Cultivating Hope

Vaclav Havel, Czech poet, playwright, and president, said that:

‘’Hope … is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart; it transcends the world that is immediately experienced, and is anchored somewhere beyond its horizons. ‘’

This kind of hope gives meaning to your struggles and dignity to your efforts and a direction to your choices. And, how does this translate into every day life?

Finding Glimmers

Glimmers are small, fleeting moments of joy, calm, connection or hope that signal a sense of safety and well-being.  They are micro-moments that come from the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, supporting health, personal growth, and well-being.  Glimmers occur when the nervous system perceives triggers of safety and calm, allowing for relaxation, connection and an overall sense of well-being. Over time, recognising and appreciating these moments can contribute to a deeper sense of hope and optimism as part of every day life.

Glimmers can be triggered by simple yet profound experiences such as hearing a loved one’s voice, getting a hug, feeling connected to your pets, a small achievement such as going for a walk in the countryside, having a cup of coffee with a friend and so on.  They are small experiences that pack a hefty punch in terms of building sustainable psychological and physiological resources. Over time, consistently noticing and enjoying these glimmers can create a sustainable feeling of well-being and hope for the future. If you are someone who struggles with stress, anxiety and overwhelm, this following activity will, over time, help nurture a more hopeful and balanced outlook in your every day thinking. Every time you enjoy a glimmer it stacks on top of the last one building your capacity for personal change. And, when times are tough, you can access these moments of calm and joy to encourage you to keep going.

Activity: Finding Glimmers (thanks to Emma Mudge for this concept which we have adapted)

This activity is all about developing a habit of noticing and appreciating ‘glimmers’.  You will learn to record them and reflect on them, especially in moments when you need to be resilient and keep going with your recovery. When you first start you may find that you notice only the larger, more obvious experiences.  With practice, you will notice more subtle experiences as you tune into your glimmers. Keep a glimmer journal and ask yourself these questions regularly to help you reflect on how best to maximise their impact:

Do you notice a pattern in what brings you hope?

Have your glimmers become easier to find?

How has this daily practice affected your mood and outlook towards your recovery?

Are there times of day when glimmers show up more?

Do your glimmers tend to involve specific people, places, pets, or activities? If so, do more of them!

What do your glimmers tell you about what matters to you?

Are there any recurring themes in your glimmers that you can build on? For example, beauty, peace, connection?

Let me know how you get on. We have a free online Introduction to NLP that will help you build on your glimmer experiences towards a happier and more fulfilled life. Here is a link:

Free online Introduction to NLP course

Have a wonderful week.

Lindsey and all at Team NLP