Joan Courtney, C.Ht. Unstuck Living

Yesterday, I was sweeping leaves off the porch into the wind. As I swung the broom, some leaves would move ahead, while others, pushed by the wind, fell back. The dirt would scoot along, leaving a smudge of dust in its wake.

And I was thinking about how this was like glimmers and triggers. The leaves that kept falling back were triggers, causing problems before they were swept off the porch. The wind, or the subconscious mind, was the stimulus that set the scene in motion. When the leaves were glimmers, they twirled in the breeze, creating beautiful patterns. I was enchanted by their dancing movements in the light wind.

Triggers? Glimmers?

Triggers have become commonplace in language today. They are cues of danger, either real or imagined. In a quarter of a second, a trigger can activate the body into fight or flight, freeze, or fawn responses. These stimuli can be small (Oh, my friend triggered me gossiping about me.) Or large (that last wildfire almost burned my home down.)

Glimmers draw the body to relax into safety. They produce inner calm, and move us toward positive chosen behaviors (I want an apple instead of that piece of chocolate cake,) growth (I was on time every day this week!), and restoration (I’m taking a well-deserved break to watch the sun dance on the water.)

Often, it’s easy to get caught up in triggers, especially after a long string of small stressful situations of “too big,” “too much”, or “too fast.” Inviting in the glimmers brings peace and calm, allowing the body and mind to slow down and relax. That bigger view can unfold.

So, buckle up as you roll through an early morning with the Toot and me, along with the stories I tell myself. (I’m unsure if Toot tells himself stories or not.)

• The clock chimes at 4:55, and Lil’ Toot whimpers. (Trigger: Can’t he sleep just a few more moments?) I roll out of bed as his cries grow louder… and louder. (Trigger: Exasperation. I’m hurrying as fast as I can!)

• At 5:15, we are out the door. Toot then meanders about, finding his perfect spot. (Glimmer: the sunrise is spectacular, and I so enjoy spending time with him.)

• After I return from my walk at 6:15 (Glimmer: my ability to walk) I brush him out and coo at him. (Glimmer: our bonding time.) I forgot to put together my lunch last night, and hurry to do that. (Trigger: it would have been so easy to think ahead!) Keeping an eye on the time, I notice we have an additional ten minutes before we leave for work. (Glimmer: my body eases and my breathing slows down.)

• I revel in the day’s beauty as we go down the stairs to begin our adventure. (Glimmer: Spring is here.) The Toot wanders off again. (Trigger: we’re going to be late!)

And on it goes.

Here’s the thing: we all have triggers, and we all have glimmers. The stories we tell ourselves color our body’s responses and reactions. Knowing what sends me into a threat response (I’ll be late!) and into safety (I have plenty of time) paints very different pictures in my mind. Color them glimmers and live unstuck!

With over 35 years of experience, Joan Courtney is a clinical hypnotherapist and NLP practitioner. You can find more of her articles in Outdoors Southwest, published on the Mountain. She is also a ghostwriter for bi-weekly posts inspired by her Canine Executive Officer, Lil’ Toot.