What Your Favourite Colour Says About Your Personality, According to Therapists
It’s probably been years (or even decades) since someone has asked you what your favourite colour is. But even if you no longer have a preferred crayon in the Crayola box, it’s likely you gravitate toward certain hues when it comes to your home decor and clothes. As it turns out, your favourite colour in adulthood can be directly tied to your personality traits. Keep reading to hear from therapists and colour experts about this connection.
Blue is the world’s most popular colour. Really—a 2015 study conducted by YouGov asked people across 10 countries on four continents what their favourite colour was, and blue was number one in every location. The universal appeal of this colour is “most likely because of its association with the sky and water,” explains Lisa Lawless, PhD, psychotherapist and CEO of Holistic Wisdom. In this regard, blue evokes feelings of relaxation and tranquillity.
And people who gravitate toward those feelings are often empathetic, honest, reliable, and strong problem solvers, says Michele Goldman, psychologist and Hope for Depression Research Foundation media advisor.
Blue also signals that you’re trustworthy. In fact, as Lawless notes, studies have shown that wearing blue makes you appear more trustworthy to others. This is also why businesses like banks tend to incorporate this colour.
The shade of blue one favours, however, could add nuances to their personality type. “Light blues [are] connected to an easygoing and peaceful individual,” says Lawless. “Sky blue tends to exude more free-spirited and optimistic associations, and turquoise is often associated with uniqueness and individuality, while cobalt blue conveys a vibrant and energetic personality.”
One negative aspect of a blue-lover’s personality is “that these folks can be overthinkers, self-critical, and struggle with feelings of insecurity,” adds Goldman.
Like blue, green is connected to nature. In this case, the colour is typically “associated with health and balance,” says Lawless. “People who prefer the colour green tend to be productive, driven…highly intelligent, and perfectionistic,” explains Goldman. She adds that their level-headedness is often calming for both themselves and others.
Of course, there are many shades of this colour. Earthy, olive greens “tend to go hand in hand with people who are excellent mediators and who value balance and stability,” shares Lawless. Emerald green is associated with confidence and ambition, while mint green is linked to kindness, optimism, and gentleness.
But let us not forget that the phrase “green with envy” came from somewhere. Goldman points out that the hardworking and analytical personalities of those who favour green can make them possessive, impatient, and materialistic.
