Human Design for Business

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Learn the basics of human design and how to leverage it in your business in this episode of the podcast. Guest expert Lauren Armstrong shows us how to utilize our unique energy to successfully navigate the world around us.

Lauren Armstrong is a Human Design consultant, business coach, reiki healer, subconscious transformation practitioner, and speaker. She helps coaches and course creators step into their purpose unapologetically without feeling pressured to build their business the way everyone else is.

Website // Instagram // HumanDesignRabbitHole.com // @LaurenArmstrong on Clubhouse

The episode:

Katrina Widener: Hi everyone. Today I have my amazing friend Lauren Armstrong on -- I'm very excited to talk about this topic. Today we're going to be talking about Human Design, which Lauren is an expert at and she is someone who I took actually a Human Design course through. But Lauren also is someone that I've done a mastermind with, we're friends outside of that. And I'm so excited to have you on the podcast today.

Lauren Armstrong: I am so excited to be here. Business friends are the best friends.

Katrina Widener: Yes. So Lauren, do you really quickly just want to introduce yourself and explain to everybody what you do and how you help people?

Lauren Armstrong: For sure. Hi, I'm Lauren Armstrong and I am a Human Design expert, like Katrina said. So where I specialize my zone of genius is really around applying your Human Design to your business. How do you actually leverage your Human Design, which is how you are energetically wired to interact with the world around you (and we will go deeper into that during this episode). But how do you leverage that for business decisions, for the way that you market, for how you create an offer and sell it, all of those good things -- how do you leverage your natural energy for that? And so what I really help coaches and course creators do specifically, is live in your purpose unapologetically without feeling this pressure to build your business the way everyone else is, the way your coach is telling you, the way you saw someone do on Instagram. So really stepping into your unique genius and the way that you're meant to show it to the world.

Katrina Widener: And I will say that after Lauren introduced me to Human Design before you were even teaching Human Design, if I remember correctly, and then I took her Human Design for Business and it actually absolutely changed the way that I approached my business and my decision-making and just who I am and how I tune in with both my business but also just the world around me. So Human Design is something that I actually utilize with every single group coaching member. When I was doing one-on-one coaching, it was something we talked about because it really allows you to tune into yourself and get as aligned as possible instead of feeling like you have to do things the way everybody else is doing them.

So when we're talking about Human Design, Lauren, it is like such a vastly immense and deep topic. So how would you introduce it to someone who's never heard of it beforehand?

Lauren Armstrong: Yeah. So the way I introduce it actually varies based on who I'm talking to. So if we've got like people who are open and interested in the "woo", which I know Katrina and I are, the attracting members that are, and listeners that are "woo curious" or "woo", right ?? Meaning like we like the spirituality element. We talk about energy. If I'm talking to those people, what I say is that it tells us how we're energetically wired to interact with the world around us. It's like your energetic blueprint. It's similar to astrology, but way deeper. That's like my intro piece to it when I'm talking to someone who likes to talk about energy.

When I'm talking to somebody who's like maybe more scientific mind based or left-brained, I usually say it's like a personality assessment. If Myers-Briggs, the StrengthFinders, and the Enneagram had a baby that sprinkled in some astrology, like that's, that's what the personality assessment would be for Human Design.

So I can explain it both ways, but essentially what it is it tells us how we're, How we're meant to best use our energy. It's a map to our energy and it is an experiment and it shows us like basically a three step system to alignment, like the ever-elusive alignment that everyone is talking about.

"Oh, I wasn't aligned." And you hear that from people. And you're like, what does that mean? What does alignment mean? I think I'm aligned, I'm trying to be aligned. I'm selling this thing and I'm aligned, but like really you're not aligned. I don't know if anybody else has had that experience, but that was totally mine before I found Human Design. I'm like I'm aligned, but I wasn't really. So what Human Design does is it essentially shows us how we (uniquely all of us -- there are over 2 billion configurations of Human Design), how each of us is wired to get into and stay in alignment.

Katrina Widener: 100%. I love that description, because I will even say when I've had conversation with clients or when I first started learning about mine myself, like oftentimes when we read a personality assessment too, we're like, Ooh. Oh, wow. I feel personally victimized, you saw right through me, and Human Design does do that. But it also at some sometimes as like "oh, I've been trying to operate this way, or I've been conditioned to operate this way, but really the way that I naturally operate is this other way" and tuning into that as opposed to what the world or the people around us have conditioned us to do or what we see our competition doing and we're trying to do that. Like I know that was one of the big eye-openers for myself too, was like, yes, I see myself in my Human Design, but it also provides almost like a roadmap of how I can tune into what I naturally do as opposed to what I feel like I should be doing.

Lauren Armstrong: Yes. All of the yes, totally. And I love -- it almost is to, I've been talking to people about this recently it creates this beautiful conversation around how like comparison is irrelevant. Like it doesn't exist because you are designed for what you're designed for. So when you're comparing yourself to someone else, they have a different design than you. It's like it's irrelevant, it doesn't matter what they're doing versus what you're doing, because the way you do it is different. The energy you bring to it is different. And just by being in your energy versus the other person's, it's a different experience. And so there really is no such thing as comparison because no two people are designed the same.

Katrina Widener: I have never thought about it that way, but I really enjoy that because I do also see within myself, when I started learning about Human Design, it was way easier to say cool, that's for you. This is for me. Good for you. Good for me. We can do two different things. And that doesn't mean one way is good and one way is bad. It just means that they're different.

Lauren Armstrong: Absolutely. And I also think there's a really common thing with like personality assessments, like you were saying. We could use that personality assessment and put ourselves in like a disempowering box that like defines us. And you're like I can't help it. I'm just a this. When what Human Design does is it's really just like a self-reflection and awareness tool. You're like, Oh, that's so interesting. That's true about me. And how can I use this or how can I move past this? It's not a disempowering box that we put ourselves in if we're using the tool correctly.

Katrina Widener: Yep. I agree with all of that.

Lauren Armstrong: Yay. We're just going to basically agree back and forth about how we are.

Katrina Widener: We're just going to be like yes, yes.

Lauren Armstrong: Yes and, yes and.

Katrina Widener: Also I'm like sitting here just like nodding along when she talks and she's nodding along when I talk. So it's great. Okay. So we've talked about what Human Design is and I do still want to like, not completely overwhelm people because that can happen with Human Design, but where would you like start? If you are interested in learning about Human Design, like what's the first thing you should learn about, or obviously like when someone comes to you and does a reading or starts learning about this, like where can they begin understanding actually what Human Design is.

Lauren Armstrong: Yes. Okay. So first of all, in order to like, get a basic understanding of Human Designer, even know okay, what are they talking about and how do I get mine? So you go and get your chart and to get your chart it is free. There are so many websites that do it. My favorite and literally it's only my favorite because it was the first one I stumbled upon and now all my charts were there, but as mybodygraph.com, so you go to mybodygraph.com.

You create an account with an email address (they have literally never once emailed me). It's just so that you can log back in and look at all of your charts. And you put in your name, date, city, state, time and place of birth, and it will generate a chart for you. And your chart is essentially looks a little bit between a preschool drawing assignment and a medical chart. And you're going to see a whole bunch of shapes and colors and lines, and you're going to be like what the heck are these people talking about? What does this have to do with who I am? So if you go to the info tab, you're going to see one of five words. And that is either generator which Katrina is, projector what I am, a manifesting generator, a manifestor, or a reflector. So one of those five words is going to be under "Type". So in those 2 billion configurations there are of Human Design at the highest level, there are five types.

And so that's the place that I would start investigating and playing with. So there are a couple of different ways to investigate and play with this. One's the self study route. You can go down the rabbit hole. I actually have a training on how to pull your chart and what each type is on humandesignrabbithole.com.

I bought that URL because it is such a huge rabbit hole. And so you can go there if you want to figure out where to find the types and what they mean. There's also beautiful free information on Instagram, you can grab a reading. I do those as well as a lot of other people so find out who resonates with you in order to figure out kind of how you're wired to interact with the world. It's really interesting because the self study piece you'll find that you can learn a lot about the individual pieces of design online, but if you want to get the full picture, because the whole is greater than its parts, so that's where reading really comes in.

So " Hey, you're this and this. And here's how this can play out in your life." Versus let me just regurgitate some facts back to you.

Katrina Widener: I think that is one of the greatest places to start too, because even just like the way that I operate and move through the world as a generator, versus the way you operate and move through the world, as a projector is incredibly different and eye opening and challenges like societal norms and also like challenges things that we should on ourselves and all of those types of really difficult ways that we put ourselves into boxes.

And Human Design is a great way to open the door and say no, this is the way that I can move with ease and without a ton of effort and without pushing. So starting there makes so much sense.

Lauren Armstrong: It does. It does. I've come up with this acronym recently that I've been really digging and it's like, when we talk about ease and we talk about flow, right? Like I just want it to be easy and I want it to flow. And so flow to me is like, how do you manage your frequency? So frequency, all being all about the energy. How do you get yourself in that high vibrational state? And for each type that looks a little bit different. How do I manage my flow? How do I leverage my design? Leverage my strengths. Which you can find in your body graph. How do I, "O", take ownership over my experience in life and really use tools of awareness to check my behavior before judging, blaming, circumstances and other people in behaviors. And then "W" how do I step into my wisdom potential, which is the lessons that you're here to learn in this lifetime.

And so that also can be found in your Human Design chart. So manage your frequency, leverage your strengths, take ownership over the process, and really step into your wisdom potential. And that is being in FLOW.

Katrina Widener: Okay. To give people a little bit of an idea of what this actually looks like, maybe do we want to provide a couple examples of how you operate versus how I operate?

Lauren Armstrong: Yeah, that's fun. You want to go first?

Katrina Widener: Sure. I am. We'll start just at that, that highest level. Like I'm a generator and Lauren is a projector. So for me, I have consistent access to my own energy throughout the day. I can wake up in the morning and be energized. And if it's something that I love doing, and that lights me up, which like, I don't want that to get lost. It has to be something that I love doing that lights me up. I can go all day long. I could wake up in the morning and if I'm really excited about the day of work that I have, for instance, I could go and go and go and go and go.

And I have sometimes just been like, this is fun. I can wake up and keep going until 9:00 PM. So like on the broadest level, -- yes -- of what a generator looks like. That's one of the main pieces and I don't want to like overly confuse people, but that's a big part for me.

Lauren Armstrong: Yeah, I love that. And it gives you a little bit of like permission to be like, okay if it doesn't light me up, if it's a thing I think I should do, then I CA I literally you can't do it, or you're going to drain your energy.

Katrina Widener: Totally.

Lauren Armstrong: It's not about okay, I have to do this thing. But do you?? Like, is it worth the energy loss that's going to create? Anyways? I digress. It's been cool to like, watch you really fully step into that. And like embody that, like I'm doing what lights me up and I'm going to forget the rest of the things.

Katrina Widener: And to give people even like a more concrete example, like when I was doing one-on-one coaching versus group coaching, which is what I'm doing now, like Lauren has known me for two years now I believe?

Lauren Armstrong: It feels like a million because of COVID.

Katrina Widener: But like, when I, when we first met, I was only doing one-on-one coaching and I was like, trying out some other things, which is also in my Human Design, but when I would sit down at a one-on-one coaching session, even though I knew that coaching was what I wanted to do, even though I loved the person I was sitting down with, I would be like, "Oh my gosh, can I like cancel? I know that I'm going to leave this meeting feeling like good, because I connected to someone and I love the people I'm working with. But this isn't something that makes me feel excited. This isn't something I'm like wanting to sit down to do." And every single time it felt like I was like dragging myself to those meetings. Whereas the second I started doing group coaching, like I wake up and I'm like, time to go! I'm ready to move, I'm ready to get motivated. I sit down to work and it's I don't even have to think twice. It is just something that I want to do. And so for an example of something that I love doing versus something that did not light me up, like the energy drain was real. It was like forcing myself to walk over to my chair to sit down at my desk and do a zoom call.

Lauren Armstrong: Yeah. And what's so interesting too. Like in that example, Katrina is I think a lot of people mistake, like thinking things that are an energy drain are things that they're not good at, but that's not true. Like you're really great at one-on-one coaching, but it was still an energy drain. Like it doesn't have to be like, Oh everything I'm good at, I have to do no, that's not true.

Katrina Widener: Totally that's 100% Okay. We can talk about me now, as a projector wow. If you're a projector, just come and talk to me, come say hi.

Lauren Armstrong: Over on Instagram, @_laurenearmstrong_ actually, if you're any type, come talk to me, but if you have had this experience and figuring out your projector would be like, Oh my gosh. Yes. Because when I figured out that I was a projector, it was like someone saw me for the first time and everything that wasn't working in my business made total sense because I was doing it a way that was not in alignment with my design.

Projectors are the leaders and the guides. And so I've been trying to keep up quote unquote with those around me, which 70% of the population are generators -- generators and manifesting generators. So like Katrina, they have defined sacral centers where they have that energy to go and to do and create. And like when they're doing stuff they love and they're lit up, they can literally go all day long. And looking at the world around me thinking, okay I'm like that too. But as a projector type I'm not a consistent energy type. I don't have consistent access to that. Sacral go/do energy. But what I do have consistent access to is awareness. And so I'm not a doing being, I'm an awareness being. And just even in that shift of, "Oh, I don't have to try and keep up" was such permission to really play my own game and to step into my own energy and to stop trying to be like everyone else who was live launching and doing all of these business tactics that did not work for me and left me exhausted and asking myself the question what's wrong with me.

Nothing was wrong with me. I wasn't playing my own game. I can go on literally hours about that so I will just pause there.

Katrina Widener: So for anyone who's like listening who could be a projector, just to reiterate a little bit too, basically you're not going to be the type of person like me, who can wake up in the morning and just go all day long. You maybe like to take naps a little bit, like maybe you're someone who wants to work a couple hours and then rest afterward. And I also know, like for me, a lot of the times when I'm connecting with projectors, you might also be the type of person who feels the most shame around taking rest and then around taking a break.

But yes, thank you so much for sharing that Lauren, because I find it so interesting, even just like how you and I are such good friends and connect so well, but also so different.

Lauren Armstrong: Yeah, the way we interact with the world is very different. And what's so interesting too, is if you're listening to this and you're like maybe found out you're a projector or a quote unquote non-energy types. So either a projector or a reflector or a manifestor, if that's says that on your chart and you're like actually that's not true. Like I can run circles around people in my life. That's actually an element of our design is sometimes when we're around people like a Katrina who's super lit up, I can take in Katrina's energy and I can amplify it and I can run circles around her.

But the thing is, it's not mine, so I'm going to crash for three days afterwards. So think about times where you've pushed really hard and then you're like, Oh yeah, but I felt the effect of that or I felt the consequences of that the next day. Because I re I definitely felt that when I used to be in the corporate world is I would take on all this energy of the people that I was around. And I was like the hardest working employee. Like I got stuff done. I went home and I was still working. I was like stuck in my on mode and I was chronically exhausted. Because I wasn't listening to myself.

Katrina Widener: And I think too as a generator, I could see people being like I get burnt out after I work really hard. But the thing is also asking yourself is it something that you really lit up doing? Like I can network five days a week and be excited and happy about it and go out a sixth day.

Lauren Armstrong: That sounds so exhausting.

Katrina Widener: Exactly! And the thing is that if it's something that I don't get lit up by. Then that's going to be completely different.

Okay really quickly, just for someone who's not a generator or a projector, do you want to do a fast explanation of the other three types?

Lauren Armstrong: For sure. There is a manifesting generators manifestors and reflectors. I actually think I'm gonna start with manifestor and then go to mgs. So manifestors are one of the types that have inconsistent access to that sacral center, that go/do energy as well. But your energy kind of works in surges. You're here to initiate. You're here to get things started. Get the ball rolling rather than wait, which a lot of the other types are designed to do. You're about 9% of the population. And you have big visions for the world. And I would just, Oh, so implore you, please start making them come to life because we really need you.

So that's the manifestors. Manifesting generators are a combination between generators and manifestors. So they have that generator energy to go do the things that excite them. And they also have a little bit of manifestor energy where they like want to start projects. So these types are really, multi-passionate, very efficient and they're not here to necessarily do things in a step-by-step way. They're here to follow the energy where it flows. So allow themselves to do step 42 before they do step six, like really allowing themselves to follow the energy where it flows. You're not doing it wrong. You're not doing bad. Don't judge yourself against what other people are doing. Really stepping into allowing yourself to do the things that light you up.

I'm going to stop there, but I can go, I could go so much more on all of these. I'm just being so cognizant of not going down too far. And then reflectors are 1% of the population and reflectors have a really unique energy design. They're completely open, which essentially what that means is they're taking in the energy of the people they're around and they're reflecting it back to them.

So reflectors have this immense capability of crazy wisdom. There are so wise and they really see things that other people don't see. You have a vision of what needs to or should happen. And in the business world, we actually call it reflectors evaluators. So you're here to point out like, Hey, this is working or this isn't working. And it's based off of the group of people that you're around. So your place, your environment is super important as a reflector. Both the people that you're around and your actual physical location makes a big impact on your energy.

Katrina Widener: Thank you so much for explaining all that Lauren. We're trying to keep this a little bit short for you guys, but don't worry. I'm going to make Lauren come back and explain more. We'll explain a little bit more.

Lauren Armstrong: Let us know what questions you have.

Katrina Widener: Yes. Let us know what questions you have also come and find both of us on Instagram and first of all, tell us what type you are. And I would love to hear from you guys and connect about that as well. But also just go and follow Lauren on Instagram for more information, also utilize everything that she has on her website. I highly would recommend doing a reading with her because once you open the doors to Human Design, you're like, why didn't I find this earlier? I wish I knew this when I was two years old.

Lauren Armstrong: They say that Human Design finds you when you're ready for it. So if you're listening to this podcast, welcome, you're ready. And we are each energetically wired for everything that we are meant for in this life. And I can't wait for you to be able to step into that unique genus that's already within you and live into it.

Katrina Widener: Yay!. Okay. Thank you so much, Lauren, for coming on, this has been such a fun conversation. Will you just remind everyone where they can find you?

Lauren Armstrong: Yes. So on Instagram, I'm at @_laurenearmstrong_. There are lots of Lauren Armstrongs apparently, but I'm the only one that will say Human Design for business. That's me. You can also find me on Clubhouse, my new obsession @laurenarmstrong on Clubhouse. I host rooms every week talking about each type currently as of this recording. And my website is laurenarmstrongtraining.com, where you can figure out more free stuff I offer.