Mint is my new favorite color

It’s insane how busy I can be. Since we came back from our short camping trip, I decided that I wanted to keep up the “holiday vibe”. In my daily life, I’m still recovering from a burnout period (which I will write about another time), and therefore, I thought it would be a good idea to stay within the holiday rhythm. 

Its-hard.

One of my coping mechanisms has always been arranging stuff. My system believes that I’m in control, as long as I’m arranging things. In reality, the urge to arrange things controls me. Once I begin, it’s usually hard to stop. It’s like when you’re cleaning something, and suddenly you see all the dirt around it. And some more on the cabinets, and under the table, and in your closet, and a few hours later, you’ve rearranged your whole interior design. It’s like that, but with all kinds of tasks.

The truth is: life doesn’t become peaceful by finishing the organization of everything. Instead, it becomes peaceful by knowing what to organize when, as there will always be new things to do. This can be hard, especially when you’re behind on tasks. Your to-do list can feel like a big pile of dirt that never ends. And as we all know: those piles are not good for any ecosystem. 

My partner and I visited a cool clothing store during our vacation. They were selling clothes made from waste material from large “recycled” clothing dumps- mostly in Africa. It made me sad, somehow. How come that the people who are not buying from our fast fashion brands have to come with a solution for our waste material? It seems so unfair. However, what I remember from it is something different: their creativity. These people decided to actively “upcycle” the waste materials by making new, high quality clothes from them. These clothing pieces gained value, and they carry an important story. Even though there is still much more waste material coming in than leaving those dumps, this is a very inspiring initiative: it’s a source of creativity. With that, the initial problem itself doesn’t lose its significance, but the local actors suffering from it do gain agency. 

I have to think about this story when I’m looking at my own fight to solve all my tasks. I’m well aware that I will never be able to clear the whole list without something new being added, as life always continues. Can I unlock my own creativity to gain some sense of agency? And will that be worth something? I don’t know, but these questions are part of the reason that I’m writing again. And it feels good; better than panicking, at least. The last thing I need is a new interior design. 

On that note: I want to refer to the title of this piece. I’ve been wanting to write about my new favorite color for this summer: mint green. I haven’t done it yet, partly because I couldn’t find the time (thanks to all the tasks) and partly because it felt stupid. Why would you write about a color? Well, I really like this color. It gives me joy. And I recently heard someone saying: pick a color you like, and live in it. Isn’t that a fantastic metaphor? Although he meant it quite literally, and I do really like to pick small objects that are mint green, it’s also a great metaphor. 

A color can be everything. And it can be small. But most importantly, it can be your decision. One of the best ways to cope with feelings of distress and loss of control, is making tiny decisions that are within your control. Even when you’re not able to change your situation, you’re able to change a little thing. Like me, you can decide what your favorite color for this summer is, and make sure the little details of your life fit that color. Be it nail polish, vegetables, or the background of your phone. Also, the great benefit of relating a decision to the season is that you become in touch with how your feeling right now, compared to another season. It helps you think about the period of the year, its dynamics, and the way you, your soul and your body relate to them. In that way, one “silly” looking decision helps you connect to nature, gives you more agency in your life, stimulates your creativity and gives you a sense of control.

So, what’s your favorite color for this summer? 

I’ll close with a picture of one of my little mint green objects. With, alas, another task. 

🧚🏼T