The joy of micro moments ⟢
Friday before last, I wrote about the seductive trauma-vortex, and how what we actually need more practice with is increasing nervous system capacity to hold what’s GOOD. Today, we’re going to expand on this concept a bit more, to understand what it really means to anchor in this feeling state, and also how to accessibly practice this in your everyday… even if you have no time for yourself.
A common narrative I hear from clients and students is that they don’t have enough time for nervous system work or regulation practices in their life. They’re holding too much, juggling all the things, and there’s no space to tend to themselves.
I hear that. I get it.
AND, what if I told you that micro practices are the key 🔑
That you don’t need to go out of your way to find goodness and regulation, instead, you can learn how to attune your system to the everyday nourishment that’s already here, woven into the ordinary or seemingly mundane moments in your life.
No time for a self-massage before bed? Ok. The next time you’re shampooing your hair in the shower, luxuriate in the feeling of your hands tending to your scalp, the warmth of the water, the texture of the lather, and the care of your own touch.
No time for a sensory soothing practice? Ok. The next time you’re drinking your morning coffee or tea, feel the warmth of the mug in your hands. Bask in the tastes, the smells, the feeling of the warmth moving down your throat.
No time for an orienting practice? Ok. The next time you’re walking your dog, or even walking from your car to the office, see if you can notice five things that look pretty ok, or even good! Perhaps beautiful. Maybe unexpected. Maybe something you’ve walked by a million times before but never truly noticed.
Polyvagal theory expert and psychotherapist, Deb Dana, coined the term ✨ “glimmers” ✨
A glimmer is the opposite of a trigger. Glimmers are micro-moments of regulation that foster feelings of well-being. A glimmer could be as simple as noticing a friendly face, hearing a soothing sound, or noticing something in the environment that evokes a feeling of goodness (like these beautifully coloured fall leaves we’re so blessed with right now!)
And, if you do happen to have a few minutes before falling asleep each night, say out loud (even if you’re alone) all of the glimmers you experienced that day. I like to call this practice “glimmer gathering” 💎
When we gently and consistently coax our nervous system’s attention towards these micro moments of good, we start to organically find more of them without trying so hard.
And when we anchor more and more into this state (called ventral tone in polyvagal theory), we are:
rewriting the negativity bias in real time
giving our nervous system credible evidence of safety over danger (which, by the way, can significantly help reduce chronic pain in the body!)
soothing the amygdala (the smoke detector of the brain that becomes overactive in chronic anxiety patterns)
and allowing more beauty into our lives
It’s all about consistency over intensity.
Turning the dial up to 100% on your self care for 1 day, but then abandoning yourself for the next 7 weeks, isn’t doing anything helpful. In fact, it’s actually probably doing the opposite by reenforcing survival patterns of extremes.
Consistent micro-practices are where it’s at! Especially if you are holding a lot in your life right now.
It is from this ventral state where we are able to access more insights, healing energy, and nervous system capacity to meet our trauma stories with enough compassion and regulation that we actually create lasting change in our lives.
Curious about diving deeper? I’d love to walk alongside you in my 1x1 work. In sessions, we explore Somatic Experiencing®, partswork (IFS informed), and gentle somatic touch/table work. Book a free discovery call here!