Follow the glimmers: Discovering life's sparks and pursuing them

In the quiet moments of life, subtle signals often emerge

Feelings of curiosity, energy, calm, or joy. These are what many call glimmers: fleeting, luminous hints of what resonates with your soul. They’re not loud, but they’re powerful. They show up differently for everyone but they all have one thing in common: they draw you closer to what feels real and meaningful uniquely to you.

When we learn to notice and then follow these glimmers, they become a compass. They guide us towards joy but more importantly, point us back to who we really are. Glimmers are at the core of intentional living, which doesn't always start with a grand vision. In fact, most of the time, an intentional life simply begins with only a glimmer.

But how do you recognize these fleeting sparks -- and what do you do with them?

What are glimmers?

Glimmers are small, intuitive moments that spark a sense of alignment. They may show up as, but not limited to:

• A burst of inspiration when you talk about a subject

• A sense of ease or flow while immersed in a hobby or ritual

• A quiet pull toward something new (and I CANNOT stress enough) even if you don’t fully understand why

These moments often go unnoticed because they don’t scream for attention and can even go against our logical brains. Yet, if you slow down and tune in, glimmers begin to reveal what lights you up on the inside. They invite you into what feels authentic, meaningful, and worth exploring further. Think of glimmers as breadcrumbs or stepping stones leading you home to yourself.

Why glimmers matter?

Following glimmers isn’t about chasing fleeting highs. Instead, when you start noticing what energizes you a personalized map begins to unfold. One that reveals your passions, values, and natural rhythm. Choosing to follow glimmers can have a profound effect on your life and help you to:

• Reveal what truly matters: Glimmers cut through the noise and connect you to your natural desires and gifts

• Align you with authenticity: Rather than living by expectation or default, glimmers nudge you toward what’s real and true for you

• Create lasting fulfillment: Joy doesn't always require massive change. Often, it begins by consistently saying yes to what sparks a small “yes” in your spirit

You don’t need the full picture. You just need to say yes to the next spark.

How to recognize (and follow) your glimmers

Glimmers don’t arrive with labels. They require awareness, curiosity, and courage to not ignore or dismiss them. Here’s how to recognize them and more importantly, how to use them as a guiding light in your life:

1. Notice your energy shifts: Glimmers often appear in how your body and mood respond. Do you feel more alive during a conversation, or unexpectedly peaceful doing something simple? Energy doesn’t lie, those shifts are invitations. Make space to reflect: a quick journal entry at the end of the day, What lifted me up? What drained me? Over time these small observations begin to reveal patterns in where your joy lives.

2. Explore through experimentation (and without pressure): You won’t always know what a glimmer will become. That’s okay. It is also OK if it remains nothing more than something that brings you joy. bringing you joy. Start small: take the class, follow the curiosity, say yes to what intrigues you. The goal here isn't about "getting it right", it is about gathering information through experience. Exploration isn't a detour -- it is often the very path to clarity.

3. Make space for what matters: When life is too full -- of commitments, noise, expectations --- it becomes hard to hear yourself think. More so, to be able to tune into your intuition which is where your Glimmers prefer to live. Simplifying your schedule, digital habits, or physical space opens room for glimmers to be noticed. You don’t need to strip everything down. Just create even a small bit of spaces so that you can actually feel when something clicks. Space is the soil where sparks grow.

4. Be honest about what doesn't work: Just as glimmers light you up, there are things that quietly wear you down. Pay attention to the activities, dynamics, or routines that leave you disconnected. Honesty here is brave, empowering and freeing. Even if changes you've identified to make require time, by simply naming what no longer fits already is a way of reclaiming your direction. As the famous Japanese proverb goes "if you get on the wrong train, get off at the next station. The longer you stay, the more expensive the return trip will be".

5. Take aligned yet sustainable steps: You don’t need a five-year plan. All you need is one step that reflects something you’ve noticed. Start the painting. Read the book. Set the boundary. Follow the curiosity. Momentum builds not from drastic change, but from repeated alignment and consistency. The more you act on what feels right, even in the smallest of ways, the more your life begins to reflect who you really are.

Returning to yourself over and over again

Following your glimmers is not about abandoning your life to chase dreams. It’s about returning to the quiet wisdom within you. It’s about aligning more of your time, energy, and choices with what truly matters.

This doesn’t mean life will always feel joyful or easy. There will be responsibilities you can’t avoid, seasons where clarity feels far away and days where you forget what lights you up. Use them as an anchor and way to return back to you.

The takeaway

Following glimmers is less about chasing something big and more about how to build a meaningful life to you through these simple moments of truth. When you choose to follow even just one, you begin to shift your life already toward greater authenticity and joy. These subtle choice may seem small, but also hold the power to ripple outward in ways you may never expect. If nothing else, following your gillimers lays the foundation for a life that feels more like you. They are already speaking to you, are you open and willing to accept their invitation?