all know the concept of triggers. Something happens, a comment, action, or sensation that triggers a well-worn response in our brain. This in turn causes a negative emotional response (which is often connected to past experiences, although we may not be aware of the connection).
There we were, innocently going about our day when, BAM! Something triggers us and we suddenly feel upset or sad or ashamed. Not fun.
“Triggers propel us into a state of heightened awareness, activating the fight-or-flight response. … While triggers narrow our focus and prepare us for potential threats, glimmers expand our perception and prompt us to explore the beauty woven into the fabric of our daily lives.”
Heather Alfonso
So then, just as triggers are micro-moments that send us into a negative emotional state, micro-moments of joy can do the opposite. They don’t eliminate negative triggers, but when we intentionally pay attention to joy, it can counteract the negative feelings, helping us raise our mood.
Glimmers help us remember the other half of the story—that just because one bad thing happened, our entire day has not been ruined.
Gratitude reinforces Joy
I have read many books and blogs over the years that claim how important gratitude is for our well-being, emotionally, mentally, and physically. For example, Dr. Robert Emmons writes: “Gratitude enhances our quality of life by fostering positive emotions and attitudes. It is the lens through which we view the world, amplifying the beauty in even the simplest moments.”
Thus, it should come as no surprise that gratitude helps us to notice glimmers. But that is not all. Not only does gratitude foster positive feeling, it also helps us remain more positive longer.
“Just as glimmers invite us to notice and appreciate the small joys in life, gratitude deepens our connections to these moments, infusing them with meaning and significance.”
Heather Alfonso
Practicing gratitude
As this year begins, I am going to up my gratitude game by being more intentional about noting what I have to be grateful for. My goal is to begin and end my day by considering specific things I am grateful for, and to record these in a journal.
Like other practices, recording gratitude won’t change my life overnight. But developing a habit of writing down the simple little things that bring me joy or cause me to feel grateful will build the neural pathways in my brain that help me think more naturally in that direction. It’s an upward spiral toward a more joyful, grateful, satisfied life.
Are you with me?
Where to find micro-moments of joy?
Here are three older posts that may help you notice and enjoy the glimmers of joy in your life this week.
A month of ideas to enjoy simple pleasures.
How to Be Miserable. (For those of you who enjoy a bit of tongue-in-cheek humor about what steals your joy and gratitude.)
Material adapted from the book Glimmers: Cultivating Joy in Everyday Moments by Heather Alfonso
