As I talked about in my previous post, the last 9 months have been excruciating on my mental health, my feelings of self-worth, and on multiple relationships in my world. I learned of “glimmers” last year at some point, but really found myself being intentional with looking for them as a coping skill during the “only kinda” bad days. On the really bad days, I just let myself feel, numb, and hide from the world (also a strategy that works for me in times of stress so I just let it happen and hope it doesn’t turn into too many days in a row).

What is a “glimmer”? In the context of mental health, a “glimmer” typically refers to a small, fleeting, or brief moment of positive emotion, hope, or improvement in a person’s mental and emotional state. It’s often used when discussing individuals who may be experiencing mental health challenges or going through difficult times.

For example, someone going through depression or anxiety may have moments of “glimmer” where they briefly feel a bit better, experience a positive thought, or have a temporary respite from their symptoms. These moments of hope or positivity can be important indicators of progress and resilience in the face of mental health challenges.

Here are a few glimmers I have had the foresight to capture and document with a picture:

My challenge to you, whether you’re in the good times or the not so good times, is to wake up and look for the glimmers. Reassure yourself that they’re there – the more you look for them, the more you find. But also, if you don’t or can’t find any, having a no-good terrible bad day is okay too (I am available to have one alongside you if needed!!!!).