Holiday Colors

If any of you are like me, you have just thrown away the last of the Halloween candy because you’ve eaten all of the “good kind”.

For some, the anxiety of how Thanksgiving dinner will be prepared without having November 25th off work has officially set in.

I welcome you all to the holiday season! While this is a very joyous time of the year, it can be equally stressful. Yet, it is possible to manage and prevent unnecessary stress. Understanding your True Colors spectrum can help.

When revisiting your True Colors spectrum, think about what color might shine brightest in your time of stress (usually the least dominant). Lucky for me, I become more Gold in time of stress. This means my Christmas list and budget is already complete and gifts will be under the tree in no time. Sounds productive right? Maybe. I must also recognize how too much of that color could be adding to my stress levels.

Balance is important. During times of stress, we may feel a tug of war between what we identify as our stress color and our dominant whether they are different or one in the same.

For example, people who are dominant Blue (nurturers and people centered), you may want to be intentional about how you are taking care of yourself this holiday season. Don’t overwork yourself to the point that you can’t enjoy all the good you are doing. The same can go for any dominant color. Work to create balance within your spectrum so you truly enjoy the holidays.

Submitted by —
Elisa Perkins
Assistant Director, Diversity and Recruitment
Office of the Associate Provost for Diversity and Recruitment

Has your color spectrum changed over the years? How?

Describe those changes to your colleagues. Remember True Colors is a tool to understanding others and ourselves. It is a common language because we talk about it and use it to articulate our perspectives to each other. Keep it going.

Training Schedule for Student Affairs STAFF (SD 410) — Fall 2015  (Download PDF)

Training Schedule for Student Workers (SD 417) — Fall 2015  (Download PDF)

Any questions or comments? Please send us an email at VPSA@utsa.edu.