Adding some JOY

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What does Freudian psychoanalysis and color consultation have in common? Do your feelings depend on what color you are wearing or on your earliest childhood memories?

Keep reading and you may be enlightened as I introduce you to my online, met in Mastermind group, lives in Portland (same city as my youngest son and his lovely wife), writer, and virtual friend, Joy Overstreet. Joy is coping with the corona virus pandemic in ways that reflect her first name.

Joy is a color consultant who reports deep personal change has occurred for her and her clients because of her work. Work that on the surface doesn’t appear to have much in common with my subject, Freudian psychoanalysis. As our conversation began, I asked her what she thought about Freud. “I read him in college but I prefer Jung.” Then she paused and added, much to my delight: “Actually more zen.”

Joy has worked as a color consultant for the last five decades, doing deep work with clients who presented problems around their weight, inability to stop smoking or clutter. I asked her what she meant by deep work and was gobsmacked at how close her answer was to psychoanalytic thinking:

“I am very clear that those problems are often ‘solutions’ to some underlying pain.”

She said her job was to help open her clients’ eyes to a new way of viewing and dealing with their ‘problems.’

And here’s where it gets really interesting:

“When I do a color consultation I look not just at the client’s coloring, I look for personality clues (introversion, extroversion, interests, career and hobby choices). What’s crazy is that their coloring and season (muted, bright, high contrast, rich) usually matches their personality. Does the coloring come first? or the personality? I don’t know if it’s separable. “

She continues:

“I do know that when a person is wearing the right colors in styles that go with the person’s season, they feel most authentic and confident—and other people respond accordingly. I’ve had a number of clients tell me the process was life-changing. It was for me.”

I find it fascinating that Joy focuses on how the interior relates to the exterior as she helps the people she works with gain self understanding and self-love, similar purposes to Freudian psychoanalysis.

Joy announced recently that she became an Octogenarian, so I asked her if it was different being 80:

“Not really. I’m fortunate to be in excellent health, with only minor arthritis in my hands pain wise. In many ways I feel smarter than I’ve ever been. By nature I’m very curious, so I am never bored. Even cooped up in my tiny condo I’ve got years worth of amusements… I had my third child at 43 and he has kept me from becoming an old fart.”

I am so glad to know Joy. She is an inspiration. If you want to contact her, subscribe to her newsletter “Alive with Joy” here: http://tiny.cc/AliveJoySubscribe  Email her at joy.overstreet.com Or check out her two color websites:
Custom color stylecolorstylePDX.com ColorStylePDX on Pinterest and Facebook 
Color palettes, furniture and art placement, down-sizingcreatingjoyfulspaces.com

There are lots of ways to find self-understanding, develop confidence, and learn to love yourself. If you need a lift someday, visit her! Tell her I sent you!

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10 comments
  1. Hi Nicky,

    I found this really interesting. So many years ago I don’t know how long ago it was, I had my colors done and found that I am an Autumn. And I do find that the colors make me feel better. For instance, one time my daughters “persuaded” me to buy a lime green sweater that I did not want. Their argument was that I didn’t have any bright colors like that and I should have something. So I bought it and hated it! I think I only wore it once. When I had it on I didn’t feel like myself and definitely did not feel comfortable nor attractive in it. I gave it to one of them, and it looked fabulous on her! I don’t know enough about this to know what the color/personality connection is, but I definitely believe there is one.

    I always enjoy hearing what you have to say to us, and I hope you and your family are well…

    Best,
    Connie Taylor

    1. Hi Connie!
      Fun to hear from you. I can’t really wear lime green either! What a great example.
      I hope Joy reads this and feels affirmed.

      The last couple of years (probably longer), I’ve been wearing gray and black with
      some bright white and have loved it. But I noticed the other day when I put on a new
      maroon tee shirt, I felt great! So maybe I will be branching out a bit. It’s funny
      to not have to worry about what to wear because we don’t go anywhere. I’ve been
      trying to dress up a bit but today I have on sweat pants and an old sweat shirt – both
      gray. But I didn’t want to waste time finding something different (I wore this yesterday)
      because I am working on the bibliography of my memoir – which means I’m sorting through
      books! It’s been fun but I’m getting ready for a nap.

      Stay well!

      Thanks for reading

  2. Thank you for this, Nicky! I love the idea that simply changing the color of your clothes or environment to “match” your interiority can impact your mood. So interesting! I think I’ll reach out to Joy myself!

    1. Thanks Diane – I hope you contact Joy! Let me know what you learn.

      Hope you are staying well and using some of this time for yourself – and perhaps
      your writing – though sometimes it is difficult to concentrate so do what you
      feel you need. Your proximity to an epicenter of COVID-29 has to be unnerving.

      Thanks for reading and staying connected.

  3. I’m comfortable in blacks and grays too but was never convinced about having my colors read.

    1. At first I thought you were making a joke – that you are comfortable in blacks and grays
      (like me) but never were convinced about red. You know red was Mom’s favorite color?

      Hope you are well and coping with this crazy time.
      Love,
      Nicky

      1. I do remember Mom liking red accents in the house. And I thought about the words red and read when I wrote it. It’s a little difficult to be forced to stay in even for us homebodies. It must be awful for people used to being on the go.

        1. Wow Nolan – you are becoming poetic in your thinking.

          I find it odd that Nina is the only one of us living alone – remember when we used to call her the “go-baby”?

          Thanks for checking in!

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