Unlock your Glimmers to Overcome the “Negativity Bias”

Have you heard about Glimmers before?

Glimmers are those tiny moments of joy that brighten your day. They're the opposite of triggers, which activate our sense of stress. Instead, Glimmers calm our nervous system and make us feel safe. Glimmers can also spark positive emotions like awe, joy, and hope.

Glimmers can be found in small, everyday moments. Think of feeling the warm sun on your face, the first sip of morning coffee (or tea in my case), getting a comforting hug, or receiving an encouraging text from a friend just when you need it.

Unfortunately, our brains are naturally wired to focus on the negative stuff for survival. This is called a “negativity bias,” where negative experiences weigh heavier than positive ones. 

From an evolutionary standpoint, the “negativity bias” helped our hunter-gatherer ancestors stay alert to risk and danger to help them survive. However, being constantly hyper-focused on perceived risk and danger is not as useful in today's modern world. 

BUT, thanks to neuroplasticity, our brains are also capable of changing throughout our lives. So by taking intentional action and re-directing our attention, we can actually change this bias!

Studies in positive psychology show that by consistently focusing on and appreciating positive experiences, we can rewire our brains to notice and seek out more of the good stuff in life. So by noticing Glimmers, we can train our brains to focus on our positive experiences. And this supports and enhances our overall well-being. 

Therefore, I invite you to notice and appreciate the Glimmers in your life! When you focus on Glimmers, you’ll soon begin to notice them more and more 💫

And if you feel like sharing, I'd love to hear about your Glimmers! Feel free to email or DM me.

I also invite you to SUBSCRIBE to my free newsletter to receive resources like this blog post directly to your email inbox 2-3 times per month!