Hello..
A post inspired by an image I saw today from The ND OT on Facebook! Go follow them for more inspiration!
In my online programme this week, I shared my sensory delight at fiddling with conkers in my fingers as I walked. It delights me, calms me, steadies me!
It’s a small thing that contributes in a big way to my wellbeing and for years I lost touch with these things and how good they are for me! I was rushing past and I probably thought they were unnecessary, silly, childish – I couldn’t have been more wrong!
I look forward to the conkers again every year now 🍂 and when the leaves of the Horse Chestnut tree start to turn brown, I know it’s not long to wait! 😍 I collect one or two each time I walk past the Horse Chestnut tree near the school, in the village where I live. I’m in love with the look and feel of them. They are magical to me! I never tire of looking at them or feeling them or turning them over in the hand or in my pocket! 🎉🤩✨
What are some of your sensory glimmers?
(Don’t worry if you’ve no idea! You can find them)
In words from The ND OT, ‘a glimmer is a satisfying sensory delight that fills someone with fervent ecstasy. It is the opposite of a trigger (a stimulus perceived as threatening and unsafe).’
What glimmers for every person is different!
This image shares a collection of ‘satisfying sensory delights’ collected from a sample of autistic people. In Be You, we recognise the significance for EVERYONE, whatever their neuro-identity, of discovering their glimmers – sensory ones, social ones, emotional ones – anything that delights us, that moves us towards a vibe or experience we love, e.g. joy, excited, calm, wonder, giggles, fizzy, comfort, grounded, happy, joy, oooh, ahhh, mmmm.
Which of these are glimmers for you? Remember this is not a neuro-identity specific question, it’s a YOU specific question. What else would you add to this image?
How is This Relevant to My Neurodiverse Relationship?
Glimmers are one of the antidotes to triggers – the actions, words, situations or environments that are, or we perceive to be, upsetting, unacceptable, threatening or unsafe! In Be You Coaching we work a lot on triggers – knowing them and navigating them differently. Combined with lots of other things, glimmers are one of the ways that support this work – creating capacity, supporting nervous system regulation, helping us to be more present and less reactive – so discovering your glimmers is one of the ways you can accelerate the sustainable changes to your experience that you’re wanting in your neurodiverse relationship.
Finding your way forward
Perhaps something you’ve read here has helped you see your experience a little differently, put words to something you’ve been feeling, or glimpse a new possibility for yourself.
Whatever has brought you here, you deserve space to understand your experience, recover your energy and find your way forward at your own pace.
That’s what Be You Coaching is all about.
Reignite Roadmap is your first step into Be You — a gentle, guided introduction to the journey of moving from relationship exhaustion towards brave clarity, with space to reconnect with yourself and discover what might be possible.
CLICK to explore Reignite Roadmap
With love and sparkle
Photo credit: Michael Hauer via Pexels
