What makes you feel good?

It's winter in Brussels. Green spots peek through the layer of thick whiteness. The children put on their mittens to have a look and feel outside. Finally, snow… Last couple of two months I was surrounded by ill little people and I didn’t get out much. It made me feel tired and it seemed to linger on for ages.

On a Saturday morning I sneak out to have a catch up with my dear friend from university in Breda (Holland). Destination: http://inkannenenkruikenbreda.nl/. “This is such a popular place”, she says, “Let’s stay and sit down until lunch is over.” While being there, I wonder what it is that makes me feel so good.

Her presence? Of course!
A brown café latte? Always good.
The atmosphere in the room....? Mmmm..Let me see.

When I take a moment to zoom in I see green coloured walls, photos of deers and trees, pictures of Dutch famous painters like Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Vermeer. It makes me feel relaxed and fresh at the same time.
This, in such a contrast of today’s world of Trump and Terror. A world in which the colour red is so dominant. Aggression and polarisation. And also in our working and private lifes we tend to feel agitated and try to handle our stress levels. No wonder, we take shelter in the oasis of places like “Kannen en Kruiken”, "Dille and Kamille" or “Natuurelles” in Tervuren ( https://www.facebook.com/Natuurelles-159261294523906/). There we can breathe and start to connect again.

I’ve always been intrigued by the effects of colours. I use it in my writing, but also in my coaching sessions. Some aspects of leading a stressful life can be difficult to talk about and process. Talk in colours can help. It enables to express what you feel and release your anger and unhappiness without any need to express your emotions through words. I ask people to draw (without words) their dreams about the future and to colour blocks of time in time mapping. This is so powerful.

Did you know that colouring in Holland is amazingly popular amongst adults? You can do this at home, at work or when travelling. It’s a portable way to destress. During your lunch break by colouring rather than spend your downtime stressing out about any negative comments made by your colleagues.

Last Friday my Moorsel friend persuaded me to invite a colour and style coach to check our wardrobes. I fully enjoyed being coached myself and to see what colours and materials work and work against you. The colours and style you use say so much about your personality, the first impression you make and how you feel.

We see colours all the time, but how often do you think about how they effect us and how to use them?

I close my eyes and listen to the Flemish radio. I hear a song that I had never heard before. I share it with you:
Laat ons een bloem, by Louis Neefs:

"Laat ons een bloem en wat gras dat nog groen is, laat ons een boom en het zicht op de zee
vergeet voor één keer hoeveel geld een miljoen is, de wereld die moet nog een eeuwigheid mee"

"Leave us a flower and some grass that is still green, leave us a tree and a see sight
forget for once how much money a million makes, the world needs to persevere in eternity"

I leave you a flower! I leave you some green.

Carmen

25/1/2017

Thu, 02 February