Are You an Orchid or a Dandelion?
Have you ever noticed that some people just seem naturally super resilient? Whatever life throws at them, they can handle it easily and thrive. And on the other end of the scale, some people are extremely sensitive. The smallest stress can throw them off balance, but in the right environment they can thrive.
Scientists have been studying these traits in children. They have nicknamed the super resilient children dandelions and the super sensitive children orchids. Studies are finding that about 20% of children fall at each end of the resiliency/sensitivity scale, and most are somewhere in the middle (nicknamed “tulips”).
Wondering if you are an orchid or a dandelion? You can take the following quiz that was included in a recent Today.com article. The questionnaire was developed for children age 10-19, so you can think back to how you would have answered it during those years, or answer for how you are now.
How strongly do you agree with each of these statements on a 7-point scale, with 1 being “not at all” and 7 being “extremely agree”?
I find it unpleasant to have a lot going on at once.
Some music can make me really happy.
I love nice tastes.
Loud noises make me feel uncomfortable.
I am annoyed when people try to get me to do too many things at once.
I notice it when small things have changed in my environment.
I get nervous when I have to do a lot in little time.
I love nice smells.
I don’t like watching TV programs that have a lot of violence in them.
I don’t like loud noises.
I don’t like it when things change in my life.
When someone observes me, I get nervous. This makes me perform worse than normal.
The higher your score, the more likely that you are an orchid - very sensitive to your environment. The lower your score, the more likely that you are a dandelion - very resilient and able to thrive in any environment. A mid-range score means you’re likely a tulip.
A recent article about orchids and dandelions written for college students to help them understand these traits describes how two students - a dandelion and an orchid - could approach the same situation differently. Can recognize yourself in either student?
“Imagine the following scene: Orchy the orchid is attending a large and important committee meeting regarding a new Student Affairs initiative. Dan the dandelion is sitting at the same table.
As the meeting is called to order, Dan is thinking about the materials he has prepared for the meeting. He flips through his speaking notes to ensure they are in the correct order. He is wondering what is for lunch, and pats his growling stomach in anticipation as he shifts his attention to the speaker who is opening the meeting and laying out the issues. He’s feeling prepared, calm, and a little hungry.
As the meeting is called to order, Orchy takes her seat. She notices that the air circulation system seems particularly loud today. Perhaps she’s sitting under a vent. Orchy appreciates that the new conference chairs are so much more comfortable than the old ones, and smiles in greeting at her colleagues around the table. She notices Aisha and Chen are smiling broadly as they quietly finish a conversation, and feels a tiny surge of energy and curiosity about what exciting ideas they may be discussing.
Orchy notices the committee lead glance her way, pause, and then shift his attention to Dan who is flipping through papers and then begins gently patting his stomach. Could Dan be feeling anxious or unwell? The team lead’s brow furrows slightly for a moment before relaxing. Interesting. Orchy feels a bit chilly, curious about new plans and directions, slightly concerned about Dan, and a little stressed about deadlines that await her attention following the meeting. Taking a moment, she pushes other thoughts to the side, takes a deep breath, and focuses attention specifically on the speaker who is beginning to lay out the issues.”
Do you recognize yourself in Orchy the orchid or Dan the dandelion? Or maybe you’re somewhere in between, a Toni the Tulip.
A long-standing question has been whether these differences in resilience/sensitivity are due to genetics or environment.
In a recent book called “The Orchid and the Dandelion,” pediatrician Dr. W. Thomas Boyce describes studies showing that these differences in resiliency can be seen immediately after birth. Some babies have more easily triggered fight/ flight/ freeze responses (the survival brain that I’ve written about in other posts).
After reviewing all the latest research, Dr. Boyce concludes that, like so many traits, both genes and the environment (including the prebirth environment of the womb) are involved in whether people are dandelions, orchids, or tulips.
Orchids face some challenges - they tend to get sick more easily and are more prone to psychological disorders. They also have some unique gifts of sensitivity.
If you are an orchid, does that mean you are doomed to a life of over-sensitivity and greater susceptibility to illness? We now know the answer is a resounding no! It is possible to literally rewire the physical structures of your brain for greater resiliency. In my next blog post I’ll discuss some ways we can increase our resiliency.
So which do you think you are - dandelion, orchid, or tulip? Hit reply and let me know :)
The quotes above are from the following articles:
https://www.today.com/health/your-child-orchid-dandelion-or-tulip-new-study-examines-kids-t121676
https://ryersonstudentaffairs.com/orchids-and-dandelions-what-kind-of-feeler-are-you/
Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear from you. Please send your comments, questions, and suggestions to liz@happybrainlife.com.
Have a beautiful day!
Liz
