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Daily Glimmers: The art of finding tiny joys every day of the year
This beautiful pocket self-help book teaches us to notice three-second glimmers of joy every day, to build resilience and deal with difficult times.
In difficult times it's easy to get lost in the darkness – but this beautiful pocket self-help book gives us the tools to find three-second glimmers of joy every day, to build our resilience and keep us going.
Did you just taste something delicious? That was a glimmer. Notice the way the light slanted in through the window? That was a glimmer.
Glimmers are easy to miss as they’re so brief and fleeting, but they can help your mood shift, and lift. Finding them – uncovering them on the commute, or while doing the same-old daily routine – is an art and a skill. Looking for glimmers is a recognized mental health practice to enable you to deal with the darkest days.
In this book, 12 thematic chapters each hold 30 or 31 beautiful glimmers plus two aligned alternatives, amounting to one entry for every day of the year – and more than 1,000 glimmers. Learn to notice micro-moments of joy such as putting on a pair of new socks, stroking a purring cat, popping a cork, walking up a hill and looking back at how far you've come, finishing a jar, watching a rainbow brighten, sinking your hands into earth, being told "no rush", reviving a dying fire, and hundreds more.
With beautiful line-drawn illustrations, exercises to help you uncover more joy, and reflections on the history and effects of glimmers, this fun, fresh book is small enough to pop in your bag – but big enough to expand your life.
In difficult times it's easy to get lost in the darkness – but this beautiful pocket self-help book gives us the tools to find three-second glimmers of joy every day, to build our resilience and keep us going.
Did you just taste something delicious? That was a glimmer. Notice the way the light slanted in through the window? That was a glimmer.
Glimmers are easy to miss as they’re so brief and fleeting, but they can help your mood shift, and lift. Finding them – uncovering them on the commute, or while doing the same-old daily routine – is an art and a skill. Looking for glimmers is a recognized mental health practice to enable you to deal with the darkest days.
In this book, 12 thematic chapters each hold 30 or 31 beautiful glimmers plus two aligned alternatives, amounting to one entry for every day of the year – and more than 1,000 glimmers. Learn to notice micro-moments of joy such as putting on a pair of new socks, stroking a purring cat, popping a cork, walking up a hill and looking back at how far you've come, finishing a jar, watching a rainbow brighten, sinking your hands into earth, being told "no rush", reviving a dying fire, and hundreds more.
With beautiful line-drawn illustrations, exercises to help you uncover more joy, and reflections on the history and effects of glimmers, this fun, fresh book is small enough to pop in your bag – but big enough to expand your life.
- GenresSelf Help
272 pages, Hardcover
Published August 19, 2025
7 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Bridget McNulty
7 books20 followersBridget McNulty is a writer, diabetes advocate and the CEO and Co-founder of Sweet Life, a non-profit focused on empowering South Africans with diabetes through education and community.
She is also the internationally published author of 3 books, the recently published Daily Glimmers: The art of finding tiny joys every day of the year, and before that The Grief Handbook: A guide through the worst days of your life, and the novel Strange Nervous Laughter.
She lives in Cape Town, South Africa, with her husband, son and daughter, and loves nothing more than a cup of tea and a good book - preferably somewhere green and leafy.
Find out more at www.bridgetmcnulty.com
She is also the internationally published author of 3 books, the recently published Daily Glimmers: The art of finding tiny joys every day of the year, and before that The Grief Handbook: A guide through the worst days of your life, and the novel Strange Nervous Laughter.
She lives in Cape Town, South Africa, with her husband, son and daughter, and loves nothing more than a cup of tea and a good book - preferably somewhere green and leafy.
Find out more at www.bridgetmcnulty.com
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 19, 2025
3.5 Stars In Daily Glimmers, Bridget McNulty invites readers to discover small moments of joy hidden in everyday life. McNulty refers to these moments of joy as ‘glimmers’ and while they’re often overlooked, this book guides readers to notice the beauty in each day, even if you’re stuck in the same routine. Thank you to NetGalley and Watkins Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Read full review on my blog: https://herdigitalcoffee.com/daily-gl...
Read full review on my blog: https://herdigitalcoffee.com/daily-gl...
December 20, 2025
In this turbulent world we live in we need something to uplift, enrich and push us into a different mindset. It’s a gift that seems so hard to manifest, bombarded as we are with bad news. Thank heavens for Bridget McNulty. Daily Glimmers – the art of finding joys every day of the year has been on my bedside table for a while. It has not been a straight-through read but it has indeed made me look at things differently. So what is a glimmer: - micro-moments that help shift and lift your mood – we all experience them but mostly don’t acknowledge them. In this delightfully readable book McNulty delves into the psychology of joy, of happiness, of gratitude and in her chatty way brings sense and understanding to how important it is for us to find and feel these moments.
The old adages of ‘smelling the roses’, ‘live in the present’ are true here; it’s not a ‘hey shoo wah bru’ type of book – McNulty is firmly grounded and she’s done mounds of research, brings interesting facts and people to the fore and offers a stack of references. As well as examples of more than a glimmer a day that you can hook into and add your own. Becoming aware of what gives you a lift: the warmth of washing dried in the sun; the smell of fresh baking; the opening of the first spring flower…simple things that reflect small acts of kindness for ourselves.
It is an authentic unravelling of how we can learn to look, listen, capture a moment, however small, and understand the mental and physical health contribution that we are experiencing. Because that’s what its about …easing tension, finding calmness, opening new pathways.
Divided into seasons, with lighthearted illustrations and a typeface that is definitely easy on the eye, this is a book to dip into, carry with you or gift. It has surprising depths, all very gently presented with no obligation for the reader to take them on board until they are ready. Pick it up when you need to, start a ‘glimmer diary; it’s a practical book, thoughtful, cheerful with the very empathetic McNulty using her skills as a writer to invite you to see a world that is so much more.
The old adages of ‘smelling the roses’, ‘live in the present’ are true here; it’s not a ‘hey shoo wah bru’ type of book – McNulty is firmly grounded and she’s done mounds of research, brings interesting facts and people to the fore and offers a stack of references. As well as examples of more than a glimmer a day that you can hook into and add your own. Becoming aware of what gives you a lift: the warmth of washing dried in the sun; the smell of fresh baking; the opening of the first spring flower…simple things that reflect small acts of kindness for ourselves.
It is an authentic unravelling of how we can learn to look, listen, capture a moment, however small, and understand the mental and physical health contribution that we are experiencing. Because that’s what its about …easing tension, finding calmness, opening new pathways.
Divided into seasons, with lighthearted illustrations and a typeface that is definitely easy on the eye, this is a book to dip into, carry with you or gift. It has surprising depths, all very gently presented with no obligation for the reader to take them on board until they are ready. Pick it up when you need to, start a ‘glimmer diary; it’s a practical book, thoughtful, cheerful with the very empathetic McNulty using her skills as a writer to invite you to see a world that is so much more.
August 24, 2025
Thank you Watkins Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
Bridget McNulty has shared a gift available to each and every one of us.
In her book Daily Glimmers, Bridget explains that “Glimmers” are a concept first conceived by Deb Dana in her PolyVagal work.
Glimmers are minute pieces of joy scattered in every single person’s life. In spite of hardship and pain being experienced, a person can find tiny pockets of joy within life. Glimmers are not external things we get like buying a new piece of clothing or having a holiday, they are the small daily joys that are often overlooked in the daily chaos of modern living.
However, once we are aware of glimmers we can begin to seek them out and in turn our brain begins to change and through the neuroplasticity process we can train our brains to seek more and more glimmers on a daily basis.
The majority of the book provides examples of glimmers, grouped into different sections with accompanying examples of further glimmers.
Initially I thought the book was overly long and would have been better condensed and made as a coffee table style book with bright accompanying photographs. This book is not that, I had missed the point. By reading through each of the pages I was positively happy to discover that by reading and processing all the incredible ways glimmers show up that I had, almost by osmosis, begun to also start seeking glimmers daily,
This book is a fabulous book that quite literally grows on you.
This is an ARC given to me my NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Glimmers I can share that are NetGalley related are:
- Finding a book that creeps up on you and seeps into your body in the most enriching way
- Opening your email to see you have been granted a much wished for book to review
- Reading two amazing fiction NetGalley books in a row, knowing you will have a book hangover when they end
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I highly recommend it.
Bridget McNulty has shared a gift available to each and every one of us.
In her book Daily Glimmers, Bridget explains that “Glimmers” are a concept first conceived by Deb Dana in her PolyVagal work.
Glimmers are minute pieces of joy scattered in every single person’s life. In spite of hardship and pain being experienced, a person can find tiny pockets of joy within life. Glimmers are not external things we get like buying a new piece of clothing or having a holiday, they are the small daily joys that are often overlooked in the daily chaos of modern living.
However, once we are aware of glimmers we can begin to seek them out and in turn our brain begins to change and through the neuroplasticity process we can train our brains to seek more and more glimmers on a daily basis.
The majority of the book provides examples of glimmers, grouped into different sections with accompanying examples of further glimmers.
Initially I thought the book was overly long and would have been better condensed and made as a coffee table style book with bright accompanying photographs. This book is not that, I had missed the point. By reading through each of the pages I was positively happy to discover that by reading and processing all the incredible ways glimmers show up that I had, almost by osmosis, begun to also start seeking glimmers daily,
This book is a fabulous book that quite literally grows on you.
This is an ARC given to me my NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Glimmers I can share that are NetGalley related are:
- Finding a book that creeps up on you and seeps into your body in the most enriching way
- Opening your email to see you have been granted a much wished for book to review
- Reading two amazing fiction NetGalley books in a row, knowing you will have a book hangover when they end
Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I highly recommend it.
October 29, 2025
Bridget's writing drips with her infectious enthusiasm for life and as a result Daily Glimmers is part gentle guide, part daily ritual, and part love letter to the quiet beauty of being alive. Each day offers a tender nudge to pause, notice, and appreciate life’s smallest, most fleeting gifts: the kind that often slip past us in the rush of being alive.
I used to wake up and reach for my phone, which inevitably meant that I'd start my day with the worst of the news, the pit in my stomach deepened and I would drag myself out of bed feeling more hopeless than the day before. When I got Daily Glimmers, I decided to try switch things up a bit. I put my phone under the book each night when I go to sleep, so I have to pick it up in the morning. I start each day with a gentle reminder to move through my days with curiosity, and an openness to tiny little moments of joy. And to harness joy from my routines like I hadn't before.
Structured around monthly themes and packed with over a thousand tiny moments of joy, the book manages to feel both deeply personal and universally resonant. It’s beautifully designed, accessible, and brimming with warmth! It's the kind of book you can dip into on difficult days and always find a reason to exhale, smile, and keep going.
I used to wake up and reach for my phone, which inevitably meant that I'd start my day with the worst of the news, the pit in my stomach deepened and I would drag myself out of bed feeling more hopeless than the day before. When I got Daily Glimmers, I decided to try switch things up a bit. I put my phone under the book each night when I go to sleep, so I have to pick it up in the morning. I start each day with a gentle reminder to move through my days with curiosity, and an openness to tiny little moments of joy. And to harness joy from my routines like I hadn't before.
Structured around monthly themes and packed with over a thousand tiny moments of joy, the book manages to feel both deeply personal and universally resonant. It’s beautifully designed, accessible, and brimming with warmth! It's the kind of book you can dip into on difficult days and always find a reason to exhale, smile, and keep going.
August 10, 2025
In a world that often feels overwhelming, Daily Glimmers offers a gentle, uplifting reminder to pause and notice the tiny joys that surround us. Bridget McNulty’s concept of “glimmers”—those fleeting, three-second moments of delight—is both simple and profound, and this book is a lovely resource for anyone seeking to build resilience through mindfulness.
Organized into thematic chapters with over 1,000 examples, the book encourages readers to find joy in the everyday: from the feel of new socks to the quiet magic of a rainbow. It’s a comforting companion for those navigating tough times, and a practical guide to cultivating emotional well-being through small, intentional observations.
As someone who values a positive mindset, this is the kind of book you’ll want to keep nearby—on a nightstand, a coffee table, or tucked into a bag—ready to inspire a moment of reflection whenever life feels heavy. Everyone can benefit from the gentle practice of noticing glimmers.
Thank you Watkins Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Organized into thematic chapters with over 1,000 examples, the book encourages readers to find joy in the everyday: from the feel of new socks to the quiet magic of a rainbow. It’s a comforting companion for those navigating tough times, and a practical guide to cultivating emotional well-being through small, intentional observations.
As someone who values a positive mindset, this is the kind of book you’ll want to keep nearby—on a nightstand, a coffee table, or tucked into a bag—ready to inspire a moment of reflection whenever life feels heavy. Everyone can benefit from the gentle practice of noticing glimmers.
Thank you Watkins Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
August 3, 2025
Thank you to Watkins Publishing, NetGalley, and the author for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciated the seasonal structure of "Daily Glimmers" as I am someone who lives by the rhythm of the seasons, and the format resonated with me.
Bridget McNulty offers gentle encouragement to notice fleeting moments of joy, or “glimmers,” in everyday life, which are for me: birdsong, fog over a field, a kind gesture in traffic.
Her take on mindfulness (versus forced gratitude) felt especially refreshing in a culture saturated with toxic positivity.
While I found some metaphors clunky and the tone occasionally simplistic, the book is sincere and accessible, especially for those new to reflection or feeling disconnected from the natural world.
I also liked her references to other writers and inclusion of further reading.
This isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s a sweet reminder to slow down and savor small moments.
I appreciated the seasonal structure of "Daily Glimmers" as I am someone who lives by the rhythm of the seasons, and the format resonated with me.
Bridget McNulty offers gentle encouragement to notice fleeting moments of joy, or “glimmers,” in everyday life, which are for me: birdsong, fog over a field, a kind gesture in traffic.
Her take on mindfulness (versus forced gratitude) felt especially refreshing in a culture saturated with toxic positivity.
While I found some metaphors clunky and the tone occasionally simplistic, the book is sincere and accessible, especially for those new to reflection or feeling disconnected from the natural world.
I also liked her references to other writers and inclusion of further reading.
This isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s a sweet reminder to slow down and savor small moments.
June 22, 2025
I highly recommend reading if you have heard the word 'glimmer' and want some help on identifying them in your life. I appreciated how McNaulty defined the difference between glimmers and gratitude, and the MULTITUDE of examples she offered that will appeal to anyone at any stage of life. Open your eyes a little wider and I promise all the glimmers are there. For myself, even just yesterday I saw sunflowers EVERYWHERE. Are they my favorite flower? No. Was I intentionally looking for them? No. Did it make me giddy and excited everytime I saw one? Yes :) And that, is the point of glimmers.
Thank you to Watkins Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Watkins Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 20, 2025
I suppose it’s not a massive surprise that ‘Daily Glimmers’ is a delightful book to read - it’s in the title after all! But it really is a thing of joy! It’s probably the only ‘self-help’ book (if it is even that genre?) where I’ve managed to read more than a few pages. Something about the format (bite-sized glimmers, split into seasons) that makes it’s very approachable. But it’s also obviously the content: nearly every single glimmer is relatable - how has she managed to do that? Find hundreds and hundreds of wonderful moments from our everyday lives that nearly all of us experience, but fail to notice?! Having them pointed out to me as I eat my cereal every morning is a really great way to start the day!
July 22, 2025
This is a sweet little book. I appreciated that it was broken down by seasons, and that the author purposely kept it from turning into toxic positivity. She included just enough of her own stories to make it relatable (such as talking about how hard it was to feel anything but despair after her mother died and her father had a stroke) while still keeping it open for all different readers to find their own little glimmers. There are alternatives for each one in case they don’t work for you. It did help me focus on little joys during my days.
I read a digital ARC of this book via netgalley.
I read a digital ARC of this book via netgalley.
July 24, 2025
Thank you, Net Galley, for an advanced copy of this book! All reviews are my own opinions.
I highly recommend this book. I was deeply changed by the idea of glimmers. I have been significantly happier since seeking daily glimmers. I found the format to be extremely useful. Additionally, I enjoyed the use of seasons to advance her format. I will definitely read this book again and recommend it to others. Read this book if you struggle with seeking gratitude or joy in your everyday life. Especially read this book if you are in a difficult season of life. Thanks again!
I highly recommend this book. I was deeply changed by the idea of glimmers. I have been significantly happier since seeking daily glimmers. I found the format to be extremely useful. Additionally, I enjoyed the use of seasons to advance her format. I will definitely read this book again and recommend it to others. Read this book if you struggle with seeking gratitude or joy in your everyday life. Especially read this book if you are in a difficult season of life. Thanks again!
August 22, 2025
Daily Glimmers is a delightful and uplifting guide that reminds us how much joy can be found in the smallest of moments. With more than a thousand examples of glimmers, from savoring a favorite flavor to noticing sunlight through a window, this book helps train the eye and heart to appreciate life’s fleeting gifts. The thoughtful reflections and simple exercises make it easy to begin spotting glimmers in everyday routines, turning ordinary experiences into opportunities for gratitude and calm. Beautifully illustrated and inspiring, it is a book to keep close for gentle encouragement each day.
November 18, 2025
Daily Glimmers is the kind of book you actually use. It takes the idea of finding small anchors in a chaotic day and turns it into something practical rather than preachy. The entries are short enough to fit real life, grounded enough to feel honest, and gentle without veering into cliché. It’s the book you keep on your bedside table because it quietly does its job: it helps you pause, reset, and notice the moments that make everything feel a little more manageable. A solid buy for anyone who wants something uplifting without the fluff.
June 21, 2025
This book is such a breath of fresh air and reminder to.separate happiness vs joy, and seek out the glimmers in our days. I highly recommend reading this to help retrain our brains to focus internally on the daily joys in our lives, and seek out moments externally that will bring us those glimmers.
I am so appreciative of receiving this ARC, and I can only imagine how gorgeous this book will be in print!
I am so appreciative of receiving this ARC, and I can only imagine how gorgeous this book will be in print!
August 19, 2025
Thank you to Watkins Publishing, Netgalley, and the author for this ARC! I’d heard of glimmers before, but only had guessed what it meant. When I saw the description of this book I really wanted to learn more about this concept. I really enjoyed not only learning what glimmers are, but the author gave so many examples of how it can be applied in real life. I really liked how the author broke the book into four seasons. I thought it was unique and helpful. This is definitely a must read book!
November 22, 2025
Daily Glimmers is a tender reminder that joy lives in the smallest moments. Bridget invites us to pause, notice and savour tiny sparks in an ordinary day until life feels softer and brighter. It's like carrying a pocket of sunlight in your bag. This is the little book I want within reach on both the hard days and the happy days. I return to it again and again. It also makes the best Birthday and Christmas presents!
September 19, 2025
This book is like magic in your hands. It's helped me so much grow aware of the slices of joy in the everyday, and overall my sense of wellbeing, hope and just general in-love-with-life-ness has increased. It's also so fun to read. McNulty has a way of words that is delicious, memorable and so very talented. What a gift.
September 19, 2025
This wonderful little book suggested I skip to the Autumn section in line with the seasons. I have read a few pages and feel like this is something I would like to pick up every day or every few days and read the next little bit. The positive mindset of the author pops out of the page like a hug. I look forward to allowing the daily glimmers mindset take hold!
August 19, 2025
This book was very enlightening. I am a person who sees the negative and this book has you seeing the little good things around you in every small or big situation. Its a book you will reach for multiple times in a day even. Very beautiful writing.
September 19, 2025
Little gem if a book. Little injections if positivity during the day and finding new things to love as we are changing season.
Recommend if you are finding life a little drudgey and need a little help finding the positive.
Recommend if you are finding life a little drudgey and need a little help finding the positive.
February 2, 2026
All month I've been dipping in and out of this book every day and it helps me notice and think about the small things that give me joy on a daily basis. I'll continue dipping in and out and using it as a little dash of inspiration
September 21, 2025
A Glimmer a Day keeps the doctor away 😌. Good nuggets to help keep stop and find joy in a sometimes gloomy world.
December 1, 2025
Yeah, this really rocked in terms of appreciating the good things in life. Thank you -- I really valued this read.
August 19, 2025
This book was one I completely believe in and get behind, finding joy in everyday moments that boost your mood and uplift you amidst the busy chaos life can bring and have you live in.
From simple acts as enjoying the feeling of rain and embracing the weather, writing or drawing for fun and practical, finding a love of new music genres or coffee flavours.
My own example, me and my friend came up with happy socks, we usually wear all black for our work uniform but the socks we even got our work to get behind, sharing fun prints to smile and laugh over together, a bit of light in darkness whether in uniform or daily life, our own little daily glimmer and conversation/connection starter!
From simple acts as enjoying the feeling of rain and embracing the weather, writing or drawing for fun and practical, finding a love of new music genres or coffee flavours.
My own example, me and my friend came up with happy socks, we usually wear all black for our work uniform but the socks we even got our work to get behind, sharing fun prints to smile and laugh over together, a bit of light in darkness whether in uniform or daily life, our own little daily glimmer and conversation/connection starter!
August 19, 2025
Daily Glimmers by Bridget McNulty is a guide to finding the glimmers in everyday life. The main idea is that we should focus on noticing and acknowledging simple daily pleasures that we often miss, either because we’re not looking or because we’re too busy.
The research and thought that must have gone into this book is evident. The chapters, thoughtfully laid out by season, highlight so many wonderful daily glimmers. The illustrations add charm, as do the book and poem recommendations at the end.
This is the kind of book I’ll return to regularly, and it would make a lovely gift for loved ones and friends. It's engaging, well-structured, and often made me smile and feel happy.
I received a free advanced review copy from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
The research and thought that must have gone into this book is evident. The chapters, thoughtfully laid out by season, highlight so many wonderful daily glimmers. The illustrations add charm, as do the book and poem recommendations at the end.
This is the kind of book I’ll return to regularly, and it would make a lovely gift for loved ones and friends. It's engaging, well-structured, and often made me smile and feel happy.
I received a free advanced review copy from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
August 19, 2025
I've heard of the concept of glimmers but was really interested to hear more about the art of finding little joys in every day. I love the fact that the book is split into four sections, for each season and gives you ideas of little glimmers you may see day to day, This is definitely a book I will be buying in physical format, and one I will be purchasing as gifts!
Thank you netgalley for my ARC copy for a honest review.
Thank you netgalley for my ARC copy for a honest review.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews