Going All In As A Reflector

Have you ever wanted to dig deeper into living by your Reflector design but you weren't sure if it's worth the hassle? You're in good company. Afterall, being 1% of the population means there's not a lot of us living this particular design.

Maybe you've got some questions that bubble to the surface every now and then.

Things like:

Do I have to know everything there is to know about Human Design?
Do I have to get it perfect all the time?
Is it going to be a rollercoaster of a journey?

The answers, by the way are no, no, and heck yes, in that order!

Here are five of my favourite benefits of living by the Reflector design, and why it's such a powerful option if you want to uplevel your life. Seriously.

Have fun learning new things with no expectation of it going anywhere: Remember being curious as a child and asking a million questions? When you're young and curious, learning helps you better understand the world so you can see what you like and why. I'm not sure what the age cutoff is for this but there definitely seems to be a low tolerance for grown ups who just like to learn stuff.

As a Reflector, embracing your curiosity and learning for the sake of learning are key components of how you were designed. No need to justify why you want to explore astrophysics this week and jungle cats the next. It is what it is. Honouring your design gives you the confidence to step outside the box you weren't meant to be in in the first place, and take your rightful place in this world. Get curious, get weird, who cares.

Knowing why you feel so deeply: If the role of a Reflector is to show others their true selves, then we need a taste of who they are to do it. Any time you find yourself suddenly cranky, overly excited, or instantly angry for no good reason, chances are you're picking up on how someone else is feeling. What a relief it is to know that these feelings don't belong to you, so there's no pressure to do anything with them. Let them come through you, hang out for a while, and leave when they're ready.

This is true for in-person interactions as well as those from far away. I'm the biggest sap when watching movies because I feel the emotions of the characters in a big way! But it's fun knowing the actors are just doing a great job and I'm not actually suffering any of the heartaches they are.

Giving yourself permission to be an outlier: Belonging to the 1% club means you operate differently than 99% of the population. No matter what kind of conditioning you've had, being a Reflector and seeing things through this lens means you get to start reclaiming areas of your life that need some adjustments.

For a solid decade I woke up at 5am, hit the gym before going to the office, worked a full day, and absolutely crashed when I came home in the evening. I thought I had to do it this way because that’s what the Generators around me were doing. Boy was I wrong! You can still have big goals and lofty ambitions, but there's no rule saying you need to copy the other types on the journey to your dreams.

Saying "no" and holding your ground: When you know your energy doesn't run for 8 hours straight, it's easier to anticipate that you'll need some downtime to recover from things like a full work day or big social event. We live in a culture that values saying "yes" to everything and taking on so much that our lives are bursting at the seams. If your energy doesn't allow you to show up as the best version of you, say "no" to the commitment and let the person know why. I can't stress this enough. You're allowed to set boundaries, and the people who love you will want what's best for you even if they don't always get their way.

Finding meaningful work that pays well: Nothing crushes a Reflector's soul more than being forced to expend energy for 8 hours straight, five days a week. Yuck! Understanding your energetic ebbs and flows is so empowering because it can help set parameters for the type of paid work that'll fit your life. The caveat to this is you'll have to get a little creative, since most jobs were designed for the other 99% of Human Design types.

Consider combining a part-time steady job with a fun freelance gig or some other combo out there. I gave up the need to identify myself by my job a while ago, but I get that it's basically the first thing we're asked about when meeting someone new. If you find yourself facing the "So, what do you do for work?" question, try this response: "I'm currently working in the (insert industry) space and also taking on creative projects related to (insert industry/niche)." It's a great way to open the conversation, allowing you to share what's currently of interest to you, without claiming "I am a (insert profession title)." You'd be surprised by how many people also have side hustles they're eager to chat about with the right person!

Embracing your Reflector Type can take many forms. You don't need to become a Human Design expert! Whether you'd like to pay more attention to the variable nature of your personal energy or start exploring a customized career path that works for your curiosity, you can't go wrong. Any step you take to live closer in alignment with your truest self is a step worth taking!