Life is about using the entire box of crayons…a statement I say often to my teams. A phrase, in some form or another, I wake up to embrace. A theory that I believe to be so instrumental to ensuring we become the best version of ourselves.

…and yes…this is coming from a person who’s favorite color is black…

Black. It is my comfort. My go to. My style. My brand. I can dress it up or down. I can make it a power statement or a subtle gesture. I can leverage it in bold, cursive, or capital letters. It travels well. Any photo looks good in B&W. It creates simplicity. Yes…It’s my favorite…for so many reasons.

Red. Passion. A statement color. Looks great when doing interviews on video. My favorite to wear on my fingers in the winter. Gets a point across…whether to be pointed or caring. Second favorite.

Purple and green…colors I use as accents. They are used in moments when I need to embrace calm. To embrace a little uniqueness. To showcase a different point. Intentional when used. Definitely part of the color palate rotation.

Yellows…browns…beiges…pinks…oranges…those colors I appreciate in nature, in art, in seeing others sparkle in them…but they’ve never quite been on my radar as a ‘go-to.’

Then there are the whites and greys…those are easy for me. They compliment my black. Add depth, flare, complexity.

My favorite color in a box of crayons growing up was “Cerulean.” It is the most beautiful, striking blue. I used it for everything that was blue. Sky…water…eyes…accents…

Then I wore colors for a good part of my adolescence and adult life because I was told…”use more color…you look good in color…black is boring…” (the list goes on…). So I had a closet full of color. I embraced the box of crayons to an extent that made me loose my foundation…black.

Now…I wear black. And I invite ‘pops of color’ in to remind me…life is and will always be…about using the entire box of crayons. I am now confident and comfortable with my black brand. With my love for the color…and what it stands for in all I do. I also mindful that it is good to change, learn, embrace new colors…because sometimes you never know…they might just become part of your palette…

So I would say…know the color you identify with…own it, don’t apologize for it…and remember…every color that life offers has something beautiful about it…you just have to remind yourself to paint with them all…if and when they present themselves.

This week…what color will you paint with to find a new perspective? To learn something new? To push your comfort zone? Or to remind yourself why you love ‘black’ so much…?

#youarewhatyoudo #lifeisabouttheentireboxofcrayons #loveblack