Brought to you by the Color Yellow

This edition is inspired by the Yellows of the world - those who believe happiness is experienced by CHOICE, and not by chance.

I am a Yellow. Based on Color Code Personality Theory, that means that FUN is my Driving Core Motive and that it is part of the "hard-wiring" of my personality. In other words, I was born a Yellow, and I'll die a Yellow. That doesn't mean that I haven't learned (or can't learn) to be responsible (like Reds), or compassionate (like Blues), or kind (like Whites).

To understand the Yellows in your life, you have to comprehend what drives them.

For Yellows, the very engine that powers our personalities - that influences the way we think, feel, and behave is... FUN (which, I've learned, is greatly misunderstood).

Fun doesn't mean endless joking around/partying, never being serious, and rarely accomplishing anything of substance. It does mean living in the MOMENT and enjoying the process of things (sometimes even more than the results). In other words, it's about the ability to find joy all along the journey, come what may.

Couldn't we all use a little more of that ability right about now?

The legendary Roman emperor and stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, wrote the following reflection, "Remember this: very little is needed to make a happy life."

That could very well be a Yellow mantra, because Yellows believe that you can choose to be happy, no matter what your circumstances.

Here are a few things you should know about the Yellows in your life:

#1 - Work and Fun are NOT mutually exclusive terms

I've been teaching Color Code workshops for over 20 years. I've worked with hundreds of teams and thousands of Yellows in person. One of the reoccurring themes that I see with Yellow team members and leaders is that they feel that if they enjoy themselves at work, they are not taken seriously.

It's a legitimate concern. I see it myself. I don't know if it's our Calvinist roots here in the US or something else, but if you look around, you'll see it, too. We use phrases like "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" or "Work hard, play hard", etc.

Those sayings effectively separate work into one bucket, and play/fun into another, but Yellows believe they can co-exist. In fact, they work hardest and most focused when they are enjoying what they do, the team they work with, and the environment where they work. If they feel valued and liked for who they are, they will thrive.

If you are a Red, Blue, or White, you may or may not see it the same way... but that doesn't mean it's not true.

#2 - Yellows have hearts of gold

They will share their hearts with you openly, but only if they feel safe and not criticized. They want to be liked and to make others happy. However, if they feel like you are being judgmental or critical, they tend to get defensive and defiant because they hate negativity and they refuse to be controlled.

This is true for young children, teenagers, and even adults. The trick to successful interaction with Yellows is to approach them with the carrot rather than the stick.

# 3 - Simply stated, if they tease you, they like you

Yellows hate negativity and if they feel like teasing you would create conflict or misunderstanding, they generally won't do it. That said, if you see a little playful teasing from the Yellows in your life, take it as a good sign!

What would be even better is if you were willing to be playful in return. That is a sign to us that we have rapport and that the relationship is positive.

I hope this article helps you get a little better sense of what Yellows are like. There's a lot more to learn, of course, but even small reminders can go a long way.

Don't forget to play this week! It's good for the soul. ;-)