What’s your relationship with blue?

Continuing the blue theme from the last blog …

I’ve always loved blue and its many shades.  I associate the colour with light and life, energy and spirit.  And I find it both uplifting and soothing.

I thought it was just me.  After all, everyone has a favourite colour, don’t they?  And different colours and tones suit different people, depending on their own … colouring.

Then I came across this article by Neurolab about ‘Blue Emotion: Exploring the Psychology of the Color Blue’.

Before I get to blue, I love Neurolab’s mission: to make information about psychology, brain science and behaviour accessible and understandable to all.  Equality of understanding and opportunity.  No wielding of expertise as power.  Fabulous!

And they do what they say on the tin.  The article draws on neuroscience, art, culture, history and much more. It’s beautifully written – clear, concise, informative and lyrical.   With a super-friendly tone and descriptions that engage the senses.

All really appeal to the HSP in me.

Anyway, back to blue.  Neurolab report the colour:

can lower blood pressure and slow breathing

make people more productive

is thought to help suppress appetite

is linked to calm, trust, dependability and depth

can inspire awe, introspection and spiritual connection

tends to be favoured more by introverts than extroverts

Interesting benefits!  And traits that most HSPs value (and often share).

Of course, everyone’s relationship with blue is unique – to them, their experiences, their culture and their circumstances.

So Neurolab suggest testing your own connection with blue by e.g. noticing the blue in your environment, seeing what emotions arise when you hold a blue object, or getting arty with blue materials.

I decided to do my own environmental review.  And I laughed out loud at the amount of blue in the room I’m typing this in.  It was a big surprise!

The tablecloth, sofa and a photo frame are blue.  10 pictures – all but one – have blue sea or sky or both in them.  And there’s blue in two ornaments, the seat covers and several jigsaw boxes.

There are other colours too – the browns of different woods, and ‘Egyptian Sand’ coloured walls.  But it’s definitely food for thought – like the idea that it might help manage appetite to eat off blue plates!

I’ll leave you to do your own blue inventory.  And with Neurolab’s beautifully-put last question: “So, what’s your blue story?”.