​​Colour is the only therapy I need to banish the winter blues

When we invite colour into our life, we begin to experience its power, which can benefit both our physical and mental wellbeing

Commit to glimpsing sunrise as often as you can, go into nature and compare the infinite shades of green in one plant, and spot colour combinations in unexpected places (PA)

Colour is my superpower. I use it to spread joy and positivity, especially in the face of bad news and seasonal misery. Even on Blue Monday, considered the most depressing day of the year, I can always rely on colour to give me a mood-boosting hit of good vibes, banishing the winter blues and replacing them with rays of sunshine.

Train cancelled? At least I got to watch an orange sunset from the station platform. Failed job interview? I still wore my favourite red lipstick.

My love affair with luminosity began in childhood. I’ve always felt attracted to colour. I got a weekend job as a teenager to fund my hair dye addiction and I spent the rest of my wages on a sewing machine to make my own clothes. It was a good excuse to visit my local haberdashery where seeing fabric in vivid prints, patterns, and textures fed my colour addiction. Colour became my drug of choice and I didn’t just crave it, I lived for it.

The more being colourfully inclined became a habit for me, the happier I felt. I tried, but could never dwell on bad news or feel down for long. It was like I had tapped into a secret: colour is free and accessible, so why aren’t we all getting high on it?

There’s more to colour than its aesthetic. When we invite colour into our life, we begin to experience its power, which can benefit both our physical and mental wellbeing, and these beliefs are at the heart of my work as a colour therapist and modern colour theorist.

Throughout history, colour theories have been created by men. Newton, Albers, Goethe and others have contributed to the way we still view colour today. For example, the conventional colour wheel tells us that certain colours compliment each other and “suit us”, but I don’t prescribe to this rigid way of thinking. I take a more thoughtful, spiritual and feminine approach to colour. It’s a philosophy I call Hello Hue, a seven-point manifesto for how to harness the power of colour to make our lives better.

I delve into this wisdom in my new book, Hello Rainbow: Finding Happiness in Colour, which is my personal contribution to the realm of colour theory. I wrote it to inspire people to use colour to guide them to a more intuitive way of living, where colours can help them find joy and pleasure in the simplest of ways.

To experience the benefits, you don’t need to walk around like a human kaleidoscope, or paint your home – you just need to make time for colour. Commit to glimpsing sunrise as often as you can, go into nature and compare the infinite shades of green in one plant, spot colour combinations in unexpected places, marvel at the beauty of veggies piled high on market stalls, observe the reflections of water rippling as a duck glides by, stop and look at the details in street art, and as you stir spices into winter stews and hot pots, see how the seasoning changes the appearance of your meal. Taking a mindful and inquisitive approach to colour in this way is the first step to experiencing its magic.

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It’s not easy to view colour with such an open mind when Britain is largely a nation that suffers from chromophobia, a fear of colour. But thankfully there is a global colour-loving community that spreads the joy of colour and challenges perceptions, including people like Taryn de Vere whose #ObjectDressChallenge this January has captured the imagination of the public worldwide.

Seeing Pantone choose purple-infused Very Peri for their Colour of the Year 2022, their most distinct and vibrant choice to date, is also a welcomed move, validating that it’s ok to step away from neutrals and get creative with colour.

For the more we approach life with a colourful disposition, the more we’ll be uplifted by its energy, satisfying our senses and boosting our mood. Colour spreads positivity, positivity is infectious, and that is the kind of substance I will happily abuse.

Momtaz Begum-Hossain is a colour therapist and modern colour theorist. Her book, Hello Rainbow: Finding Happiness in Colour is available to buy now