Every year, we’re bombarded with “Color of the Year” announcements from paint brands, color authorities, and design gurus. While these selections can spark inspiration, there’s a more personal approach to consider – choosing a unique shade that deeply connects with individual goals and intentions. Think of it as a visual mantra, a constant reminder of what you want to achieve in the months ahead. Ready to unlock the power of color?
The Power of Personal Color Selection
There’s a fundamental difference between market color trends and your personal Color of the Year. Industry color forecasts serve a clear business purpose – they reflect global trends and consumer preferences that can help grow your product line or business. But when it comes to personal growth and intention-setting, these market-driven colors might not resonate with your inner journey.
Your personal Color of the Year is something entirely different. It’s a deeply introspective choice that springs from your aspirations, emotions, and goals. Rather than following market analysis or sales data, you’re following your intuition and choosing a color that speaks to your soul.
Selecting a color that truly resonates with your personal journey creates a powerful psychological tool. This color becomes your daily companion – a visual reminder of your intentions that can influence your choices, lift your spirits, and keep you connected to your core goals throughout the year.
How Color Shapes Our Thinking
Research has shown that colors can significantly impact our psychological state. Blue can promote calm and focus, while yellow often sparks creativity and optimism. Red can energize us, and green typically promotes balance and growth. By consciously choosing a color to guide your year, you’re essentially programming your environment to support your desired mindset.
Think about it: When you select a personal Color of the Year, you might start noticing it everywhere – in nature, in shop windows, in your daily life. These moments of recognition become mini-reminders of your intentions and goals, creating a subtle but constant reinforcement of your chosen path.
The Reflection Process
Choosing your Color of the Year involves more than just picking your favorite shade. It’s about creating space for introspection and allowing yourself to explore what truly resonates with your aspirations. This process often reveals surprising insights about where you are and where you want to go.
Take time to sit with different colors and notice how they make you feel. You might find that while you typically gravitate toward calming blues, you’re suddenly drawn to a vibrant coral – perhaps signaling a desire to be more expressive and social in the coming year. Or maybe you’ve always avoided green but now find yourself attracted to its growth-oriented energy as you focus on personal development.
Pay attention to colors that:
- Keep catching your eye in unexpected places
- Show up repeatedly in your dreams or daydreams
- Make you feel energized or peaceful when you see them
- Remind you of experiences or feelings you want to cultivate
How to Choose Your Color of the Year
This isn’t about picking your favorite color. It’s deeper than that. Ask yourself:
- What do I want to achieve this year? Think about your biggest goals and the energy needed to reach them.
- What kind of energy do I want to attract? Consider the feelings and experiences you want to invite into your life.
- What are my core values and intentions? Your color should reflect what matters most to you right now.
- Which colors evoke those feelings and aspirations? Notice which colors make you feel aligned with these goals.
- Which color represents the growth I want to experience?
Don’t overthink it! Trust your gut. There’s no wrong choice. The power lies not in the specific color but in the intention and meaning you give it.
Remember, you don’t need to redecorate your entire home or overhaul your wardrobe. Start small – a notebook cover, a phone background, or even a meaningful object in your chosen color can be a powerful daily reminder of your intentions.
Bringing Your Color to Life
Your personal Color of the Year is not just a design choice – it’s a tool for transformation and manifestation. Here’s how to weave it meaningfully into your life:
- Workspace: Add a mug, a mousepad, or a piece of art in your chosen hue.
- Digital Life: Use it as your phone wallpaper or in your digital planner.
- Wardrobe: Incorporate it with accessories or a statement piece.
- Home Decor: Add pops of color with pillows, throws, or artwork.
- Growth Practices: Use it as an accent color in journaling, vision boarding, or meditation spaces
- Creative Projects: Let it inspire your personal projects like gardening or crafting
The key isn’t to surround yourself with the color everywhere but to place it strategically where it can serve as a gentle reminder of your intentions. These thoughtful touches become powerful anchors for your goals and daily reminders of what you’re working toward.
Let Your Color Journey Unfold
As you move through the year with your chosen color, you might find its meaning evolves. That’s perfectly natural and part of the beauty of this practice. Your relationship with your color can deepen and change, just as you do. Embrace it!
This simple yet powerful practice can transform how you think about your goals and intentions for the year ahead. It creates a visual anchor for your aspirations and a daily reminder of what you’re working toward. So why not take some time to reflect and choose your own Color of the Year? You might be surprised by how this small, intentional-setting act can influence your thoughts, actions, and experiences throughout the year.
Ready to Get Started?
- Reflect: What are your goals and dreams for the year ahead?
- Research: Dive into color psychology and explore different meanings.
- Trust Your Intuition: Which colors are calling to you?
- Get Practical: How can you incorporate the color into your life?
- Ignore the Trends: This is a personal choice, not a fashion statement.
Your personal Color of the Year isn’t just about aesthetics – it’s about creating a visual touchstone for your growth and transformation. What color will guide your journey this year?
Stephanie is naturally creative and is passionate about art, design, and everything handmade. She has always enjoyed exploring new techniques and trends in the handmade industry and has channeled this into her role as the Creative Director and co-founder of goimagine. Through her love for creating, she has successfully sold her unique wares, which range from fine art to simple crafts, in both online and in-person markets.
Yellow is my happy color. Blue and green bring me peace. Red is my power color.
What an excellent read. Truly lovely insight. Above and beyond all those other colors of the year. What could possibly be more important than our own personally chosen color. Love love this. 💙💜🧡💚❤️
My primary color is terra cotta, with several accent colors. In my clothes, in my home, in my paintings. I even, without realizing it, chose black glasses with a terra cotta stripe. That sure seems to be my happy color.