Notice a glimmer a day

Working with teachers, I have come to realise that maintaining positive mental health and well-being is less about one-off self-care activities than developing regular strategies to check in with ourselves. Identifying, naming and noticing our glimmers is one such strategy. And it’s something I do every day.

A glimmer is a small internal or external cue that gives you a brief sense of safety, connection, calm, meaning or joy. This is the opposite of a trigger, which gives us moments of anxiety, concern or worry. The term was coined by the clinical social worker Deb Dana in her book The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy, where she describes glimmers as ‘micro-moments of regulation’ that foster feelings of well-being.

Teaching has lots of ups and downs. It is easy to remember what has gone wrong, the lesson that went awry, the email you didn’t reply to, the parent who complained. These can disproportionately define your day, or even your self-worth. The point of a glimmer is to stop work-related stress having exclusive editing rights over your perception of the day.

Glimmers will be different for every one of us, but here is my guide to finding, naming and noticing yours.

How to look for your daily glimmers 

When heading into work, I see a patch of moss on the car park wall. It grows slowly and weathers all seasons. It is one of my glimmers. Its persistence makes me smile and connects me to the world beyond emails and stress.

You can place a glimmer deliberately, perhaps a personal item on your keyring or in your bag that reminds you of a loved one, a favourite place or a happy moment. Or you might notice one when it occurs around you, such as a song on the radio, the smell of your favourite food cooking, the first daffodils in bloom or my car park moss.

Some find glimmers in the glide of their favourite pen on paper, the smell of the first coffee of the day or an ornament linked to a relaxing time or place. Whatever your glimmer is, it contributes to your well-being. 

Finding glimmers in your classroom

I notice that teachers often have thank-you cards, photos or trinkets on their desks. These reminders of the positive are glimmers.

For me, the smell of Bunsen burners in the science corridor is a glimmer. That smell reminds me of my own school experience and enjoyable times as a teacher. For you, it might be the reaction of sodium in water, or the memory of your students’ faces when they see this for the first time.

Glimmers create brief positive emotions: interest, relief, amusement, connection, pride or calm. They do not erase difficulty, but they can widen our attention and make difficulties feel less dominating.

If you feel you need help noticing the good, start looking for glimmers and enhance your well-being.