Glimmers vs Terrible Things

It feels almost grotesque to watch everything going on globally, and then get up and write out to-do lists and shopping lists, to arrange playdates, to fold away laundry.

But the terrible things don’t seem to go away. Like pigeons, they seem to gather and gather. And we need to eat and have clean clothes and balance the budget.

Some tools for anyone who’s struggling right now:

• How keeping a little list of glimmers can help your mental health – this is something I’ve been practising long before I’d ever heard the term ‘glimmers’. I kept a list in my ring-bound planner, year in and out of “things I enjoy”, “Soothing things”, “things that give me energy” and “scents I enjoy”. They function like a menu: on days I need a pick-me-up, I pick something from the energy list. If I’m upset or stressed, I’ll pick from the soothing list. And the joy list is just lovely to read at any time. Some of the things in there are as simple as “going for a walk around sunrise or sunset”, or “reading under a cosy blanket with a hot water bottle”.
• A meditation for when the world’s suffering feels heavy. from Midnfullness magazine.
• Your sensitivity is a strength, beloved. (Link to article “Why being sensitive is a strength” by Time Magazine. )

Some extracts, because I know we are all a little depleted and in need of a boost:

“Sensitive people have this capacity for innovation because they tend to be deep thinkers who spend more time and energy turning problems over in their heads—and end up seeing more possibilities and solutions.“

“A second strength sensitive people have is their decision-making ability. In studiesinvolving both humans and monkeys, the subjects who are sensitive—based on having gene variants associated with sensitivity—tend to outperform others on a variety of cognitive tasks, particularly those that require noticing patterns and using them to predict outcomes and make smart decisions.”

and my favourite, because it turns out that we are natural “boosters” in groups:

Over and over, researchers find that sensitive people are supercharged by any form of training or support. If you’re a sensitive person, you can activate this ability by curating a supportive environment around yourself—such as a group of supportive friends—and by seeking out resources such as mentoring, training, therapy, or coaching.

I don’t have a cute sign-off today. Take care of yourselves and each other.

xxx