Attuned to colors and textures
What the shades and textures we’re drawn to say about our emotional state
Did you ever notice that your taste in colors changes over the years?
If so, did you notice that those changes actually match your emotional state, your energy, your needs? I do and I find it fascinating.
A few years ago I noticed myself drawn to wool sweaters. Cozy, warm, grandma-energy wool. And I realized it was matching a deep need I had for nurturing, for the kind of comfort I didn’t have growing up. I thought that was interesting, and a moving.
If you’re not following trends, you’re following something better: your own style, your own intuition, your own inner compass. You’re not following what the fashion industry tells you to want.
This past spring, something a little crazy happened with colors. Hear me out, because even I can’t quite believe it 😄.
I’ve gone through distinct color phases in my life. I think in my preteen years, I had a phase with red. As a young adult it was green, then turquoise. Then purple around Covid time. And for the past few years, pink. Pink sweaters, even pink glasses and pink pants. And yellow has been in the background for years too.
This past spring I took it to the next level and painted my bedroom in the colors of my new counselling website. Yes, really 😄.
When I was building the website, I needed colors that felt right for that kind of work: calming, warm, grounding. I landed on a deep soft dark green and a pale pink. The pink actually came to me one morning when I woke up and saw my pale pink water bottle “That’s it”, I thought, “That’s the color I need”.
A few weeks later I decided to repaint my bedroom. So off I went to Home Depot, I picked a green close to my website green, and a pink/peach to complement the green. And then, I loved the bedroom pink so much I reversed my website pink to match it 😄. The walls inspired the brand!
And then I went a little wild. After getting inspired by some creative paint jobs online, I created what’s called color blocking: giving each corner of the room its own mood and energy:
- The couch wall corner: deep green, with a painted triangle on the ceiling,
- The work desk corner: pink/peach, with a rectangle on the ceiling,
- The closet area: yellow, from the leftover paint called “Sunny Side Up” from the kitchen, with a half circle on the ceiling like a little sun ☀️.
Green, pink, yellow. Triangle, rectangle, half circle. I hadn’t planned any of it. It just unfolded, one decision at a time, following my intuition. I still haven’t analyzed what the shapes mean though 😄.
Colors aren’t the only thing that shift with my inner state, clothes and haircuts tell the same story.
My whole life I’ve cycled through different styles: corporate clothes, hippy dresses, and everything in between. There’s a lot of meaning behind those shifts: trying to find where I fit, not feeling safe enough to show my true self, scared that being too eccentric would make me stand out and attract more attention than I could handle. I think I’d actually be more eccentric if I had the courage to stand out.
Haircuts are similar, though somehow easier. Clothes show my body, which feels more exposed. Hair feels safer, more playful, less vulnerable. My current haircut has actually become part of my brand, people recognize me with it. But when it’s time for something different, I’ll follow that instinct too.
I’ve come to believe that color, and any of our aesthetic choices, isn’t just visual. It’s energetic. It reflects where we are emotionally, what we need, what we’re reaching for. There’s actually a whole field called color therapy, or chromotherapy, built around exactly this idea, that color affects how we feel, often without us even realizing it.
I guess I’ve been doing my own intuitive version of color therapy for years, choosing colors that match what I need, surrounding myself with shades that reflect where I am, reaching for textures that feel like comfort or strength!
Maybe we all are.
What about you? Do you have a favorite color or texture right now? Is there a color you can’t stand? Can you feel the difference certain colors make in your mood or energy?
I’d love to know ❤️.
🌱 If you’re struggling with your mental and emotional health, you’re not alone. I’m offering counselling sessions as an RTCc with a sliding scale, and I’d be honoured to support you on your path. Reach out anytime 🙂 Contact me
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