Dog Walk Three: The Importance of Favourite Colours

When was the last time you were asked your favourite colour? For most people, this is something they need to consider, the occasion being so infrequent that they need a moment to recall it. Some adults still have an answer to this question, but many hesitate, sometimes stating that they don’t have a favourite colour or they are indifferent to the idea. And yet, if you ask a child, the answer is almost always immediate, if a little inconsistent.

Anyone who knows me well knows that my favourite colour is yellow. Unlike most adults, I am very attached to my favourite colour. Yellow consumes my wardrobe, appears in my possessions, and decorates my classroom at school. I surround myself in soft hues of lemon yellow and duck-fluff yellow, sometimes even a nice golden yellow. I can tell that some people find this attachment to yellow to be strange, which is a valid if arguably outdated response. The fact is, the colour makes me happy, and surrounding myself with it is one way that I bring a little extra joy into my life.

As a child, having a favourite colour is essential. Your favourite colour is a form of early self-expression, your parents often selecting clothing and other items in shades that they know you like. It is an identifier, no different than naming your occupation as an adult. Children share their favourite colours in order to share a part of their budding identity, a growing awareness of self.

As adults, we do a similar thing, except our sense of self is attached to more practical things like jobs and relationships. When we meet people, we introduce ourselves with our profession and credentials, as though each of us is trying to justify our contributions to society or network with future colleagues. It feels so impersonal, this Coles-Notes version of adult experience that we feel compelled to share in every new interaction.

I personally miss the days when people were interested in what brings me joy, the little puzzle pieces that make up my specific identity. There are countless teachers and writers in the world, but not all of them love yellow, have curly hair, or make up silly songs about everything they do. The same is true for everyone you know. While our professions and relationships to others define where we exist in the community and world, they do not adequately convey the smaller details that make us unique.

I feel that this Favourite Colour Theory reflects the priorities of adulthood, the shifted focus from the person to their role in society. As adults, we tend to focus on productivity and progress. Everyone cares about reaching set milestones, whether personal or career-oriented, and while the pursuit of goals is important, so too is knowing who you are and what makes you happy.

All of this is to say that as a completely average member of adult society, I think we should bring back our favourite colours. We need to start talking about things we enjoy again, all of the superfluous things that make us who we are. It’s time we started asking the questions that don’t matter, sharing unique interests and preferences that bring us joy and a sense of self. Why not be defined by your favourite colour or animal, your secret talent or avid interest? Why are these details any less valid than your job or position? Sure, they are not status-determining in the same way, but I still think they are worthwhile all the same.

It’s time we shifted our focus back to the people in our lives, the true personalities and traits and humanity of them. It’s time to see the whole person in ourselves and others, the career, the relationships, and the minute details included. It’s time to bring back favourite colours.