Mon, 28 Feb 2022 01:26:27 -0800WeeblyTue, 08 Jun 2021 01:35:03 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired6795779Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Many Shades of Green!
 
Boldly Green
“The world is exploding in emerald, sage, and lusty chartreuse — neon green with so much yellow in it. It is an explosive green that, if one could watch it moment by moment throughout the day, it would grow in every dimension.”

• Amy Seidl (author, from Early Spring: An Ecologist and Her Children Wake to a Warming World)

What have you done today to be bold? To put yourself out there, to go against the grain, or in some way to let yourself stand out? Perhaps that kind of boldness isn’t your style but then how, even in a quiet way, have you truly acted to genuinely express yourself?
The “explosive” emerald, sage, and especially chartreuse that Amy Seidl describes serve as reminders to grow, to step out courageously, and to be who you genuinely are.
You might want to start from within; and you might want to, as Amy Seidl suggests, view your own development as akin to the unfolding of the processes taking place out there in the natural world. There’s already so much wonderful green, and it presents itself in objects of so many shapes, so many sizes, and of course, so many shades. It starts out pretty vibrant in the first place, and it only gets better from there. The colors and the textures keep changing, and “if one could watch it moment by moment throughout the day, it would grow [and deepen] in every dimension.”
Oh, if we could only think of ourselves in such positive terms more often.
And then there’s the putting yourself out there part. There’s the emerald, the sage, and particularly the chartreuse — neon-bright and explosive. After all, chartreuse is such a unique color, serving to draw attention and to provide contrast to its surroundings. So therein is the reminder to follow the lead of chartreuse; it’s about being you, and as you’re moved to do, it’s about boldly doing so.
For Amy Seidl, the chartreuse color is incredibly positive; for others, it’s not a favorite. Regardless, notice. Appreciate. Learn. Let chartreuse set the example, and take a cue to stand out as you really are.
How do these ideas resonate with you? In what one or two ways this week might you choose to “explode” into a little more chartreuse or just take a couple of small steps to put more of your genuine self out there into the universe?]]>Sun, 11 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired2597222Curious Blue
“I never get tired of the blue sky.”
--Vincent Van Gogh (artist)
 
     What do you think? I hope in his life time Van Gogh never did get tired of the blue sky. After all as an artist, it was his job to paint it. Vincent, do the work!
 
     More seriously, in just a simple seven  words, he has left us with something profound. How easy it is to do the same old thing over and over again. You take the same route to work. You bring the same (or a similar) sandwich to lunch. You wear the same style of clothes.
 
     And let’s not forget: routine has some surprising advantages. It helps us take short cuts. It gets us focusing on things that are more important. It lets us go on automatic pilot when we need to, and there’s even something downright comforting about engaging the familiar.
 
     But, it’s easy to get into ruts!
 
   And Van Gogh’s idea provides a great corrective.
 
     He’s reminding us that routine doesn’t have to be automatic pilot, and quite simply, he never gets tired of the blue sky. He notices different things each time he observes. Even if for example conditions are similar--the sky is clear and blue (no clouds; no other colors; very still), there’s nonetheless something to offer. Maybe a few minutes for him to be quiet and think. Maybe he likes the stillness and the sameness. Maybe he can appreciate the clearness and the blueness. Maybe he can even find nuance in that which is pretty much unchanging.
 
     Not to mention all the variety of shadings and differences apparent from one day (one hour or even one minute) to the next.
 
     He’s reminding us of two things that are important. Let’s take time to appreciate that which is so familiar to us it’s easy to take for granted. We forget the usual sandwich tastes so good. We stop noticing the color of our favorite jacket and why in the first place we liked it. He’s also encouraging us to really observe and to stay curious. There’s always nuance and change. That walk down the street with the dog is never quite the same. Even the same sandwich or burger tastes just a little different from one day to the next, and  there are always different conversations to be had on the same bus route.
 
     Routine doesn’t need to be automatic pilot.
 
     Routine doesn’t need to be as routine as we make it.
 
     Just think of the shadings in that wonderful blue sky.  You’ll remember all the good out there, and you’ll come ack to center.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might take in the next day or so on that basis? ]]>Sun, 07 Mar 2021 18:42:10 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired8488503Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Color Blue
 
Perspective Blue
 
“When you look at the light bulb above you, you remember Thomas Alva Edison. When the telephone bell rings, you remember Alexander Graham Bell. Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. When you see the blue sky, you think of Sir C.V. Raman.”
--A. P. J. Abdul Kalamb  (Indian scientist and politician)
 
 Really? When was the last time you thought of Thomas Edison when you turned on a light bulb or Alexander Graham Bell when you answered your phone? I always identified with Marie curie;  when we read about her in grammar school, she stood out as a woman professionally ahead of her time,  working as a top notch scientist and even receiving a Nobel Prize. There was also notable sadness; she lost her husband at a young age.
 
     And Indian scientist Sir C. V. Raman? Travelling across the Mediterranean Sea in the early part of the 20th century, he was captivated by the purity of the blueness of the water. His efforts to explain the phenomenon led him to make significant discoveries about the reasons for the scattering of light.     
 
       Ok so let’s get to the heart of the quote. When I turn on a light bulb, I simply turn on the light bulb, and I go about my business around the room.   Would, as A. P. J. Abdul Kalamb   suggests, there be value in thinking more deeply about how that light bulb was created, and what might that value be? Actually for me, this turns out to be a more interesting question than I initially thought.
 
     You get curious; you learn more about these genuinely fascinating scientists and the ways they went about doing their work. You get to learn about interesting people; you expand your horizons and you get to appreciate things which are awfully easy to take for granted. You might find yourself becoming so engaged that you even jump start your own creativity. In those ways, A. P. J. Abdul Kalamb, a top flight scientist in his own right, provides an important suggestion to take a shot at viewing tried-and-true things in new and deeper ways.
 
     But really? What about when turning on a light bulb just means turning on a light bulb?
 
     And what about times when we could look forward rather than behind us? Sure we stand on the shoulders of the greats of the past, and sure they’ve provided us with a lot of wonderful modern conveniences. At the same time as the leaders of history would want us to understand and honor their achievements, wouldn’t they also want us to move on, take things from where we found them and develop our own modern-day inventions and creativity?
 
     And if you think about it, this isn’t just about science. Isn’t the tradeoff as to whether to focus on the past, the present or the future relevant to our personal lives as well? Our own family histories? Our actions? Our beliefs? 
     You can learn things from looking back. You can also benefit from focusing on the present or the future. In the end, all of these perspectives are important, and it’s an interesting question to decide in a given moment where the greatest value lies.
 
     And one final thought. After all, It was the blueness of the Mediterranean that so enthralled Sir C. V. Raman. Hmm, with such a color of the ages in the background, realize it’s all good and whatever choices you make, realize you can’t go wrong.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?   ]]>Wed, 24 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired8441206Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color quote of the Week: Colors Magenta, Periwinkle, Purple
 
Engage Magenta
 
“Life is like a box of crayons. Most people are the 8 color boxes, but what you're really looking for are the 64 color boxes with the sharpeners on the back. I fancy myself to be a 64 color box, though I've got a few missing. …there are so many different colors of life, of feeling, of articulation. So when I meet someone who's an 8 color type...I'm like, hey girl, Magenta! and she's like, oh, you mean purple!”
--John Mayer (musician, entertainer)
 
  What do you think? There’s a little bit of attitude here? Most people are 8 color boxes, but Mr. Mayer is a 64 color box. Well, what do you expect him to say?
 
     That said, this observation really gets you thinking. It’s a great idea. What if we could more often think of ourselves as a box of crayons, With as many and as diverse a set of colors (and feelings) as we want and with colors (and feelings) that change whenever we want or need them to? You’re having a “blue” day; what might need to happen to change it to red? Things look kind of black? That’s ok; let’s honor those feelings for awhile; then perhaps let’s draw with some kind of orange? The box of crayons is such a great metaphor because it’s enlightening and empowering to think that there’s all these different colors, feelings, images and perspectives inside of each of us, and to know they can all coexist with each other most of the time. Ok, you’re experiencing a day that’s predominantly blue. That’s fine; the more you think about it though, there’s probably also some red, green and yellow hanging out just waiting to be called forth. You can pull out whichever crayon or feeling you want at a particular time. You can know that when you’re feeling one particular feeling, it doesn’t need to define who you are; that feeling is a part of you but there’s many many more hanging out inside you, at your beck and call.
 
     And as Mr. Mayer asks, how many colors of  crayons are hanging out in your individual box? You can argue whether someone’s got an 8-or-a-64-color box but wouldn’t it be nicer if we all get closer to the 64 box model? It isn’t just about orange or red; let’s call some feelings coral. It’s not just about green or blue; sometimes it’s turquoise or even teal. And it’s not just about red or purple; let’s, as Mr. Mayer asks,  get more magenta out there.
 
     Let’s go deeper into what we’re feeling, and let’s also make it fun.
 
          Each of us has a crayon box of colors and feelings inside of us. Let’s use them to the fullest to explore and to engage, and  let’s honor each and every last crayon, including all those overlooked shades and colors that have more to teach us than we realize.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?
]]>Tue, 09 Feb 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired6439687Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color quote of the Week: color Magenta (plus more
 
Want Magenta?
 
“The Best Things In Life Are Free Sunshine, songs of birds, the blue heavens, sunrise, the sea air, the field full of flowers, the wonders of nature, the magenta sunset, love, joy, peace of mind, the wonders of nature, the warm rain, the dew of the roses, the love of God, etc., are here for our enjoyment.”
--Alfred Armand Montapert (author: The Supreme Philosophy of Man: The Laws of Life) 
 
“My family could only afford to get me the box of eight Crayola crayons, but I craved the one with all 24 colors. I wanted magenta and turquoise and silver and gold.”
--Joni Mitchell (singer)
 
     What do you think? Ok, which perspective resonates with you more? Alfred Montapert (who wrote his personal-growth book around 1970) gives us a wonderful reminder as to all the things that are out there for us to enjoy—the sunrise, the sea air, the blue heavens, the magenta sunset, the wonders of nature…. There’s more abundance out there than we think, and  if you do think about it  ,there’s so much to make us happy.
 
          In that spirit, you can do an awful lot more than you’d expect with that kind of basic eight-color box of crayons that singer Joni Mitchell (who came of age about the same time Mr. Montapert was writing his book) was able to have when she was a child. You can take time to really get to know each color. You can play around with coloring  objects in unusual ways, creating such things as, for example,  red grass, an orange sky or a big bad crazy-looking blue frog. You can surprise yourself with how many combinations of colors you can put together, and you can vary such things as the shapes, sizes or textures of the objects.
 
     You can really get about as creative as you want!
 
     But come on; you’re a young child. Ok maybe you’re a full grown adult. Let’s be real. Who truly wants to hear those tried-and-true platitudes about getting the most out of what you have? You’re simply not satisfied   with that eight color box of crayons. Blue, yellow, red and  green are for sure great colors, but you want the whole enchilada. You want the silver, the gold, the turquoise and the magenta. You want the things you think you can’t have! 
 
     Which is totally natural.
 
     And which could serve as a spur toward some out-of-the-box thinking to come up with ways to help you get what you want. Maybe you already have more resources than you think you do. Maybe you can generate an action plan that will lead to what you see as a more positive result. Maybe you can view it all as an opportunity to find ways to grow and change.
 
     And maybe, from a different perspective altogether, there are times when it’s worth being honest with yourself. Let’s in those moments give yourself permission to simply feel bad about what you don’t have. 
 
     It may not be as socially acceptable, but it may be as important as falsely looking for ways outside boxes when you really feel stuck inside.
 
     In the end though, both Alfred Montapert and Joni Mitchell have some pretty important things to teach us. As well, the color magenta , whether it come in a box of crayons or in a sunset,  is a color often associated with spirituality; let’s use that to help us move forward to get more of the things we really want.
​
    How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?  ]]>Wed, 20 Jan 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired8992118Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Colors Magenta…plus
 
Experiment Magenta
 
“My father almost came to blows with a female dinner guest about whether a particular patch of embroidery was fuchsia or magenta. But the infinite gradations of color in a fine sunset - from salmon to canary to midnight blue - left him wordless.”
--Alison Bechdel (cartoonist; author)
 
     What do you think? Ok part of this is funny. Do you really need to argue with your dinner guests about whether something is fuchsia or magenta? You must really care about color if you want to be so picky, or you must be in a really cranky mood. Alternatively perhaps you don’t like that dinner guest; someone else in the family invited her?
​
    While    you might think Alison Bechdel‘s father was some kind of artist or someone who worked with color, In actuality he was a grade school English teacher and a part-time funeral director.

          But then again you don’t have to be an artist to appreciate the beauty of color!

      And if you think about it a little more and take it from a different angle altogether, Allison Bechtel’s description offers a chance to go a whole lot deeper. She’s encouraging us to compare and contrast how we ourselves handle everyday situations. Think about it. Mr. Bechdel was confronted with two instances where color mattered. First he’s arguing with a dinner guest.  Then he’s stepping outside to take in a natural phenomenon. Same person. Same interest in color. How come his reactions were so different?    

     Experiment magenta.

     Mr. Bechdel’s contrasting reactions to similar situations asks us to get down-and-dirty to isolate the effects of how we ourselves handle every day Situations. Same people. Similar issues. What makes us respond the way we do ? What triggers variation in our reactions? What makes us just want to get mad?

     Our responses could of course be triggered by our general personality traits. They could as well be impacted by the larger environment we find ourselves in.

     But Alison Bechdel reminds us that if we take just a little more time to compare and contrast our responses to some ordinary situations, we can get more leverage than we might expect as to the factors that might make our lives better. Through her description of her father’s handling of two experiences relative to color, she has inadvertently provided us with a powerful tool to experiment and understand how we ourselves handle our own situations. 

          Regardless at least for me, Mr. Bechdel got the big picture right. Yes, he might have sometimes overreacted about some relatively unimportant concerns (the exact color of a piece of embroidery), yet he deliberately took time to step outside to become “wordless” at the beauty of the evening sunset.

     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you could take in the next day or so on that basis?]]>Tue, 05 Jan 2021 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired4524459Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color quote of the Week: Colors Red and Magenta
 
Magenta Day
 
“I'm having a magenta day. Not just red, but magenta!”
--Stephen King(author, Needful Things)
 
     What do you think? A red day? A magenta day? What color day are you having? What color day would you like to have?
​
     Ok it’s interesting; Stephen King’s character is pretty definite. He explicitly lets you know that he’s having a magenta day, and he’s very clear it’s about magenta, not red.  is it because magenta (as a mix of red and purple) is a more complex and nuanced color? Is it because for some people magenta adds in a more spiritual dimension? Is it because the sound of the word has an interesting ring that makes you curious to know more, or   Is it because the character wants to stand out from the crowd by making an unusual choice?

     Here Stephen King’s character is focusing our attention on one aspect (color) that could help each of us get more out of our day. That’s important, and it’s easy.

     All you need to do is pick a color for the day and take actions consistent with your associations with that color. Alternatively you could, as did Stephen King’s character,  start a practice of describing the kind of day you’re having in terms of a color; what a simple and fun way to get a handle on where things stand for you and even how to make the day go better. 

    And if you want to, there’s more. Stephen King’s character highlights color;  what about you? Is it color that would help you focus your day, or might it be some other attribute?  Stephen King’s character is also pretty definite about his description, which is great if you know what you want; sometimes it’s more honest (if less socially acceptable) to admit your uncertainty and to pick a color (or other focal point) that takes that into account.

     In the end, I think I’d feel pretty happy be the day full of red or magenta, and I think I’d learn something if I figured out which was more on the mark.  

     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you could take in the next day or so on that basis? ]]>Tue, 29 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired6657734Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color of the Week: Color Purple
 
Purple Money? 
 
“The only problem I have with American money is that it's all kind of the same color, so I'm always having to look. Whereas with Australian money, you have purple, blue, yellow... We keep it nice and simple.”
--Emily Browning (Australian actress and singer)
 
     Hmm, who would have thought,  purple money? Money in different colors? AS Americans, we kind of like the consistency and standardization of our tried-and-true greenbacks; we don’t get distracted by complex images; and we’re encouraged to focus on the abundance of the money in our pockets more than particular numerical amounts. So money in different colors has some downsides and might be a bit hard to get used to.
 
     But think about it for a minute. Different colored money could also prove to be kind of cool.
 
     Remember your favorite childhood monopoly game! Which color would you want to represent the highest denominations? Purple because that’s the color of the highest value poker chip or because it’s associated with royalty and thus quality? What would it be like to have a pocketful of bills of your favorite color? How might your spending habits, your attitudes toward money or even aspects of your lifestyle change?
 
With advances in imaging and digital technology, it’s possible for nations to make more colorful currency, to produce bills of different sizes (actually the case in Australia) and to even include complex images on bills. In the modern day, the desire to produce attractive images combines with the need to crack down on forgeries and counterfeit currencies. And assuming you can see colors, Emily Browning, invoking the customs from her home country of Australia,    reminds us different colored money provides some pretty simple visual cues.
 
And it’s not just about money. Coming from Australia, actress Emily Browning had to adapt to a lot of new situations. How do you come to understand new accents? Different types of television programming? Different foods? A different school system? You come to another country; you need to come to terms with a whole different culture, and  those of us who have stayed put can only feel for people who need to adapt to such  transitions.
 
     But you don’t have to travel half way around the world to appreciate what it’s like to go beyond your comfort zone—when you get a new job; move to a different neighborhood; simply change your daily routine. As we have different views about what we want our money to look like, it’s obvious that we also invoke alternative ways to balance the need for stability with the adventure of change.    
 
       At the same time as Emily Browning expresses a strong preference for some stability (she advocates for the  colors of the money prevalent in her home country),   even more she must have taken huge steps out of her comfort zone to travel thousands of miles to begin to make a life in the far-away United States. In the en, the successful career she has established seems to have made her efforts more than worth the risk.
 
     So what about you? Do you have a preference for those tried-and-true greenback American dollars or would you be willing to experiment with some purple or many-colored bills?  Even as we need to respect the difficulty of balancing our needs for comfort with getting out of our comfort zones, it seems that exploring the adventure of at least a little bit of money of different colors could add a little more purple fun to our lives.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?
]]>Tue, 15 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired3326618Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Color Purple
 
Purple Cow
 
“This is a book about why you need to put a Purple Cow into everything you build, why TV and mass media are no longer your secret weapons, and why the profession of marketing has been changed forever.”
--Seth Godin (from the book Purple Cow, 2002)
 
       Purple cows? Seen any lately? What did they have to say to you? Please let us know where and what they were doing.
 
     But in the context of Seth Godin’s marketing book—and for that matter many other contexts—purple cows actually make a lot of sense. Godin thinks that particularly in the modern day (when we have so many product choices and so little time to analyze them), companies that will do best/be “remarkable”  are the ones that are going to ditch old ways of marketing and focus more on product development,  perhaps a little less on actual advertising. At best, people in these kinds of companies are willing to think outside the box, take risks, develop products that will stand out from the run-of-the-mill and focus on innovation.
 
     If you’re running a business, there’s a lot of food for thought to be found in this book.
 
     And there’s a lot here for the rest of us too because Godin is really providing an overarching philosophy of life. In whatever way that works for each of us, let’s emulate those successful companies, and let’s strive for excellence. Let’s also do some things to step outside the box, take some risks, try some new things and get out of what for each of us has become tried-and-true. At minimum, what if we were to challenge ourselves to take even a small risk or two on a regular basis?
 
     For me, it sounds like a stimulating way  to live.
 
     And what about the purple cow himself? Maybe because he’s so interested in novelty, Mr. Purple cow would encourage us to engage in an additional and even simpler kind of behavior. Perhaps he’s sending us a signal to simply take more notice and become a more careful observer of our surroundings as we’re going about the business of our day. What stands out as unusual as we’re driving along? Has someone said something that’s outside the norm of what they’d usually say? Has someone put up some new street signs or even a new building? Has anyone new moved in to a nearby house?
 
     It’s easy to go on automatic pilot and miss the changes.
 
     On a different point altogether and even in the modern day, let’s not forget to appreciate the value and stability of our routines. Even Mr. Purple cow after all needs to acknowledge that the foundation he grazes on is made more stable by that which is tried-and-true.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what or one or two actions you could take in the next day or so on that basis?
]]>Fri, 04 Dec 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired8113341Live Inspired!
Inspirational Quote of the Week: Colors Turquoise and Purple
 
Picture Purple
“We have the most beautiful planet - the Rockies, the purple fields of the United States, the Lake District, the Pyrenees, the turquoise seas of the tropics.”
--Dan Aykroyd (actor/comedian)
 
     Can you think of a time when you simply stepped back to first observe and then enjoy the bigger picture? You were sitting on your porch and you scoped out the entire scene around you? You spent time at a mall and you took a minute to observe all the surroundings—the shops and the shoppers, the interactions, the variety of comings and goings? What about something really big: the big picture of your life: your relationships, career, recreational activities, spiritual beliefs?
 
     Ok, maybe we don’t want to make it all that big just yet!
 
      But Dan Aykroyd has given us a lot to think about. He’s got the detail to hook us in—The Rockies, the turquoise seas of the Tropics and of course the purple fields of The United States. It’s description replete with imagery and with contrasts—including mountains, fields and The Lake District and of course the contrasting colors of turquoise and purple.
 
     The vividness of his description gets me excited. It motivates me to explore and engage and perhaps even take a trip.
 
     But at the same time, the picture Dan Aykroyd paints encourages me to concentrate on the whole. It’s not just the Rockies. It’s not just the Pyrenees. Especially at a time of such great concern about global warming, it’s a broad swath of the earth, an he’s right; it’s beautiful.
 
     There’s no question that the detail is important. Let’s enjoy each part of the globe for every last piece of beauty. Ditto our relationships, careers or our recreational activities. But Dan Aykroyd hits it out of the park when he reminds us of the importance of as well broadening our scope, capturing the panorama and observing things from a larger vantage point.
 
     How wonderful is the whole and how meaningful is it to integrate all the parts!    
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?]]>Sat, 28 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired8712548Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color  Quote of the Week: Color Purple
 
Purple Ketchup?
 
“At one time, Heinz tried making strangely colored ketchup, including purple, but gave up on it because consumers didn't believe it was ketchup. Would you eat a blue steak?”
--Michael Michalko (creativity expert)
 
     What about you? Would you jump on the bandwagon for ketchup that’s purple? Would you run out with your date for a steak that’s blue? More generally, when would you be willing to step out of the box to go for something unusual, or when do you want that which is familiar and tried-and-true?
 
     Michael Michalko’s quote is so interesting, and he really gets me thinking. Sometimes there is a real dilemma: when do we want what we have always done or when do we seek to embrace change? Think about the number of situations where this choice can come up-- what we’re doing during holidays; the places we take our dates; and of course, as Heinz found out,  the foods we choose to eat. Can’t you for instance just hear some 9-year old child seeing Heinz’ new coloring and going “ooh, yuck” to the sight of purple ketchup? Obviously many adults thought the same way. But can’t you also imagine people who would be intrigued at the possibilities offered by the changes. let’s see if some altered ingredient in the chemical formula makes the taste even a little better. Wow, that new bottle really catches your attention. What an interesting experiment; who would have thought there could be so many varieties of a tried-and-true product. Good for Heinz for experimenting and for changing lanes so to speak!
 
     As often as we make decisions balancing stability and change and as important as it is to consider the factors impacting our choices, Michael Michalko wants us to think about some other possibilities too. Working as an expert on creativity, he’s consistently teaching techniques designed to help us expand our horizons. He wants us to begin with what we know but also learn to see things in unusual and novel ways. So for example is it really an either/or proposition, and do we really have to choose  between stability and change? If we want to, are there ways we can expand our thinking so we can incorporate more of both in our lives?? Bring some old furniture into our new house? Bring a new friend to a traditional family dinner? Enjoy our sports but check out hockey instead of that preverbal baseball game.    
 
     In the end wasn’t the very integration of stability and change what Heinz was in fact going for when designing that purple ketchup?
 
     What about you? When do you prefer what you have consistently done, when do you want to try something different, and in what ways might balancing the two help you set things in a broader perspective?
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis??  
]]>Mon, 16 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired5590255Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Color Purple
 
Purple Dots
 
“The circle was slightly smaller than a dime and was a bright purple.”
--Jim Lehra (journalist/author/from the novel Purple Dots)
 
     A circle slightly smaller than a dime? The start of a doodle made by some kids?  A drop of unwanted liquid on a very clean floor?  A Symbol with a sinister meaning?
 
     Makes you kind of curious to know what this is about, doesn’t it?      
 
     Well here’s the deal. It turns out that in Jim Lehra’s novel set in Washington DC, , that bright purple circle (purple dot) does indeed represent a symbol. The novel is a fictional account capturing the power struggles set in the nation’s capitol, and if there’s a purple dot etched into the license plate of your car, it’s a signal to the police that you’re someone who is pretty important. In a big city where above all parking places are at a premium, a purple dot represents the ultimate perk: it means your car can’t be towed!
 
     Hey it’s fiction. 
 
     But also don’t forget those tiny tiny purple dots because they stand for and they help us think about some pretty big themes.   They remind us to be curious; what the heck does that purple dot mean? They encourage us to become better observers; after all they’re small, and they’re awfully easy to miss. They suggest to us that representing our successes by some tangible symbol can make things real. A child does well in school; he gets his favorite cookie. You enjoy a win at work; find some concrete way to take time to celebrate. Something really wonderful happens in your personal life; a purple dot may just be the very way to mark your success.
 
     And there’s more here too. Though In Jim Lehra’s world those purple dots represent what’s and who’s important through a focus on the trappings of status and power, what if they also call to each of us to reflect on an even deeper kind of importance: what’s most meaningful and what’s most fundamental in our own lives? What if the purple dot calls forth the characteristics we want in a great relationship, and what if the purple dot connected us with the things we truly and deeply value?   Hey, we don’t have to be playing Washington power games to think about what matters to us, and we don’t need to limit our concerns to parking spaces to get a purple dot. 
 
     Given the color purple is said to be all about wisdom, we can always use those little dots to stand for some pretty big things.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you could take in the next day or so on that basis?
 
]]>Tue, 03 Nov 2020 08:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired6579399Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Color Purple
 
Purple Tomato
 
“When people tell you to walk a certain way, it's like not thinking of a purple tomato. You can't not do it.”
--Helen Fisher (biological anthropologist; expert on the biology of love and attraction)
 
     Purple tomato? She’s right. Once you hear the phrase, you can’t help but think about it. In this case, it’s not only that you have to think about it; it’s also such a cool image that it’s actually fun to think about it. you get curious about what a purple tomato would look, taste, feel and smell like. 

   But then there’s that right way to walk. You get it into your head that there’s only one right way. Someone has told you that’s the case. You can’t quite remember who, but you just are sure you have to walk that walk. No other walk will quite cut it. In the end, you’re wrong not just because you’re not walking the right walk but because you’re just plain wrong.

     So there’s that cycle, and there’s that deeper level. You’ve got it in your head that you’re not good enough. Not smart enough. Not deserving enough. Any number of messages you think you’re told. You get them in your head, and Helen Fisher is right, they just take over! There’s a right way to do things, and you’re probably not doing things right.

     But can that purple tomato also help break the cycle?  
You really believe you’re not good enough. You don’t deserve more. It’s hard to break old patterns. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. In reality, we all do have ways we use to break these patterns, and  we all have strategies to change our thoughts. You can try to understand where the negative thoughts come from. You can try out behaviors that counter the thoughts. You can find people that help you stay positive.

     But again, enter the image of the purple tomato. It’s unusual. It’s dynamic. It’s fun, and for all we know if you find one, it might just taste good. So what about making a switch? What if every time you had a negative thought—especially the kind that are so hard to get out of your head—you  followed up with a different image—yep, what if you shifted to the  image of a “purple tomato.” Once it’s in your head, the image wants to stay there,  and you just have to focus and enjoy it.

     Hey it’s got all the health benefits of a fruit that’s good for you and all the wisdom we connect to the color purple.

     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis? 
]]>Wed, 21 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired3547112​Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Color Green
 
Prime Green
 
“Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises.”
--Pedro Calderon de la Barca (Spanish writer, poet, playwright, 1600s)
 
     What do you think? What’s your “prime” color?” What things or people or places are “prime” in your life?
 
     I like this quote. It asks us to think about color, and for Mr. De la Barca, it’s  green that’s prime.
 
     Good choice.
 
     You find green in just about every aspect of nature. It’s a beautiful color featuring a wide variety of hues and shades, and it  also provides a great background and brings out the vibrancy of other colors. Metaphorically, it’s associated with some pretty wonderful qualities, including growth, balance, harmony and relaxation.
 
     But as a side note, if you wanted to, I bet you could make a case for just about any other color too.
 
     And of course you can think about this with respect to just about any other aspect of your life. What people, things  or places etc. are prime for you, and how do I cultivate more of that??
 
     Wow, sometimes the simplest questions really are the most profound!
 
     Well, according to dictionary.com, there are at least three definitions of “prime,” and they compliment each other nicely. There’s the foundation: prime as meaning “of the first importance; demanding the fullest consideration.”     Then there’s prime as meaning first-rate (a good cut of meat; the best ale), and there’s prime as specifying uniqueness—in mathematics, a prime number is a number that you can only get by multiplying the number by 1.        (For instance, The only ways to get the numbers 3 or 5 are to multiply 3 or 5 by 1. On the other hand, if you want to get the number 4, 2 times 2 or 4 times 1 do the trick; to get the number 64, you can multiply 8 times 8; 4 times 16; 2 times 32;   or 64 times 1.)    
 
     Ok, enough math, but you get the idea.
 
     With his imagery for the color green, Mr. De la Barca for me  really hits the nail on the head to illustrate the best of all three of these meanings.  Think about it. “Green is the prime color, and that from which all the world’s loveliness arises.”  You don’t have to have (though you could) as your foundation a specific goal, a to-do list to check off items or particular things you want to have around the house. For Mr. De la Barca, it’s simply the prime color for the world’s loveliness. Nothing to do. No reason to strive. Instead, Notice. Focus on what’s lovely and good,  And simply enjoy.
 
     At its heart, isn’t that what setting a foundation and considering the best is all about?
 
And it goes without saying that what’s important and what’s best for each of us is unique. We all have our favorite colors; our particular take on things that matter most to us; our unique sense of the qualities we value in ourselves.
 
     “Green is the prime color, and that from which all the world’s loveliness arises.”
 
     What a nice thought, and what a wonderful way to use green to help us get connected or reconnected with what for each of us is  prime.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take on that basis?]]>Tue, 06 Oct 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired8443853​Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color quote of the Week: Color Green
 
Sadness Green
 
“They say it's better to bury your sadness in a graveyard or garden that waits for the spring to wake from its sleep and burst into green.”
--Conor Oberst (singer)
 
     What do you think? Not simple but important: thinking of a time when you’ve felt sadness  or even grief, how have you acknowledged and subsequently moved forward?    
 
     At least for me, something of a hard question. Easier to deny feelings you think you can’t do much about? Easy to sweep under the rug because you don’t quite know exactly what to do, and you think if you start feeling too much, you might  get stuck;  the daily tasks of your life will fall by the wayside? Easy to deny especially if people around you tell you to just get on with things and move forward?
 
     But let’s put the obvious and often forgotten front and center: simply when sad things happen, it’s ok to feel sad.
 
     And I guess the expert advice would be to process things in whatever way works best for you.
 
     In this regard, Conor Oberst’s thoughts are particularly intriguing. He obviously gets me thinking about times when I have felt sadness or grief and how I have dealt with them. As someone who finds these emotions not among the easiest, his thought is particularly helpful. Even more, his idea provides a different perspective. I like his start with “they say” because you can imagine getting all kinds of input, and you’re left with deciding what works for you. But bury your sadness in a garden or a graveyard and wait for spring for the green to burst forth? Lots of nice images and interpretations. The time may need to be “right” to feel strong emotions. They don’t necessarily come when you expect them! Also you don’t need to just jump in; Remember the importance of developing a safe space—where you have whatever it is that you need to feel truly supported --and in your own time feel and honor what’s going on for you and let those feelings of sadness develop into what they’re meant to be—which might include a need to grow; a need to create a new kind of balance or simply a need to find what’s truly in your heart.         
 
If you want these qualities, the  color perfectly fits the bill. Literally or metaphorically, surround yourself with a warm and nurturing green. 
 
     As well, At least for me, I like the image of taking my sadness outdoors. 
     I want the stillness; I want the spaciousness; I want  to  watch the growth and change of nature’s green.
 
     Bottom line: it’s easy to push tough emotions like sadness and grief under the rug; how we deal with those tough emotions is up to each of us; the thought that we might surround ourselves with a literal or figurative cacoon of green support inspires me to focus on the potential for the sadness to become a positive force for growth,  for a new state of balance and potentially even for change.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you,  and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?]]>Mon, 28 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired1272431​Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Color Green
Experiencing Green
 
“Visit a green place to understand green.”
--Susan Easton Burns (artist; “intuitive” painter; official artist for the 2014 Kentucky Derby)
 
     What do you think? How do you come to experience things? Learn things? Be really sure what you think about things? Well, yes, those questions might be a little abstract and the answers might take some time to develop. But Susan Easton Burns is on to something. As she says, you want to experience green; the first thing you might do is,  as she says, go to visit a green place. She wants us to travel, to see something different and to really partake in the new experience. Sounds like fun and it sounds like a great way to start.

     And what about “experiencing” green in other ways as well? Sticking around at home and going out of your way to observe green in the familiar surroundings in which you already operate? Taking particular note of what’s “green” as you interact with any kind of media? Asking friends and members of the family their feelings about the color??Checking on the internet  to get the thoughts of renown artists or historians? 

     Whether it’s the color green (which for me is pretty intriguing) or whatever it is that particularly grabs your own individual focus, Susan Easton Burns highlights for us the importance as well as the fun of going off and engaging in our own personal experiences. In a world where it’s easy to quickly seek out the opinions of experts, it’s pretty refreshing to be called to trust our own unique insights and ways of understanding. Even more and when you stop and think about it, it’s downright inspiring to reflect on how many ways there are to learn new things, to challenge ourselves, and to broaden our perspectives.

     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?

]]>Tue, 15 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired2771366Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: color Green
Clearly Green
 
“I am crazy about two colors: carmine and cobalt. Cobalt is a divine color and there is nothing so beautiful for creating atmosphere. Carmine is as warm and lively as wine... the same with emerald green.”
--Vincent Van Gogh (artist)
 
     What do you think? What is it that you’re crazy about, and what words would you use to describe those things? Vincent Van Gogh really hooks me in to his enthusiasm. He likes carmine and cobalt. As light blue or deep red, they’re vivid colors, and they provide a nice contrast. They’re “beautiful for creating”  atmosphere; and they’re lovely and warm.

     You’ve got to hand it to him. Van Gogh left us a lot just by creating wonderful paintings, and  Sometimes, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. But then again sometimes and as in this case, the picture seems to be made better by the words that describe it. Van Gogh is really clear about the colors he likes and what kinds of qualities those colors represent for him. Putting it into words only “forces” him towards even more clarity; and once he’s got that kind of certainty, you would think he would be encouraged to be using even more of those wonderful colors in his paintings. 

     Van Gogh is writing about art, but he’s reminding all of us of some pretty important things. By taking time to put his ideas into words, he’s engaging in the not-always-so-easy process of getting clear about what he feels.

     Sometimes you really know what you want. Sometimes you think you should know what you want. Sometimes other people make it seem easy  to know what you want, but sometimes, at least for me, it takes a while to get in touch with what I’m wanting.  

     Oops, but let’s keep it simple, and let’s keep it fun. Van Gogh has gotten clear; he says he’s “crazy about two colors”, carmine and cobalt. 

     But he’s a high quality painter and an enthusiastic kind of guy. He wants more!
      he’s also got to have “the same with emerald green.”

     In the end and regardless of how we get there, Van Gogh leaves us with the joy of focusing on the things which really make us happy, and he leaves us with the spirit of wanting more.
​
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?]]>Thu, 03 Sep 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired9880639​Live Inspired!
Inspirational Color Quote of the Week: Color Green
 
Background Green
“The color with which nature has tinted the background of all her pictures, green, is the most suitable ground for other colors. It unites wonderfully well with the yellow and blue which have produced it; it heightens red, and there is no flower or ripe fruit which it does not set off to greater advantage.”
--Charles Blanc (author; "Personal Adornment: Colours and Their Expression” (1875))
 
     What do you think? Green seems to me to be a great and sometimes an underappreciated color. Just head out in nature and be soothed and intrigued by its many shades and textures.  Look around your home to notice without any ostentation how having even just a little green around—in plants, on the walls or carpet—or as part of your wardrobe--adds a unique perspective. There’s also some pretty wonderful associations we have with the color--abundance, new opportunities, and all manner of possibilities for physical and emotional growth.
 
     To top it off, it’s the color of the heart chakra; let’s go inside ourselves to find what truly calls to us, and as the heart would have us do, let’s simply give more attention to the things we love.
 
     In that spirit, Mr. Blanc over a century ago focused our attention on a too often overlooked   aspect of the color green. It’s a great background color. When it’s around, other colors are enhanced; they’re more allowed to speak for themselves, and they get their chance to become the center of attention.  Mr. Blanc makes the images more vivid by reminding us how green “unites wonderfully well with the yellow and blue which have produced it; it heightens red, and there is no flower or ripe fruit which it does not set off to greater advantage.”
 
     Isn’t that also a wonderful description of a role we ourselves might more consciously and systematically want to take on? What if we were to follow the lead of green to refocus on coming up with ways to let other people stand out, to encourage them to speak for themselves and to follow their own callings. Sure for each of us, it all begins with loving and appreciating ourselves. It’s important to focus on what we ourselves need and want.  but Mr. Blanc and the color green help us remember it’s about sharing and complementing too. On its own, green has some pretty wonderful qualities; but it’s also a great background color. Let’s get the most out of it, and in its spirit of growth and expansion, let’s use our learnings from green to do the things that make things better for others and that help them too as well stand out.
 
     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are a couple of things you might want to do in the next day or so on that basis?]]>Mon, 31 Aug 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired9401477Live Inspired!​
The choice to Notice
“The Clinton White House today said they would start to give national security and intelligence briefings to George Bush. I don't know how well this is working out. Today after the first one Bush said, 'I've got one question: What color is the red phone?'”
-- Bill Maher (American Comedian, Actor, Writer and Producer)
 
 What do you think? Does this make you laugh? It’s easy to poke fun at a president who became increasingly unpopular throughout the progression of his time in office, and it’s also the job of a comedian to focus on public figures and highlight the human foibles and idiosyncrasies that rightly or wrongly engage our attention. But whatever one’s opinion of the ex-president, at least as satirized here, it’s also easy to relate. Don’t the rest of us make the same kind of faux-pas and gaffes on sometimes an everyday basis? Isn’t it surprisingly easy to miss things that should be obvious and that are staring you right in the face? For instance, a bright red phone?    

     And yet I think we all can identify with President bush as he was characterized here. You’re walking down the street. Did you lock your car? Where exactly did you leave it? Was the sign for the hamburger joint red or blue, or was there even a restaurant on the block? Was it the block before? There are so many chances to notice what’s around, but how much could you credibly describe? Isn’t it surprisingly easy to miss the most obvious detail? Even when the detail is right out there staring you as bright red in the face?

    So with his comedic though relatively unflattering characterization of President Bush, Bill Maher has as well actually provided the rest of us a surprisingly significant reminder. What about paying just a little more attention to those ordinary details? Those everyday situations which surround us? It might take some time. Noticing and practicing one’s powers of observation are of course learned skills. But here’s a case where The rewards seem well worth the effort. they’ll provide a different perspective on what’s around, they’ll suggest new and surprising things to get excited about,  and They’ll identify for you reminders of the abundance out there in the world you’re inhabiting.

     Even more, they’ll save you from suddenly and publicly becoming the butt of a joke from a nationally known and well publicized comedian.

     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?]]>Mon, 17 Aug 2020 07:00:00 GMThttp://colorreadingprofessor.com/color-blog/live-inspired7160562​Live Inspired!
Engage
“I was drinking in the surroundings: air so crisp you could snap it with your fingers and greens in every lush shade imaginable offset by autumnal flashes
of red and yellow.”
-- Wendy Delsol (author; Stork tags)
 
     What do you think? More to the point, how does this make you feel?  Author Wendy Delsol writes with some wonderful imagery and language that truly captures for me the essence of the fall season. You’re out there in nature. The air is crisp, and there’s a wonderful array of shades of many colors. Even more, you’re not merely a passive bystander; you’re actively engaging, completely absorbing yourself in the scene. You’re truly “drinking in the surroundings.”

     I like the colors; I like the sensory experience; I particularly like the active engagement that comes from getting caught up in and being inspired by the moment.  

     So ok maybe despite her eloquence, Wendy Delsol hasn’t convinced you. Maybe a day out in nature isn’t your thing. You’d rather be inside a warm toasty room rather than enjoying air so crisp it feels like your fingers could snap it, and all you want to do revolves around either participating in the kinds of summer activities that are no longer feasible  or simply enjoying being indoors and sedentary.

     I’m drawn to this quote because at least for me Wendy Delsol is describing exactly the kind of scene that calls to me. But what speaks to me even more than her description of the wonderful fall scene is the reminder to so actively engage even with the activities that are more ordinary and even the events of the days where things aren’t going nearly as well.

     You don’t have to be a fan of nature to engage to the max in the ordinary events of life, particularly the things which ring true for you and really make you a fan.

     How do these ideas resonate with you, and what are one or two actions you might want to take in the next day or so on that basis?]]>