Larch vs Pine
Larch doubts what you can do. Pine blames you for what you did. If the feeling is I would not be able to, that is Larch. If it is I should not have, that is Pine.
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Why they get muddled
Both are low self-worth, both sit in Bach's despondency group, and both are quiet about it. Neither makes a fuss. From the outside they look alike, since both hold back and both undersell themselves.
The differences
The core sentence
Larch
I would not be able to do that.
Pine
I should not have done that.
Direction in time
Larch
Forwards. It is about what happens if you try.
Pine
Backwards. It is about something already done, sometimes years ago.
What you do with it
Larch
You do not apply, do not volunteer, do not put your hand up.
Pine
You apologize, take the blame, and work harder to make up for it.
When something goes well
Larch
You put it down to luck.
Pine
You feel you did not really deserve it.
Which one to pick
Choose Larch if
- You decide you will fail before you have even tried
- You stay quiet in meetings even when you know the answer
- You compare yourself unfavorably with the people around you
Choose Pine if
- You apologize for things that were never your fault
- Old regrets still make you wince years later
- You look for your share of the blame whenever anything goes wrong
What if both sound right?
These two travel together often, because believing you cannot do it and blaming yourself when it goes wrong feed each other. Taking both is common and sensible.
Common questions
What if both descriptions fit?
Take both. They are not rivals, and a personal mix holds up to six or seven. Most people find one is louder than the other, and the louder one is usually where a change shows first.
Is Larch the same as low self-esteem?
It is the part of it that stops you trying. If the feeling is more about doubting your judgment than your ability, Cerato is a closer match. If you have actually tried and been knocked back, look at Gentian.
Is Pine guilt or shame?
Guilt. Pine is feeling at fault for something. If the feeling is more about being tainted or not clean than about a specific wrong, Crab Apple fits better.
Keep narrowing
The pairs closest to this one, if neither of these two turns out to be it.
Crab ApplevsPine
Pine is I did something wrong. Crab Apple is there is something wrong with me. Guilt points at an act. Shame points at you.
Crab ApplevsRock Water
Crab Apple is about how you feel about yourself. Rock Water is about the rules you keep. One wants to be clean and the other wants to be good, and they do not answer to the same remedy.
CeratovsScleranthus
Cerato asks everybody. Scleranthus asks nobody. Both are stuck on a decision, and the difference is whether the argument happens out loud.
GentianvsGorse
Gentian is discouraged and can be talked round. Gorse has stopped expecting anything and does not want the pep talk. Gorse is the same feeling, further along.
Still not sure?
Read both profiles in full, or start from the feeling and let the quiz narrow it for you.