What is a Glimmer? The TikTok Trend That Finds The Good
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s summer editorial intern Maggie Lardie. Find her on Instagram at @maggielardie If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Life can be hectic. It’s stressful when it comes to managing the constant ups and downs that come your way, and social media doesn’t always help. Coming home from a long, tiring day and opening TikTok or the news isn’t always necessarily the most productive thing for your mental health. The internet throws an abundance of information at us constantly from all angles, often making us forget to take time for ourselves and stressing us out even more. Ironically enough, it’s social media now that is aiming to find a solution to this problem. In early 2022, the concept of what a “glimmer” was became a trend on TikTok – and it’s recently been making a comeback.
If your TikTok page looks remotely like mine, you’ve been getting video after video featuring the word “glimmer.” Each video is essentially formatted the same way – some kind of scenic background with the definition of “glimmer” in front of it. But what is a glimmer?
While these videos can be informative, all of them seem to just scratch the surface of what a “glimmer” is and provide no further explanation or example. Defining something simply as “the opposite of triggers” isn’t quite the most elaborate method. Luckily, we’ll be diving into all things “glimmer” so you don’t have to.
Before we can get into properly defining “glimmer,” it’s important to take a look at its opposite. Triggers are something that causes an unpleasant or painful memory to resurface. They can be anything from graphic images to specific sounds and will always prompt some kind of reaction. If you’re ever feeling anxious about a situation, know that you are not alone! Everyone deals with painful or overwhelming emotions at some point in their lives. It’s so important to recognize and address these feelings when they occur, even if acknowledging them is uncomfortable. That way, you will be able to better understand and take care of yourself.
The concept of triggers, uncomfortable emotions and how to manage them has always demanded people’s attention. Humans are prone to scan for any type of threat before they allow themselves to acknowledge the good. It’s only fair now that the antithesis to a trigger should get its time in the spotlight. A “glimmer” is something in life that makes you happy or at peace. Some examples of glimmers include witnessing a kind act, enjoying the feel of the breeze or being greeted by a loved one after a long time apart. Glimmers are small moments that make you understand why life is worth living. If you’re having trouble finding glimmers in your own life, it might be helpful to see what other people are noticing around them. Quite a few people have posted tiktoks documenting glimmers in their everyday lives that are sure to give you some inspiration! Although it’s so important to address the bad, it’s just as (if not more) important to find the good.
A couple people on the internet have decided to take the concept a step further, exploring how long they can focus on whatever it is that they deem a “glimmer.” They’ve assigned a term to this practice as well, calling it a “glow.” A “glow” can be achieved by setting time aside to sit with the pleasant feeling a glimmer gives you – taking time to breathe, reflect and be grateful.
Whether you’ve been on glimmertok for a while or you’re just finding out about glimmers now, we hope this article gives you some clarity about finding them in your own life!
What is a glimmer in your life? How would you define it? Let us know in the comments below!