Yellow not Blue

On Blue Monday – try Yellow and understand more about Joy Marianne Shillingford , Ingrid Fetell Lee

·????? What is it?

·????? How do you find it?

·????? Where do you feel it?

As a Corporate Psychologist I have always been fascinated in happiness.

I studied the Positive Psychology movement led by Martin Seligman and have been working on bringing psychological safety and mental well-being to people at work, for the past 20 years. Martin Seligman’s 2011 book ‘Flourish’ is a favourite of mine..and I love that word!

A dear friend of mine has decided to banish the word retirement and replace it with Flourish.

My corporate work focuses on three fundamental engines of corporate success – Successful Innovation, Compelling Communication and Healthy Culture and of course the magic that happens when they integrate.??

My passion is understanding how organisations thrive when people are happy, safe and well.?? Business success comes from happy people not happy people because of business success.

Initially I found it useful to learn the skills and tools of happiness, joy and well-being to keep myself mentally well and also to support my friends and family. I have severe ADHD, Dyslexia and Dyscalculia – it’s a lot of internal noise when you are building a business and a family.

I studied and practiced NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) for six years and eventually became an NLP Master – learning from one of the founders – Richard Bandler and also from Paul McKenna from whom I also learned hypnosis.??

I trained as a Relate counsellor and that gave me more skills – such as appreciative enquiry.?? I even went on a course to be a stand-up comic and worked on the minor league London circuit for a bit.

All along this path I was learning more and more about how our brains work and how thoughts impact our feelings and how those feelings affect our behaviour and ultimately ourwell-being. More than that I was amazed and liberated by the fact ?that once you learn about how your brain works you can positively affect not only your own life but also those around you.? ?This holistic approach of body and mind together is something I am passionate about today.?

As our brains are connected to our bodies I simply don’t understand why do we treat mental and physical health as two separate things?? I have suffered psychological injuries at work and I know others who have.? But these injuries are not reported in the same way as we report physical injuries.? There is currently no RIDDOR for a psychological injury caused at work.? However UNITE Union has a campaign calling for death by suicide to be a reportable incident.? I believe that when psychological injuries are reported with equity to physical injuries then this will begin a much needed change for people who suffer at work.

?A few years ago, I encountered the work of the incredible Ingrid Fetelle Lee.? She studied Joy. She has studied joy ever since one of her lecturers said that her products were all joyful.?? Ingrid studied product design but when she had that feedback she wondered about the word ‘joy’ what is that? ?and where does it come from?

?It is an interesting topic. We all know it when we feel joy and we know it is different from Happiness. ?Ingrid’s must watch Ted Talk and her helpful book ‘Joyful’ are supplemented by her website which is full of inspiration on how you can get more Joy in your life and work.? Her work will change the way you view the world forever.

https://aestheticsofjoy.com

A few years ago, I had the privilege to meet the inspirational, colourful and experienced Marianne Shillingford https://www.marianneshillingford.com Marianne is the Creative Director at Akzonobel, Dulux Uk and Ireland and Founder of the Colour in Design Award??????????????????????????????????

I was fascinated about the impact of colour on well-being at work.? I had been researching the work done by Cowry? (https://www.cowryconsulting.com/newsandviews/preventing-falls-with-pink-walls)? picking up on the research from the USA penal system that Pink can reduce cortisol and so reduce stress.? I know that the efficacy of this has been debated so I was looking to repeat the exercise.???

So on this ‘Blue’ Monday I am delighted to share that Marianne and her incredible team of experts at Dulux have launched ‘True Joy’ as their colour of the year 2025.? It is a wonderful yellow – and the reason they have published is?that

?‘this year, there’s a growing sense across the world

that life must be better elsewhere. In times like these,

?there’s a desire to break free, press reset and welcome in the new.’

?So as we welcome in the new and start to notice the longer days, the snow drops appearing and take time to listen to birdsong.? Take a moment to think about how you can ensure that you have more joy in your life – at home and at work.

I am going to do these 3 things:?

1.

I am going to really lean into my work supporting our clients with Culture, Innovation and Communications while thinking outside the box – our brand colour has always been Yellow!?

www.outsidethebox.co.uk

2.

I am going to paint a wall with ‘True Joy’ Yellow – thanks Marianne!?

3.

I am going to enjoy my new (non fee generating) side hussle as an interior designer working to bring joyful spaces to people and places where the need for joy is great.

Working in hospices, care homes, clinics and hospitals on a limited portfolio ( because we do it all Pro Bono.)

If you know of a healthcare setting that could use some love and creativity share our site.

www.tsign.fun

?

What 3 things are you going to do to bring you and those around you more joy?