Episode 276: Setting Yourself Up for Success (in the New Year)
As we enter the new year, it's a natural time for introspection, personal reflection, and a desire for positive change. In this episode, I delve into three key aspects to ponder as you consider meaningful goals to set for the coming year.
Listen to the Episode:
“Don’t let your Human Design Type pigeonhole you into what you think you can and can’t do. Nothing about your Human Design limits you. Your design informs you on how your unique energy flows so that you can manage it accordingly. Your design helps you understand your limits to determine the best way forward to work with and support the given energy that flows within you.”
Read the Transcript:
Hello there, my friend. Welcome to The Live FAB Life Podcast. I'm your host, Naomi Nakamura, and I'm so happy to be here with you today on the final episode of 2023.
It was just a few episodes ago, in Episode 270, where I shared three key lessons that I’ve learned from Human Design:
- Energy management and the importance of rest
- Understanding what boundaries are necessary for me to establish.
- How to manage expectations
If you’re listening to this episode in real time, it’s December 26, 2023. It’s the last episode of the year and the time of year for self-reflection and planning for what we want for the year to come – self-observation with non-judgment.
This is when people set goals and intentions, and some even pick their “word of the year.” Personally, if I’m being honest, I usually forget these things by the time February rolls around.
As I was gathering my thoughts and preparing for this episode. I remember that last year my goal for 2023 was to limit myself to door-dashing only once a week. If you aren’t familiar with Door Dash, it’s a food delivery service where you place a takeout order at a restaurant and Door Dash will pick it up and deliver it to you, wherever you are. I’m laughing because in full transparency I think I ended up door-dashing more than I cooked at home this past year. So yeah, that didn’t quite work out the way I thought I wanted it to.
So, you get the idea, right?
This is the time of year when we reflect on how the past year went and set goals and intentions as we think about what we want in the year to come.
It’s also the time of year, that you’re inundated with ads and messages on getting healthy and fit – “new year, new you!”
Since you’re listening to this podcast, I’m guessing you’re already a health-conscious person and you’re somewhat on a personal growth journey. If you’re interested in health and Human Design, you’re into growth and transformation. And I’m here with you – I’m on the same trajectory.
So, today, I’d like to share three things to consider as you do some personal reflection and practice self-observation with non-judgment,
First, please don't pigeonhole yourself.
In Episode 273, I discussed Open Center Conditioning with fellow Splenic Projector Maggie Hilpisch. Toward the end of that episode, I talked about how there’s a tendency in Human Design to pigeonhole ourselves according to our Type.
I shared the example of projectors using their Undefined Sacral centers almost as an excuse for why they can't do certain things or show up in specific ways.
“I can’t
Nothing about your Human Design limits you. Your design informs you on how your unique energy flows so that you can manage it accordingly. Your design helps you understand your limits to determine the best way forward to work with and support the given energy that flows within you.
So just because you're a Projector and have an undefined Sacral Center doesn’t mean you can’t run a marathon. If you want to train for a marathon, go for it! But understand that following a cookie-cutter plan isn’t ideal for you – it’s not ideal for anyone! How you train – your training plan and regimen will differ from a Generator or Manifesting Generator’s plan because the plan you craft for yourself must work with the unique flow of your energy.
You may see some people running 50 miles a week, which may not work with your lifestyle, but it may also not be conducive to your energy. But guess what? You can still train for a marathon, running 40 miles a week.
Having an undefined Sacral Center also doesn't mean you HAVE TO always be tired.
Your energy levels are subject to your choices and decisions that shape how you manage your energy.
Again, going back to Episode 270, so much of this is about understanding what boundaries are critical for establishing, establishing them, and then managing other people’s expectations of what you can and cannot do.
So, my point is don’t let your Human Design Type pigeonhole you into what you think you can and can’t do.
I recently worked on a client's Human Design Playbook. If you're unfamiliar with my Human Design Playbook, it’s a 60+ page PDF eBook I wrote on your individual human design. It’s custom-prepared for you according to the unique configurations of your Human Design.
A few clients have ordered a Playbook and expected it to be an immediate download, but it’s not. I tell clients to allow 2-4 weeks for their Playbooks to be delivered because they’re entirely personalized according to their Human Design.
So, a few months ago, I worked on a client’s playbook and their design was so because although this client was a Generator, they had so much openness to their design.
First, let me back up a bit.
Because this client is a Generator, the immediate thought is that they must be like an energizer bunny because that's typically how Generators are described. Because they have defined the Sacral Center, they have all this Sacral lifeforce energy that keeps them moving and their enthusiasm creates more energy. Yes, these things are true, but how a person expresses this energy is unique to the configuration of their Human Design.
No two Generators are the same, and this client’s design was so fascinating because although they were a Generator, this person only had two Defined centers - the Sacral Center and the G-Center, which means they had only one channel.
Now I'm a Projector also with only two Defined centers - the Spleen, and Throat Centers with only one channel, the 48-16 channel.
And yet you hear the narrative, “Oh, you're a Projector; you have so much openness in design that you’re vulnerable and need to have boundaries and do all these things to protect your energy.
But here’s a Generator who has likely been told that they have limitless energy, yet this person has just as much openness in their design as I do, which means that they need to be just as protective of their energy as I need to be.
While our Type, Strategy, and Authority are the foundation of our Human Designs, to understand our whole selves fully, we can’t pigeonhole ourselves into these Human Design stereotypes; we must look at all the configurations of our designs – there’s so much more there.
So, as you think about your goals, intentions, and what you want in the year to come as you're don't limit yourself, especially according to your Type, because anything is possible for you, understand your design, its configurations, and how your energy flows, and use that to inform how you plot your course for the next year.
Next, as I mentioned earlier, this is the time of year that we’re inundated with all the “New Year New you” messages, and we’re also fed countering messages that may shame you for wanting to set healthy goals for yourself in the new year.
There's nothing wrong with setting healthy goals or any goals for yourself. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, and I hate it when people make you feel guilty or ashamed about it.
You do you. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to explore unexplored parts of yourself, self-improvement, and personal growth, however, that looks for you. Only you know what that looks like for you, and only you can decide how that journey looks for you.
Your Human Design Authority will inform you of what that looks like because your Human Design Authority is how you’re best meant to make decisions.
So, follow your Authority when deciding what’s best for you and what the best path toward that vision looks like for you.
Just because an influencer, someone you look up to, or a friend recommends something, or does something one way, it doesn’t mean that it’s the right thing for you or that your path to the thing will be the same for you.
I consciously do my best to follow my Splenic Authority to know the correct decisions for me intuitively and what's not.
Because that's what our Authorities are - they're our intuition, which operates differently for each of us. If we believe in bio-individuality and that we’re all unique, why would we expect there to be only one way for intuition to work?
It's no wonder some people feel disconnected from their intuition because they have no idea what it looks like or how it works for them. So, follow your Human Design Authority in making decisions, whether it be your Emotional, Sacral, Splenic, Self-Projected, Ego, Mental, or if you’re a Reflector, your Lunar Authority and you’ll follow your intuition.
The last thing I’d like to share today is the magic question – “why.”
As you reflect on what you want for yourself and set your goals and intentions, ask yourself, “Why?”
Here’s what I mean by this:
“I want to quit my job this year.”
Why?
Because I hate it.
Why do you hate your job?
Because it's so stressful, and I'm burnt out
What about it is stressful and burning you out?
My manager expects me to be available 24/7.
Are they aware that you feel this way? Have you told your manager that you aren’t available 24/7? Have you had a conversation with them about this? Have you set boundaries on what are reasonable hours that they can expect you to be available and when you aren’t?
No, I haven’t had this conversation with them.
Why?
Because I don't feel comfortable having this conversation.
Why don’t you feel comfortable?
You get the idea here.
Here’s another example, and this is a common one this time of year:
My New Year’s goal is to lose 20 pounds.
Why?
Because they want to fit into smaller clothing sizes.
Why?
So, I’ll feel good about myself again.
Why don't you feel good about yourself now?
Because I feel unattractive, and my social life isn't what I want it to be.
Why is your social life not what you want it to be?
Because I’m lonely
Will losing 20 pounds make you not feel lonely anymore?
I don't know.
Again, both of these goals are fine. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a new opportunity or wanting to be healthier.
But it is essential to be clear on why we want these things. Understanding what’s at the core of what’s driving this is necessary. What’s the real motivating factor?
That's at the root of it. What's the root cause? What's driving it? What's the motivator? What's the core reason?
When you peel the layers, what's the actual problem that you're trying to solve?
So, as you go about this season of reflection and goal setting, if this is something you do, here are some things to consider to bring more intention and clarity to practicing self-observation with non-judgment.
Avoid pigeonholing yourself, follow your Authority in decision-making, and ask yourself why to peel back the layers and clarify what’s at the root of the problem you’re trying to solve.
I’ve gone through this exercise myself, and there have been times where I told myself, “I don't know why I even want this. I don't understand what my motivating factor is.”
But I did know – it was buried under other things that I was not ready to acknowledge and address.
So, with that, let’s bring this episode and this year to a close.
Whether this was your first episode or if you've been here for a while, thank you for your time, energy, and attention that you have shared with me. I so appreciate you, and I look forward to what’s to come!
Happy New Year!
Naomi Nakamura is a Health x Human Design coach who’s creating a healthier society through aligned energy.
She blends a bespoke mix of Functional Nutrition and Human Design to help others shift into alignment to leverage and correctly manage their energy to support their body, mind, and spirit.
She believes that when we embrace our authenticity and lean into our bio-individuality, we naturally live a life of freedom, empowerment, and optimal health.
Naomi resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and can often be found exploring the area with her puppy girl, Coco Pop!
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