What’s your purple highlighter?

A few days ago, I almost threw away my perfectly good yellow highlighter.

I had been practicing an upcoming presentation on Proyer’s Personal Play Identities and I was printing out a(n unrelated, cuz ADHD) research article on Playful Work Design (to read at the gym, because obviously), and I went to grab a highlighter. My hand reached for the purple one then stopped.

This actual thought ran through my head:
“If someone sees me highlighting, I should be using yellow. It’s more respectable.”

WHAT?

Not five minutes before this, I had given a two-minute speech (to my empty office) about how showing off color and personality isn’t unprofessional—it’s powerful.

Sheesh. These expectations run deep, don’t they?

Society has trained us to blend in. To shrink. To be taken seriously, we’re told we have to be beige.

But I’m done with that. I’m reaching for the purple highlighter. Every time. (or green or orange or ALL OF THEM!)

Because here's the thing: when we embrace our own playful identity, especially at work, we unlock creativity, confidence, and real connection.

 So... what’s your purple highlighter? How do you let your playfulness shine?

(Spoiler: playfulness might not mean what you think. It’s not about being silly or loud—it’s about the ability to reframe any moment to be more interesting, energizing, or meaningful.)

Want to know more? You might be more playful than you think. Take the Personal Play Identity self-assessment

Let's play with the parts of us we’ve been told to hide.

Talk soon,
Acey

P.S. If you’re new here (hi, welcome!), this is what I do. We explore playful work design—where neuroscience, creativity, and leadership collide—to build work cultures where people thrive. You can check out more about it here → BoredLess Consulting