Don’t Let the Chainsaws Cut You Down

May 18, 2014 by Paula Prober 39 Comments

If you have a rainforest mind, chances are, you’ve met a lot of chainsaws.

Maybe you weren’t invited to birthday parties because the other kids didn’t want to hear about the BBC documentaries that you loved. Maybe you were bullied in school for choosing NASA over Disneyland or Jane Austen over Justin Bieber. Maybe your teacher told you that “no one likes a know-it-all.”

Chainsaws.

Maybe you had to hide the fact that you knew the answers in class and got A’s on the tests without studying. Maybe you were teased for your intense emotions. Maybe you ate lunch alone in the cafeteria most days.

Chainsaws.

And now, as an adult, you’re still getting cut down. At work. Your supervisor criticizes you for not being a team player. You’re so tired of waiting for everyone to reach the conclusions you drew. Two days ago. You’re desperate to find a colleague who shares your concerns about the questionable ethics in the organization. You’re told that you’re too meticulous, too serious and too sensitive. Your coworkers are threatened by the speed at which you accomplish tasks. But you don’t understand why they can’t keep up.

With friends, if you can find them, you may be doing most of the listening. They come to you for counsel but don’t reciprocate. When you risk sharing your ideas, you see their eyes glaze over when you start to explain why you’re thrilled that MIT is now sharing free classes online. They don’t share your exuberance for Virginia Woolf or your anxiety over the melting ice caps. They don’t cry with you when you gaze at the night sky.

What’s a rainforest mind to do?

Don’t let the chain saws cut you down.

You have a right to be you. The planet needs you to be you. If you’ve had to hide for years and now you can’t even find yourself, start looking. You’re the one with the tender eyes and the sweet mischievous smile. You’re the one who continues to believe in compassion. You’re the one whose heart knows what to say. Find yourself. No chainsaws.

All rainforest.

______________________________

photos from Creative Commons at: https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0092009/photos/16725630@N00/1524189000/

https://www.flickr.com/x/t/0090009/photos/runneralan/4151800472/

Author: Paula Prober

I'm a psychotherapist and consultant in private practice in Eugene, Oregon. I specialize in counseling gifted adults and consulting with parents of gifted children. The label "gifted" is often controversial and confusing. I use the metaphor of the rainforest to describe this population. Like the rainforest, these individuals are quite complex, highly sensitive, intense, multi-layered, and misunderstood. They're also curious, idealistic, highly intelligent, creative, perfectionistic, and they love learning. I've been an adjunct instructor at the University of Oregon and a guest presenter at Oregon State University and Pacific University. I've written articles on giftedness for the Eugene Register-Guard, the Psychotherapy Networker, and Advanced Development Journal. My first book, Your Rainforest Mind: A Guide to the Well-Being of Gifted Adults and Youth, was released in June 2016 by GHF Press and is available on Amazon or at your independent bookstore. My second book, Journey Into Your Rainforest Mind: A Field Guide for Gifted Adults and Teens, Book Lovers, Overthinkers, Geeks, Sensitives, Brainiacs, Intuitives, Procrastinators, and Perfectionists, was released in June 2019.