Discovering Your Human Design, Part 3
Over the last few weeks, I shared my intro to Human Design (and why it's next level from Enneagram and Myers-Briggs). We dove deep with the Human Design essentials — your energy type, strategy, and authority. Now today is all about alignment in the everyday.
Reminder: You can discover your own Human Design chart by plugging your birth details (date, exact birth time in military time, and location) into myhumandesign.com.
Even if you're just discovering HD for the first time, you'll find that certain aspects of your life and way of being are naturally in alignment without you even trying. The rest act as a permission slip to peel back all the pressure and conditioning of your life and be who you're meant to be — even if it's different from what you've seen or been told.
Signature Themes & The Not-Self
Within Human Design, each energy type has it's own signature theme and a not-self theme. Essentially, you radiate your theme when you're living your design (in alignment) and when you're not, you stray into the not-self.
Here's a list of the signature and not-self themes by type.
Manifestors
Not-self: Anger
Signature: Peace
Generators
Not-self: Frustration
Signature: Peace
Man Gens
Not-self: Frustration + Anger
Signature: Satisfaction
Projectors
Not-self: Bitterness
Signature: Success
Reflectors
Not-self: Disappointment
Signature: Surprise + Delight
I found this DayLuna episode on what the not-self themes really mean to be very helpful.
I've found these themes to be spot-on for myself on both sides of the spectrum, and over time it's become easier to recognize when I fall out of alignment and into bitterness.
Some examples of bitterness for me are resenting someone else's success, wondering “why them and not me?”, jealousy over what someone else has that I don't, competition in any facet of my life (business, motherhood, etc). Really anything that positions me vs. them. Not pretty, but I'll admit that it happens…
Now when we stray into our not-self, it's easy to label that as bad and to shame ourselves for being there, but I recently heard the themes described as no more than a messaging system. This means when we end up in our not-self, it's no more than a signpost that the situation at hand has something to teach us. An invitation to look inward.
So much of life is like that, right? The struggles and the tension and the turmoil are all happening for us, not to us. But it's hard to see it that way in the moment.
The key is practicing that awareness. Notice what's happening (even if it's all in your head). Acknowledge your feelings. Find the lesson. Sit with it. Take what you need. Let it go.
Some lessons are easy. Others, not so much. I've found that having my strategy, authority, and themes to refer back to as my true north has made a world of difference.
As I've said, discovering your chart is feeling seen and remembering more of who you are, friend. Just remember that this isn't a one-and-done.
Your life is a journey of not only knowing who you're meant to be, but also becoming that person. It's always a choice. And you make that choice countless times each day in a thousand different ways.
In each day and each moment, we can choose to follow what we've seen or been told, or we can forge our own path. There is uncertainty in the unknown, but there's also beauty and so so SO much potential.
Trust your path and who you're being called to be, friend. When you fall off the wagon, remember that the there's growth to be had there too. And an invitation to look within yourself for what's next.
I believe in you.
Let me know what you're discovering about yourself! I can't wait to see what this journey holds for you, friend. 🌞
