Welcome to the Buddhist Boot Camp Podcast. Our intention is to awaken, enlighten, enrich, and inspire a simple and uncomplicated life. Discover the benefits of mindful living with your host, Timber Hawkeye. Even standing completely naked in front of people wouldn't feel as vulnerable as sharing this episode with you because I'm

exposing how my brain works which is really intimate. I'm doing it to shed light on an

area that's been in the dark for a long time. I'm hoping it either helps you or

someone you know who might benefit from hearing it. While most labels are damaging,

restricting, confining, segregating, and compartmentalizing people into structured identities

and denominations, limiting what we can and cannot be?

This is a rare case of identifying with something expansive rather than marginalizing, more

akin to a breath of fresh air.

Growing up, I was called weird, strange, odd, and insensitive, all negative terms that suggest I was different

from others in bad and undesirable ways. Later in life, however, when I learned I am simply neurodivergent, it finally explained how and why my mind processes data and feelings in ways that neurodypicals don't always understand let alone accept.

So please allow me to explain that this is not a disorder.

It's an operating system that works just fine.

It's like asking someone for chips and they give you French fries.

As soon as you realize that they are British and French fries are called chips in the UK,

nobody is wrong or stupid. Even though you both speak English, you now understand the need to be more specific in the future because language can be tricky.

A friend actually snapped at me one saying, you're so random random timber we were talking about french fries and

you're asking me about speedboats how are the two even connected so I told him French fries

also known as chips are made out of potatoes.

Idaho grows more potatoes than any other state in America.

A few years ago, I learned how to water ski on Priest Lake Idaho with my friend's speedboat, so I was wondering if you knew anyone with a boat.

He thought I made no sense, but I don't understand how anyone thinks about anything without going through that progression.

I mean I can't drink water without thinking about its entire cycle from rain to rivers, pipes, filters, and the glass in front of me.

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