Why are Colors So Impactful on our Emotions?
When we are going through loss experiences, the importance of color associations cannot be overstated. While everyone is not hyper-attuned to color or aware of the meanings that human beings attach to color, we are all in some way consciously or unconsciously impacted by the colors around us. For example, you may be keenly aware that at least fifty percent of your closet contains red clothes or fabrics that are striped or dotted with red. Or you may have a pallet of colors you’ve chosen for your home or a particular room. Once you know the colors in your pallet, you may find yourself drawn to objects of similar color as you shop in stores or online. When we become more aware of our color affiliations, we may realize that we typically lean toward warm or cool colors when making choices about clothes, home décor, and cars, or when we are having certain experiences.
Most of our color choices are subconscious. We are drawn to certain colors because we think they enhance our appearance, or they make us feel more comfortable in our environment. Colors can attract or repel us because they produce strong memories of where we’re from or people we know. Marketing experts study the power and impact of color on the human brain and use the results of their work to design trademarks, logos, signage, and other branding tools to subconsciously communicate with consumers about the quality, stability, and reliability of companies and products.
The truth is that the interpretations we place on people, places and events are impacted by all our senses; the sight of an ocean landscape may remind us of a fun beach vacation in Hawaii, the taste of pumpkin pie might elicit memories of Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma’s, the scratch of wool against our skin could bring forth memories of a hated childhood sweater, the scent of a particular soap may instantly bring back vivid memories of a man we once loved.
Our senses have long memories, and it is for this reason that I attached color to each chapter in my book Woman Reinvented: Reweaving the Fabric of Your Life After Divorce. I am a visual learner and am highly impacted by the presence or absence of color. I am also a tactile person which is why I likewise chose a tangible talisman to for each chapter help me connect with parts of myself; some that I may have buried long ago and some that I am using now to create sparkling new hopes and dreams for today and for my future.
As I state in my book,
Color associations are not universal. They are deeply private and often subconscious choices we all make based on how we perceive our possessions and the events of our lives. Culture affects our reactions to color, as do our good or bad memories that we associate with certain tints and tones.
True reinvention demands that we do more than just think about changing our thought processes and habits. Authentic reimagining requires us to experience transformation on a visceral level. Color association and touching a tangible talisman can help us to deepen the experience of reinvention and solidify its results in our future thinking and behavioral choices. Therefore, before starting each of the 8 Steps of Reinvention, I encourage you to consult my Reinvention Color Association Chart (RCAC) which is here on my website on the free downloads page.
If you do not find a color that immediately intrigues you on the RCAC, remember that there are hundreds of tints (lighter versions) and shades (darker versions) of every primary, secondary and tertiary color. Tints are generally made by adding white and shades are created by adding black. For example, the color I used in my book to help me with Remembering was purple. Tints of purple (a secondary color) and its tertiary and quaternary derivatives include but are not limited to light purple, lavender, periwinkle and amethyst. Shades, or darker versions of secondary purple include but are not limited to Plum, Mulberry, Raisin and Eggplant. The RCAC was not designed to be a limiting document. Conversely, it was created to jump start our consideration of color as an integral facet of physical, mental and spiritual reinvention.
Besides all of that, color is fun! It spices up our world and gives life and breath to each new day. Embrace color! I’ll talk more about talisman selection in another post, but for now, begin by thinking about how you currently engage with color. Is it something you have largely ignored as a personal influencer until now, or are you that person who knows her colors inside and out? Take a little time to reflect on your current relationship with color and decide where you would like it to take you. You never know. An investigation of your color associations might be a game-changer in your personal reinvention journey.