Hello friends,
I'm still taking in the incredible reality that my book, Daily Sparkles: Illuminate Your Life with 1,000 Glimmers, is officially out in the world! Seeing your photos and messages as you receive your copies has been truly overwhelming in the best possible way.
Today, I wanted to share more about the heart of this book - the concept of glimmers or sparkles - and why they became such a vital part of my healing journey.
What Are Sparkles, Really?
Glimmers are those tiny, microscopic moments that ground us in reality - the small, easily overlooked experiences that connect us to the present moment.
Importantly, sparkles are different from traditional gratitude practices. With gratitude, there's almost a judgment involved - you need to feel thankful for what you're noticing. But when my life was falling apart, I wasn't grateful for the way wind moved through the grass or how a bird swooped across the sky. I simply needed to notice these things.
These tiny moments weren't initially about finding joy - they were about reminding me that I was real, that I was present, that the world was still turning. They helped pull me out of my head for just a second to ground myself.
Why Sparkles Matter in Dark Times
I discovered glimmers when everything was crumbling around me - heartbreak, divorce, selling my home, losing my job, moving back with my parents. Nothing was sparkling.
When life is that difficult, focusing on tomorrow, the future, dreams, or goals feels impossible. All of that disappears. The only things I had were these tiny glimmers in the moment.
And when I say tiny, I truly mean tiny - like watching a leaf blow across the sidewalk. These weren't things that sparked joy; they were simply moments where my brain got a brief reprieve from the heaviness.
What makes sparkles powerful during dark times is that they're not about toxic positivity. Noticing a leaf blowing across the sidewalk didn't transform my life or make me think everything was great. Sometimes life genuinely sucks, and glimmers just remind us that there are still things in the world beyond our pain.
The Science of Sparkles
What's fascinating is that glimmers work as essentially the opposite of triggers. While triggers activate our stress response, glimmers do the reverse:
They slow your heart rate
They ground you
They bring you out of your head and into your physical surroundings
When we're triggered, our nervous system becomes activated in overwhelming ways - fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. Glimmers provide something to focus on that won't put us into that survival state. They're little moments of calm amid chaos, giving our system a brief rest from constant alertness.
Learning to See Sparkles
The beautiful thing about sparkles is that once you start seeing them, you can't unsee them - they're everywhere. But you do have to intentionally look for them, especially at first.
Finding glimmers often requires taking a pause, becoming conscious of yourself in space and the world around you. That's why nature is so key for me - it's always there, always moving, but we need to pause to notice it.
When you first start looking for sparkles, you might only find one tiny thing to focus on - perhaps one branch moving in the wind or the sound of a bird's repetitive call. But over time, they become more apparent, like stars appearing in the night sky as your eyes adjust to the darkness.
Beyond Positivity
I want to be clear: finding sparkles isn't about being positive all the time or pretending things are fine when they're not. In some of life's darkest moments, finding things to be grateful for simply isn't realistic.
What makes glimmers different is that they don't ask you to feel good about your situation. They just ask you to notice what's around you. The warmth of a coffee mug in your palm, the pattern raindrops make on a window - these things exist whether your life is going well or falling apart.
For the Skeptics
If you're feeling skeptical about all this, I understand completely. But here's what's important to know: there are no rules for finding glimmers.
You don't need anything special. You don't need to buy anything or force yourself to feel anything. It's not about being positive or faking it.
It's just about pausing and noticing, giving your brain and body a break when life feels overwhelming.
And these truly are microscopic moments. Seeing one sparkle won't magically transform your mood or fix your problems. When you're in a dark place, it's simply about finding a split second of reprieve from panic mode.
A Universal Experience
What's been most meaningful is seeing how this concept has resonated within our community. I think it's because we've all experienced difficult times, and glimmers are accessible to everyone. The practice isn't exclusive, limited, or expensive. There are no rigid rules.
What works for one person won't necessarily work for another. What someone sees as a glimmer, someone else might not even notice. It's all about what works for you.
Finding Your Own Sparkles
When you're trying to find glimmers, especially if you're really struggling, use your senses as a guide:
What can you see?
What can you touch?
What can you smell?
What can you hear?
What can you taste?
Your senses and nature are powerful avenues for discovering glimmers when everything else feels overwhelming.
My Current Glimmers
As I celebrate this book release, I'm experiencing my own cascade of sparkles:
Seeing people hold my book
The satisfying sip of cold water after being thirsty
Feeling my dog Theo's stomach expand and contract as he breathes beside me
Being seen for my true self
Even the strange, momentary numbness before pins and needles when my foot falls asleep
That's the beauty of glimmers - they can be profound or peculiar, significant or subtle. They're uniquely yours.
Journal Prompts: Finding Your Sparkles
Notice & Name: What tiny moment caught your attention today that you might normally overlook? Describe it using all five senses.
Contrast & Calm: Think of a recent challenging moment. Was there a small glimmer present even within that difficulty? What provided even a second of grounding?
Nature's Offerings: The next time you're outside, pause for 30 seconds and write down every natural sparkle you notice. How did this brief pause affect your state of mind?
Daily Rhythms: Which regular, everyday activity in your routine might contain sparkles you've been missing? Describe one mundane moment with fresh eyes.
Beyond Gratitude: Without forcing yourself to feel thankful, simply document three things you noticed today that momentarily brought you into the present. What was it about these moments that pulled you out of your thoughts?
I'd love for you to share your own sparkles with me. What tiny moments have you noticed recently that brought you a second of peace? Sometimes when others point out their glimmers, I realize I've overlooked something beautiful in my own life - and that's the gift of sharing this practice.
Thank you for being here, for supporting my journey, and for allowing me to be part of yours.
Until next time, keep seeking those sparkles,
Emma
If you're interested in getting my book, "Daily Sparkles: Illuminate Your Life with 1,000 Glimmers," it's available anywhere books are sold in the US, UK, and Canada.
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