What is Human Design?
And why learning it might just solve your fatigue, functional freeze and life woes
Quick Background
Have you ever thought: “Why is life so hard?”
There was a breaking point for me a few years ago (during my Saturn Return, not shockingly). I was sitting in the middle of an empty bedroom of the house I’d just signed a mortgage for thinking: I have a house, dog, husband, career, Purple mattress and Breville espresso machine.
What more could I possibly want?
Why am I so exhausted all the time?
Why do I feel this lack? This ache for something more?
My second thought was:
Ok, I get it. Life isn’t supposed to be all butterflies, bagels and rainbows. But is it supposed to feel THIS hard??
Am I supposed to fluctuate between apathy, frustration, desperation and happiness this drastically? I like my life for the most part. I like myself. I am confident. Yet… ugh idk, I feel like I have this itch that I cannot scratch. I want life to be more consistently….amazing? Is that selfish??
The answer is no. This kind of chronic emotional roller coaster ride is not required for life on Earth.
We are souls having a human experience. And part of the deal is experiencing the full spectrum of emotions, learning lessons, going through loss, becoming a breathing mosaic of trials and triumphs.
However, as we wake up to recognizing that we are in control, and our souls have big, glorious plans for us, we can activate our “aliveness” and experience more ease and less resistance in life. This is what everyone and their dog on in Internet calls “manifesting.”
Really, “manifesting” is just an awakening to a universal truth: you create your reality.
This is where life gets infinitely more fun, enchanting, romantic and exciting: when you decide to fully lean in, take the reins and start driving this sleigh YOUR way.
Human Design is your instruction manual for how you are supposed to do life so that driving feels like you’re one hand steering an AWD Escalade, going downhill, windows open, music blaring, all while sipping the perfect iced latte.
Learning my Design helped me realize I didn’t have either hand on the steering wheel. Hell, I wasn’t even in the passenger seat! I was in the back, sweating profusely, nauseated, with no snacks, no latte, no map.
But now? I’m the captain of this ship and there’s always a Lavender Latte in my cupholder.
What is Human Design?
This is not a personality test. Let’s be very clear about that.
Human Design is a BodyGraph of your energy centers that shows how you best connect with people and the world around you. It’s based on your exact birth date… the very moment you were born. This is why Human Design is unlike any other self-discovery tool. It’s 100% unique to you.
Human Design is not based on a questionnaire that spits out whether you’re meant to be a botanist or librarian. I used to love self-assessment quizzes too. I would eat them for breakfast I was so obsessed, like yessss put me in a box, give me a label, tell me I’m a INFP-Libra-Highly-Sensitive-Empath who’s a huge flirt, is chronically late and overstimulated by the oven fan.
The problem with personality quizzes is that they rarely give you data you can act on. I know I’m a Libra who loves balance and harmony but how does that make me more money or fix the fact that I wake up every day with existential dread??
Of course, you can get deeper intro astrology to decode some of your soul lessons, but for me personally, I needed something a bit more grounded. (Though I reserve the right to become an insufferable star geek later.)
Your Human Design is a your operational blueprint.
Based on your birth details, your Design generates a BodyGraph that shows incredible insights in how you’re meant to show up in this world.
how you are meant to attract opportunities (strategy)
how you are meant to interact with the world (energy type)
how your energy (or battery life) flows (energy type)
how you connect with your intuition and make decisions (authority)
how your soul lives it’s purpose (life theme)
how your personality becomes fully alive and magnetic (profile)
where you hold innate wisdom (defined centers)
where you have lessons to learn and can amplify wisdom around you (undefined centers)
what gifts of yours will attract the most abundance
what gifts of yours will make life easier
What is all this stuff that goes into the BodyGraph?
The BodyGraph is based on astrology, the chakra system, Kabbalah (ancient Jewish wisdom), quantum mechanics, and the I Ching (Chinese study of energy flow) and fully maps out how your energy works in the world.
Planetary positions at the moment of your birth “activate” specific energy Gates in your BodyGraph, creating your personal blueprint.
Some thought leaders link this to streams of neutrinos (tiny particles moving through all matter) that travel through Earth and bodies and that these particles imprint energetic information on us the moment we’re born
Explain it to me like I’m a skeptical 5th grader
The universe is a yapper. It’s constantly talking to us and sending out energy. The sun, the moon, the planets, the stars are constantly moving, glowing, pulling, yapping and influencing.
Think about the moon. It has a reliable energy movement that we use it to predict tides, fishing, space launches, menstrual cycles… the works, ya know? The moon’s energy is powerful that WE can feel it. We know it significantly impacts water. Humans are mostly water so of course we’re affected by it.
We are affected by the Universe.
This is not something you need to believe in. This is just knowledge you can attune yourself to or not.
What Happens When You’re Born
When you’re born, the universe was doing a very special dance at the time!
At that exact second you came to be:
The moon was in a certain place
The sun was beaming from a certain direction
All the planets were lined up very specifically
The whole universe was in a one-of-a-kind pattern with energy moving in an incredibly unique way.
In Human Design terms: When you were born, the universe took a snapshot of itself and that snapshot became ✨ you. ✨
Your Energy Blueprint
Human Design is like an instruction manual for your energy.
How your energy naturally works
How you’re meant to make decisions
How you move through the world best
It can show you soooo many cool things about how you need to operate so that things feel more natural to you. So that life feels a little bit easier.
Some people recharge by being alone
Some people need to move their bodies or they spiral
Some people are here to start things
Some people really have a hard time starting things and would rather respond (ahem, Generators)
Some people are here to guide others
The point is, you’re Designed on purpose. When you understand how you’re meant to operate, you feel infinitely more energized without having to sleep more and are more productive without creating more hours in the day!
The biggest mystery Human Design solved for me
When I learned my Design… my world changed overnight. I understood why my life had unfolded the way it did.
And more importantly: I solved the mystery of my tiredness.
When you are doing life according to everyone else… is it any wonder why you’re burnout? Why no amount of electrolytes or caffeine can revitalize your spirit?
I had some major energy vampires in my life but I was unaware just how bad they were siphoning my spirit.
I mentioned earlier I was frustrated by life despite having checked so many boxes. Truly, waking up every morning felt like coming out of a coma.
Groggy despite being hydrated.
Frustrated despite having a good paying job.
Sluggish despite eating well, working out, reading books.
I only felt truly myself when I was excited about something (and could share that feeling with someone).
If I wasn’t excited then I was negative 100 in terms of mood and energy. I craved to be in sunshine with my dog or doing something SUPER fun like a photoshoot, getting dressed up, taking dance lessons, making a vision board, dying my hair purple or having a super deep conversation with someone I really admired.
I dreaded going to bed because I dreaded waking up. Even with plenty of sleep, I couldn’t escape full body fatigue.
Then I learned I was keeping myself in this tiredness loop because I was not living in accordance to my energy.
Tiredness was a mask for misalignment. Exhaustion was a symptom of something much more problematic. The root cause of my fatigue was lack of aliveness. I wasn’t lit up.
And I drove myself insane asking doom-spiral questions.
Why do I need so much more rest than everyone else around me
Why I can’t I just pick one path and stick to it
Why is it so hard to articulate what I want
Why do certain things feel wrong, but all I can use to defend myself is it doesn’t make my tummy feel good
Why I hated being told what to do or rarely seek people out for advice--despite feeling like I should
The more I learned about my Design the more I realized I was cheating myself out of things I REALLY NEEDED to thrive. Not just “nice to haves.” Things required as fuel for my energy.
I finally saw how my environment, ubringing, corporate america and society convinced me that the way my brain, heart, body and SOUL worked was a weakness. I was being fed lies and cookie cutter solutions that made me feel crazy and that I would NEVER catch up.
In reality, we are all unicorns with actual magical superpowers. And it’s actually pretty easy to activate once you know what they are.
Is this the solution to all my problems
No such thing as a quick fix, girlie. However, I believe this knowledge is life-changing when applied with loving intention.
We’re often taught that there is one way to get after the dream life, accelerate our career, find a soulmate, etc. The motto is: success comes to those who work hard and get after it. But it completely leaves out:
HOW to work smarter and not harder
HOW to decide what the dream even is
HOW to act in alignment so it comes to you with ease
Learning your Human Design doesn’t mean life is never hard.
Think of it as bringing awareness to your operating system and getting the manual for your internal iOS. It’s up to you to make it a daily practice to take control of your life. But knowing yourself, can make it easier.
And remember:
Everything is energy.
When you master your energy, you can master your life.
What are the 5 Energy Types in Human Design?
Boy, am I glad you asked! Energy Type is one of the core elements of your Design that explains how you are meant to show up in the world and the way you best utilize energy. There are 5 types:
🌀 Manifestor: Initiator
⚡ Generator: Builder
🚀 Manifesting Generator: Multi-faceted powerhouse
🔮 Projector: Guide
🌙 Reflector: Cosmic Mirror
Every person operates within one of these five energy types, each with its own strengths, challenges, and best way of moving through the world. If you want to stop just managing your emotions and energy and start owning your energy this is where you start.
You can use my website to find out your Energy Type! Get Your Free BodyGraph Chart Here.
I highly recommend learning a little about all of them because we are all unique, and what works for someone else will not necessarily work for you.
🌀 Manifestor
Strategy: To Inform | Not-Self Theme: Anger | Self-Theme: Peace
Designed to start the fire, initiate, follow their urges, and trailblaze for the rest of us but only in bursts and not for extended periods of time. They are trains on a track or they are no where to be found and that’s the way it’s gotta be!
Famously says: “I already decided. I was just letting you know.”
Celebs: Martha Stewart, Jennifer Lawerence, Jennifer Anniston, Gloria Steinem, Maya Angelou
Battery life: At 110% > does a million powerful things > crashes, puts on Airplane mode and gives themselves a little treat
⚡ Generator
Strategy: To Respond | Not-Self Theme: Frustration | Self-Theme: Satisfaction
Designed to create life force energy for the planet, play the long-game, and has insane go-go-go energy but only if they find their tasks meaningful. Otherwise, they will drag themselves through life, chronically frustrated and royally burnout.
Famously says: “If I love it, I could do it forever.”
Celebs: Beyonce, Lebron James, Dalai Lama, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Battery life: Solar powered, infinite energy when doing what lights them up.
🚀 Manifesting Generator
Strategy: To Respond | Not-Self Theme: Frustration or Anger | Self-Theme: Satisfaction
Designed to move at warp speed and participate in many passions at once. They are a manifestor/generator combo and can burnout if they aren’t excited AF about life or they are force to be a uni-tasker.
Famously says: “I know it looks chaotic, but trust me I’m faster this way.”
Celebs: Simone Biles, The Rock, Caitlin Clark, Rihanna, Brene Brown, Trevor Noah
Battery life: 47 tabs open, runs insanely fast, shuts down if bored, requires excitement-reboot after a crash.
🔮Projector aka the Guide:
Strategy: To Be Invited | Not-Self Theme: Bitterness | Self-Theme: Success
Designed to be a guide for the rest of us, always flying above the trees, seeing the whole picture and the system that’s most effective for longevity and happiness. They need excessive amounts of rest and will whither away if they are forced to work a 40+ hour work week.
Famously says: “I can’t do it for you, but let me show you how to make everything better.”
Celebs: RuPual, Ryan Gosling, Esther Hicks, Taylor Swift, Princess Diana, Alicia Keys
Battery life: Amazing clarity, profound insights that require space and rest to produce… needs to be put back in their charging case often or quality drops dramatically.
🌙 Reflector aka the Cosmic Mirror:
Strategy: To Wait Lunar Cycle | Not-Self Theme: Disappointment | Self-Theme: Delight or Surprise
Designed to shape shift, feel every subtlety, and reflect the health and wellness of their communities to improve our welfare. But if they are surrounded by the wrong people and the wrong things, they will live life in disappointment.
Famously says: “I was happy…until I walked into this room!”
Celebs: Sandra Bullock, Dusty Springfield, Uri Geller, Lenny Henry, Michael Jackson
Battery life: Mood ring functionality. Fully charged in the right environment. Totally drained by bad vibes, fluorescent lighting, and awkward group dynamics.
This only scratches the surface, my love! There’s so much to unpack but I hope this overview gives you hope for the future.
So what now? What do I do to feel better?
The last thing I want you to feel is stress about another thing to optimize in your life. Think of this as your energy check-in. Let me give you a few things to do today to get in touch with your authentic self.
Look up your Energy Type using the Free Chart Generator.
Get a cozy drink and a journal and do a quick check-in with yourself based on your Type.
Reflect on these questions.
Manifestor: Am I giving myself permission to start what I feel called to start without justifying it to everyone?
Generator: Does this [thing, person, job] actually light me up… or am I forcing myself through something that actually drains my soul?
Manifesting Generator: Am I following my excitement, or am I trying to dampen myself and my dreams to appease others?
Projector: Am I trying to prove my worth through deliverables or am I letting myself be seen and recognized for my wisdom?
Reflector: Is my environment nourishing me or am I absorbing energy that isn’t mine?
Sometimes we overcomplicate “living our best life” when really it comes down to how often you choose your heart’s desires.
You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight. Sometimes alignment starts with one honest question… and the courage to listen to the real answer.
If you’re interested in going deeper, I would be honored to help you read your BodyGraph chart so we can both get to know you better! As a certified Human Design Reader, nothing brings me more joy than helping people feel more alive.
Learn more about Human Design Readings below!
Thank you for reading!
XO, Paris
PS
One of the first acts of “living authentically” and “by Design” I took was deciding to work on my people pleasing. So I relabeled my rosewater facial mist “Disagreeable Woman” spray. Whatever works, you know?!
