Living in Color

You can either become so neutral that you're acceptable to everyone, or you can be your authentic, colorful self. You can’t be both.

I saw something on Instagram recently that took me down a rabbit hole of deep reflection. The creator compared photos from the 1960s, 70s, and 80s that featured homes bursting with personality, colorful appliances, patterned wallpaper, vibrant clothing, bright cars. Then contrasted them with today: beige, taupe, white, gray. Sanitized of personality and uniqueness.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love a beautiful neutral palette and there’s something timeless about Scandinavian design. But that's not really what I've been thinking about. I've been thinking about color as a metaphor for living. Because I wonder if, somewhere along the way, many of us have begun decorating our lives the same way we've begun decorating our homes. Safe. Comfortable. Easy to blend in.

The way we decorate our homes often reveals the way we've decorated our lives. Neutral choices are easy. They work with everything. They rarely invite criticism.

Color, on the other hand? Color asks something of us. It asks us to know ourselves. To decide what we genuinely love instead of what's expected. To choose something because it brings us joy—not because everyone else approves. That takes courage.

Whether we're talking about the colors on our walls or the way we choose to live, the same questions emerge. Are we curating a life that could belong to anyone... Or are we creating one that feels unmistakably like our own?

I think about all the ways we edit ourselves and lose our color. The careers we choose because they're practical. The dreams we quietly abandon because they seem unrealistic. The clothes we don't wear because they’re too bold. The hobbies we never try because they’re “silly”. The countries we never visit or the people we never introduce ourselves to. The ideas we never say out loud. Heck, many people don't even have a bucket list. They have a retirement plan… Maybe.

But a list of adventures that make them feel wonderfully alive? Not so much. What if we stopped asking, "What's the safest choice?"

And started asking, "What would bring more color to my life?"

Maybe that color looks like learning pottery. Or finally taking piano lessons at sixty. Or saying yes to solo travel. Or inviting that intriguing person to coffee. Maybe it's changing careers. Or simply laughing louder. Or wearing an electric pink shirt to a board meeting.

Living in color doesn't always mean making dramatic changes. Sometimes it simply means giving yourself permission to stop editing who you are. Yes, people may notice. Some may even think you've become a little wild. But I’ve discovered that the people who criticize your courage are often wishing they had a little more of it themselves.

So if there's something calling to you, like a dream… a curiosity… a tiny adventure… a piece of yourself you've been quietly tucking away... Trust it.

Because sometimes the courage to be yourself is the brightest color you'll ever wear.

Take a Color Walk

Set aside 15–20 minutes this week for a slow walk. Leave your headphones (and maybe even your phone) behind.

As you wander, notice...

🎨 Five colors you've never really paid attention to before.
🌿 Three textures that make you want to stop and touch them.
🌸 Two scents that reminds you you're alive.
☀️ One thing that makes you smile.

Then spend a few minutes journaling:

• Where in my life have I chosen safe over alive?

• What brings color to my spirit?

• What part of myself have I muted in order to fit in?

• If my life reflected who I truly am, what would look different?

• What color wants to return to my life?