Glimmers | The Other Side Of Triggers

ByJuxt

Glimmers and How They Can Help Defeat Triggers

What is a Trigger?

Triggers are the invisible buttons that cause all of your emotions. They activate all emotions you have ever felt or will ever feel. Triggers are often not the events themselves but how we interpret them.

For example, when a bad driver cuts you off in traffic, you might become angry because you see it as an act of aggression or a threat to your safety. However, you could just as easily become concerned for that driver because they are driving unsafely and might injure themselves.

The way we frame these events determines our Triggers. Triggers are based on the interpretations we create throughout our lives; our assignment of meaning creates our triggers. While triggers are often associated with negative/unwanted feelings, all feelings are based on the same system, which means triggers also cause positive emotions.

What is a Glimmer?

A glimmer is the positive side of the emotional trigger coin—the desirable positive interpretations of an event or input. We often fail to give glimmers as much credit as negative triggers, robbing ourselves of the opportunities glimmers present. Examples of glimmers can include a sunset, random butterflies, tasty food, or slow, cozy mornings.

Glimmers are different for everyone based on what they value and frame as beneficial. An individual’s experiences that frame an event as positive determine the Glimmer. For instance, a rainy day might be a glimmer for one person while being a negative trigger for another. We live in a world of duality, making our Glimmers similar to the sun and our negative trigger the moon. The world is full of as many things to trigger happiness and love as there are to ruin your day. As you become more aware of what makes you feel good, you can use glimmers to defeat negative triggers.

How Can Glimmers Defeat Triggers?

Once you know your glimmers, you can add them to your Toolbox to stop a negative trigger in its tracks. When overwhelming negative emotions arise after an event, you can look to a glimmer to help regulate your nervous system back to a manageable state. For example, if sitting in your backyard with a hot cup of tea brings you peace, you can use it after an upsetting argument or a stressful day at work to combat negative emotions.

The Danish have mastered using glimmers to combat the depressing effects of their harsh winters and thrive in conditions perfect for negative emotions. The Danish practice of **hygge focuses on cultivating spaces and activities that make you feel content and comfortable. They use tools from slow-living lifestyles to adjust to the winter and engage in slow, fulfilling, glimmer-filled activities.

How to Find Glimmers

Glimmers are everywhere around you in varying degrees of potency. Simply put, glimmers are anything that releases happy hormones (like cortisol, serotonin, etc.), so we can approach Glimmer discovery from an emotional and scientific angle.

Questions to ask to find your glimmers:

– What events do I look forward to each week?

– What do I wish I did more of?

– What weather makes me happiest and why?

– What made me smile this week?

Glimmer Practices:

If you had trouble answering those questions or answered everything with something like “sleep and I need money,” you can borrow ideas from the collective.

Hygge Practices:

  1. Snuggling up with a warm blanket

  2. Drinking hot cocoa or tea

  3. Wearing cozy socks and pajamas

  4. Soft Lighting and calming music

  5. Enjoying a quiet night in

  6. Creating a comfortable living space

  7. Going for a nature walk

Slow Living Practices:

  1. Decluttering and simplifying your home

  2. Unplugging from digital devices regularly

  3. Enjoying leisurely hobbies like knitting or painting

  4. Prioritizing quality time with family and friends

  5. Journaling or writing letters

  6. Savoring moments of stillness and quiet

  7. Reducing your commitments and obligations

“Typical” Masculine Practices:

  1. Weightlifting or strength training

  2. Engaging in DIY home improvement projects

  3. Practicing martial arts or boxing

  4. Going fishing or hunting

  5. Building or fixing

  6. Joining a sports league or club

  7. Learning self-defense techniques

“Typical” Feminine Practices:

  1. Engaging in arts and crafts like knitting or scrapbooking

  2. Attending dance classes

  3. Cooking or baking

  4. Gardening

  5. Going to a spa or having a self-care day at home

  6. Reading romance novels or magazines

  7. Doing makeup or skincare routines

  8. Having tea parties or brunches

Mindful/Spiritual Practices:

  1. Doing deep breathing exercises

  2. Engaging in mindful walking or running

  3. Keeping a gratitude journal

  4. Practicing mindful eating

  5. Doing yoga or tai chi

  6. Engaging in mindful creativity like painting or drawing

  7. Observing nature mindfully

Mildly Active Practices:

  1. Practicing regular strength training, stretching, or flexibility exercises

  2. Participating in group fitness classes

  3. Swimming or doing water aerobics

  4. Biking or cycling

  5. Playing sports like soccer, tennis, or basketball

  6. Hiking or trail running

  7. Doing home workout routines

Triggers are often labeled as the cause of negative emotions; this is WRONG. Triggers are only responsible for activating emotions; our interpretation and framing of the events determine whether the trigger will positively or negatively affect us. This means we have the power to change our triggers because we always have the power to reframe how we interpret the world and choose to live within it.

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