COULOURS and QUOTES as the heart of our brand

"BE YOU exists to create products, spaces and experiences that remind people of who they are beneath conditioning", you read this and more in our vision, but what do we mean by that sentence? 

[shortcut to the meaning of colours and the specific quotes - scroll to the end ;)]

To explain how our unique designs work on your mind and body, I have to take you back to the time before BE YOU existed, when I was learing about human existence in psychological terms… Throughout history, there have been many ideas about who we are, why we are being born, and how we are shaped by life afterwards. Based on different fields of psychology, my take on everything is as follows: 

We are born to experience and learn about the world. However, because we are biologically less developed than most animals in the wild, we depend heavily on our environment. As newborns and children, we are open to all kinds of influence because we are learning and dependent at the same time. We observe how others live because, to us, that is the way things are done. As we grow slightly older, we become real explorers, learning through trial and error, experimenting and testing to discover what we like and dislike, and beginning to find out who we are. During this crucial phase of our lives, we often find ourselves in environments such as schools, which may have different ideas about how we should be and behave. Sometimes, our parents may also project their ideas onto us, lovingly wanting to give us everything they never had, without always being aware of whether it is really what we need at that stage in our lives. As we still depend on and love these people through different bonds, we believe what they say — at least until we find proof that it's not true. Until then, we believe what is said. 

You might have had a biology teacher who explained to you how neurons in the brain work. Mine explained it to me like this: Imagine you are in a field. Once you start walking, you create a path. The more often you walk the same path back and forth, the clearer and stronger it becomes, the grass stops growing, and the pathway broadens and deepens. If you continue, you'll have a road. By repeating this process over time, it will become a highway one day. If you want to take another path, you have to start from zero, unless there is another highway nearby; then your new path will quickly become a shortcut between the two existing ways. Once a highway is no longer being used, it starts to crack and fall apart, grass begins to grow over until it looks like a field again. 

It's a very wild story, but it might help you to understand that every time you believed a sentence that was spoken to you, you walked that path in your brain. Every "you're worthless", "be quiet", "you suck" and "you're ugly" eventually became a highway that you unconsciously use every day, thereby reinforcing its importance. Perhaps one day you became so busy driving on these negative highways that you forgot to create new ones. 

As I explained to you, the more often we see and hear things, the more we start to believe them. Once we believe them, they start to create our routines, which form the foundation of our reality. Have you ever tried to stick to New Year's resolutions, eat more healthily, join a gym, etc.? ? Did it work out? If not, then it's exactly because of the one or more mental pathways that you're constantly using without being aware of them. The most interesting fact is that most of these highways aren't even created by our own thoughts, but by the opinions and expectations of others that we have somehow accepted.

And this is where our designs come in. I wanted to create a product that would help people stop using certain highways and simultaneously create healthier new ones or reactivate grass-overgrown ones. Therefore, I chose clothing as it is an everyday item that you will read the quote on very often. To make you read it even more often, we designed the quotes so that every time you look down at the item or look at yourself in the mirror, you'll see them. To enhance the effect, I chose a specific colour of fabric for each quote, one that supports the meaning and aim of the words. 

QUOTES:

dude, NOW is the moment to start: This quote is for all of us who constantly procrastinate because we feel that the moment is never quite right to start. As a former champion of procrastination and master of people-pleasing, I can tell you that there is no such thing as the right moment. There may be things on your priority list that take precedence, but even those sometimes need an update. Your wellbeing and your dreams will always be priority number one — you can only serve your loved ones and community when you yourself are healthy and happy. Remember what they tell you on aeroplanes: In case of an emergency, put on your own oxygen mask before helping others. You see, without it, you'll die and won't be able to help anyone. Worse still, you won't even have helped yourself.

to get there, trust your gut buddy: Trust issues are perhaps the most common thing in our society. Yes, I've been there too: so many people you once trusted ended up hurting you. As a result, you built walls around you and became controlling. But if we're honest with ourselves, there was probably a silent voice within us telling us much earlier that those people weren't right for us. But we were too busy ignoring it because it was more convenient. Take the time to get rid of all the distractions and listen closely to that calm, warm, truthful inner voice. It's your life compass, whether it's about people, your job, or your next step towards freedom — it knows the way. 
 
go touch some grass bro, it heals: This quote was my brother's idea, touching on the topic of how our generation and even younger ones live in this digital world. We are constantly distracted, always comparing our lives to the highlights of influencers' lives, seeing their perfectly edited bodies, and forgetting to live outside of social media and screens. Life is much easier if you go outside, enjoy nature, exercise and refocus on the amazing person you already are and the beautiful life you have.

you're a champ bro. keep going!: This quote could describe the core character trait of some of us. But even the strongest of us need a reminder every now and again of how great we are and that, no matter what happened, we stood up, kept going and evolved. Take a moment to be proud of how far you've already come. Be patient and kind to yourself. Even if you're not where you want to be yet, enjoy the journey and allow yourself to accept the good things, such as genuine support and opportunities, that make everything easier for you! Trust me, you're stronger and a better champion once you leave survival mode.
 
happiness lies within you, mate: It took me a while to understand the concept, but ultimately, no one or nothing outside of you can make you happy or be responsible for your happiness. It is always your perception of the world and the things happening around you that either light you up or tear you down. Once you understand this, you can work on it. A good place to start is to be grateful for what you have and what you do. Something went wrong again? Take it as an opportunity to grow. Spilled coffee on your trousers? Great, you can test out that new stain remover you bought. Missed your train? Never mind — it wasn't meant to be, more time to enjoy the sun! 

you're powerful beyond measure: This might be my favourite quote by far, as it describes both our existence and the foundation of the brand. We're not talking about a manipulative, controlling power, but the power we awaken within once we realise that our thoughts shape our reality. Through remembrance, we can change into who we were always meant to be: free, doing what we do best with love and dedication. Limits only exist when we believe they do. Being a mother of four,  and feeling full of life — possible. Coming from a family where you had to earn your existence to being provided for by life with your soulmate by your side — possible. Building your own million-dollar company — possible. Travel for a living — possible! Whatever your heart desires and your mind can imagine is possible to create!

SHINE! the world needs your light: For all my people who had been conditioned to think they were worthless, the ones who were always too much, for those who let their spark be stolen, for those who gave too much and lost themselves in the process... You are here for a reason. You are a source of light and have powers and talents that the world is waiting to witness. Stop hiding your talents, gorgeous soul! Go out and embrace your full existence!

Interesting to know: I chose to write all the quotes in the positive tense because our brains don't process negative language. The proof: DON'T think of a pink mouse with green dots. What did you just think of? So here's a little insider tip: whenever you wish for something to happen, keep it simple and use the positive tense. For example, instead of saying "I won't fall", where your brain focuses on falling, say "I will keep walking". It also helps you to focus on the bright side of life!

 

COLOURS:

Different colours have different effects on our mood, body and brain activity because the light reflected by them reaches our eyes and bodies at different frequencies. More specifically, every colour is a type of light with a particular wavelength/frequency.
Although there is no right answer and perception also depends on culture and faith, the following provides a brief overview of what colours symbolise and stimulate (based mostly on European colour psychology).

White: new beginnings, order, integrity, wisdom, truth 
Red: strength, safety, power, passion, love
Orange: optimism, confidence, generosity, uniqueness, enthusiasm
Yellow: curiosity, brightness, radiance, prosperity, joy
Green: growth, balance, harmony, health, hope
Blue: intuition, trust, stability, calmness, tranquillity
Lilac: inspiration, mental clarity, faith, ease, imagination

Roughly speaking, one could say that the more intense a colour is, the more it symbolises the things above, and the more expressive, outward and visible it seems. The darker the shade, the more grounded it becomes; think of it as an inward power. Conversely, the brighter a colour is, the lighter, softer and more open it appears. This makes some colours less eye-catching, yet they remain very meaningful. Look at the different shades below: 

Petrol: depth, force, reflection, reassurance, inner knowing
Pink: boldness, playfulness, self-expression, blossoming, purity
Bordeaux: maturity, intensity, sensuality, vitality, magnetism
Sky blue: freedom, innocence, lightness, openness, freshness
Bottle green: wealth, grounding, abundance, sacredness, presence
Purple: royalty, transformation, vision, willpower, independence

There are several reasons why you'll never find black BE YOU items. Returning to frequencies, black does not reflect any light to our eyes, so it has a very low frequency and is not considered a colour. As you know, we stand for bringing colour back into a world painted in greyscale. It is also said that black attracts everything like a black hole, so wearing a full black outfit won't help you focus on yourself and the positive when you're simultaneously attracting low vibes from your environment. Yes, black helps to hide things, but hiding has never been part of our existence; showing our authentic self has. It's not about cancelling black at all, but, just like in our vision of wholeness — light and shadow in harmony — it's about integrating it. I see it as the perfect shade for basic pieces and accessories, or for adding a touch of elegance to our outfits. Yet an eye-catching colour remains the centrepiece of our look, bringing joy and love. 

 
with much love
~ Marusha