Glimmers 002

week 11: small pleasures

spot of warmth these days; spring incoming

Let’s restart, shall we?

Since my last (and first!) ~glimmer~ entry, life has been a literal whirlwind. I initially wanted this to be a monthly post, but alas, life had other plans. I regrettably let go of my regular gratitude journaling (and other things, if I’m honest) for a couple of months because of how overwhelmed I was. When I tried to restart this journal, leafed through all the blank pages from December to February (oof), and tried my hardest to reminisce, I felt sad - as all the positives were overshadowed by the overwhelming negatives in my head. It was so hard to look back on those days with fondness. I’m sure it wasn’t all bad. But for the life of me, it was so hard to focus on the latter. And I hated that feeling.

I thought to myself that it would’ve been nice if I had kept a record of all the things that gave me a fuzzy feeling, no matter how small, during those times. My brain tends to focus on the negatives, so I know that I need to put in a lot of effort to appreciate the small joys scattered throughout my days. Seeing as I’m still in the thick of my (somewhat) dark(er) days, I have to work extra hard to recognize these simple, small pleasures. And so, I will do just that.

Consistency has always been an issue for me but I’m hoping I can at least keep it up semi-regularly. So let’s start with something small - a week in my life, perhaps.

Castlerock Beach, March 2025

Here are my favorite glimmers from the past week:

✧˖° Surviving my first work week after my month-long break. First office day (s) and it wasn’t as bad as I imagined - it actually turned out okay. Getting back into a routine. Handling my first (after-break) client meeting well(I think). Feeling light as I leave the office at 5:30 PM on a Friday.

✧˖° Starting to enjoy reading again after a two-month hiatus. I bought a random book, In Search of Perfumes by Dominique Roques, and fell in love with it. The Bulgarian Rose chapter was a magical affair, and it was the first time (in a while) that I found myself itching to read a book at a bus stop (even if my hands were freezing from clutching it) and during my bus rides home. Slowly savoring this book is a such delight.

✧˖° That feeling of finding the perfect book at the exact time you need it. Another (gorgeous) random find: How Kyoto Breaks Your Heart by Florentyna Leow. Such lovely title, and even lovelier writing. “To love a place is to love its people, and to love a place is to let it break your heart.”

✧˖° Rewarded myself with a new e-reader, a Kobo Libra Colour, after I retired my old Kindle Paperwhite (to give to my little sister). It has energized me to start reading more again. Plus, the colored highlights and book covers are game-changers.

✧˖° Bus rides to-and-fro work. And cotton candy clouds along the way.

✧˖° Catching up with a friend from miles away. A spontaneous call that turned into a meaningful 2-hour chat. Sharing the good and the bad, and being there for each other despite the distance. Ending the call feeling lighter and better for it.

✧˖° Planning (and being excited) about my 5-9 (or, in my case, 7 to 11).

✧˖° Miss Dior will now forever smell like friendship to me.

✧˖° My fountain pens feeling just right in my hands and gliding smoothly across my journals again. Writing feeling right again.

✧˖° Saying ‘yes’ to more spontaneous outings and experiences these days - walks, coffee, hikes, shoots. To friends quietly and subtly supporting you when you’re going through it.

✧˖° That gorgeous sunny day at the beach. The warmth of the sun on my skin. The sound and smell of the sea. Kites flying. Dogs running. It was nice.

✧˖° Going home after a long day and feeling fine - maybe for the first time in a while. I wanted to hold on to that feeling.

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