The Power of Purple đź’ź
For most of my childhood, when asked what my favorite color was, I’d answer either pink or blue, depending on how I felt that day and what I thought would make me sound cooler.
But as I grew older and began developing emotionally and socially, my answer became purple. And this was my answer every time. No matter who I was talking to. No matter how I felt that day. And no matter how “cool” I thought it did or didn’t make me sound (I’d like to note that sounding “cool” is no longer a concern of mine (lol)).
Purple being my favorite color meant more to me than thinking it was pretty or feeling good when I saw it or thinking it looked nice when I wore it. It became a symbol of uniqueness and something that I felt made me stand out.
It sounds silly, I know. But at a certain point in my childhood, I didn’t like the fact that everyone else’s favorite color was also pink or blue. I wanted to be different. I wanted to have a favorite color that wasn’t the obvious choice.
Now, this is not to say that I am the only person in the entire (almost) 8 billion population whose favorite color is purple, but, in my experience, it’s not the most common answer to the most basic icebreaker question known to man. To me, purple feels unique.
Choosing purple feels like a way of representing my individuality.
Since I have grown into my own skin and developed my sense of self outside of others – which happened mostly post-high school – I’ve noticed that I have the desire to stand out. I prefer to avoid following the crowd. I tend to gravitate towards things that feel like me. I like purple not because it’s the trendy thing to do, but because it feels like a personal statement. I chose it because it’s truly what I like. It resonates with who I am.
Now don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate a good trend just as much as the next person (and YES, I did buy the E.L.F. Beauty lip oil and Birkenstock Boston Clogs). But there’s something about purple that feels like the opposite of that. Non-conformity, if you will.
I’m usually not one to choose something just because it’s popular and everyone else is choosing it. The things I’m drawn to stick around because they speak to who I am and not necessarily what’s “cool” at the moment. I like the feeling of knowing that my choices are truly my choices. Not because they’ll get me social approval, but because they resonate with me and feel right. And purple is a reminder of that every time.
I want to be liked and accepted for who I truly am, not for some false version of myself that solely strives for social validation.
The truth is, I like fitting in. I like being part of a group, having a sense of belonging, and knowing I’m surrounded by people who understand me.
But I don’t like blending in. There’s a big difference.
I’ve always been avoidant of fading into the background or being just another face in the crowd. In a weird way, purple feels like the perfect metaphor for that balance. It’s not as bold as red or as neutral as gray. It stands out, but in a way that feels authentic to my true self.
I seek that same balance in my life. I want to be part of something bigger, but I never want to lose sight of what makes me, me. Purple doesn’t scream for attention but it definitely doesn’t disappear. And that’s also how I tend to approach the world.
It’s kind of funny looking back on my childhood and how my favorite color would change depending on the day or who I was talking to. Back then, I wanted to blend in more. I wanted to be cool, even if it meant liking the same things everyone else liked.
But as I’ve gotten older, my preferences have also grown and evolved with me. And so has my confidence in those preferences.
Purple becoming my favorite color was about liking something that represents me, regardless of what other people think. I’m no longer worried about what makes me sound cool or popular or makes me fit in with everybody else. Now, I’m more concerned about what makes me feel like myself. And purple has been the perfect reminder of who I am.
🌟 Taylor
2021: Taken by a friend during my freshman year of college at Brown University
