'You're not lazy. You just don't know your energy type.'

Have you ever wondered why some people can just keep going and going like the proverbial Energizer Bunny, while others (it’s me, hi) seem to always be struggling to keep up? I’ve always assumed that I mustn’t have the same stamina or was comparatively lazy to those around me, but after learning about my specific 'energy type' all that has changed.

But before we go on, I feel compelled to let you know that what I’m about to tell you might seem a bit 'out there'. So, if that kinda thing isn't for you, let's amicably part ways now. However, if you can keep an open mind, I think you might find this just as interesting and hopefully just as useful as I do.

While you're here watch the horoscopes and self care. Post continues after video.

What is Human Design?

Okay, so, Human Design is the coming together of Kabbalah, Myers-Briggs, I'Ching, the chakra system, astrology, biochemistry, quantum physics and genetics. And what this spirituality meets science mash up does is provide an individual with their unique 'energetic blueprint' or body chart/graph. This 'blueprint', which is believed to be encoded at birth, explains what type of 'energy' a person has and how they best use it. 

Human Design isn’t a new concept, though it does seem to be having a resurgence of late, probably thanks to our collective interest in personal growth. It was developed in the 80s by a former advertising executive, Ra Uru Hu (born Alan Krakower). As the story goes, Ra had a mystical experience with 'a voice' that transmitted the Human Design System to him over the course of eight days and nights. 

And this, my friends, is why I asked you to keep an open mind. 

But let’s continue. 

What are the Human Design energy types?

According to Human Design, there are five different energy types as outlined below. Every energy type has its own 'strategy' which is like an overarching best-way-for-you-to-approach-life kind of thing.

To explain a little more about each energy type, I’ve enlisted the help of Emma Dunwoody, a Human Design Expert and Master Coach.

Manifestors.

• Role: The trailblazers. They are here to influence and inspire people into action.

• Percentage of the population: Nine per cent.

• How they use energy: Work in powerful bursts, but do not have consistent energy. 

• Strategy: To inform those around them and then initiate.

"A Manifestor is very much here to follow their creative urge," says Emma. "What are they wanting to bring to birth in the world? What do they want to create? Where's their curiosity lying? In this way, they initiate other people into action. They go out into the world and birth things, find new ways, create new technologies – it could be anything and everything."

"They inspire people into action, but the thing they have to be very careful of is that they don’t people-please. Manifestors need to learn not to care what other people think about them because the more authentic they are, the more their people will be drawn to them and then those people will be inspired into action."

Generators.

• Role: The doers and builders. They are the work and life-force of humanity.

• Percentage of the population: 37 per cent.

• How they use energy: Have consistent energy and can just go, go, go, but it’s important they use their energy on work that they find satisfying. 

• Strategy: Respond to what is presented to them.

"Generators are here to build, they're here to create, they're here to grow," says Emma. "Generators are inspired by the world and then their sacral tells them, 'Okay, I have energy for this, or I don't.' When Generators are enthusiastic and excited, they have boundless energy. They're here to do the work that lights them up."

"What Generators have to be careful of, is that [because] they have the most energy to get sh*t done, what tends to happen is that they have no boundaries. They say yes to everything, they force themselves to do the work that feels really uncomfortable, icky, or doesn't light them up. Then they literally lose the thing that drives them... therefore, they lose their north star and their ability to feel lit up about anything. So, they need to be really careful about boundaries and learning to say yes to what lights them up and no to what doesn't."

Manifesting Generators.

• Role: Hybrid of Manifestors and Generators – they are the multi-passionate, multi-taskers.

• Percentage of the population: 33 per cent.

• How they use energy: They have consistent energy, but can have inconsistent motivation, depending on how satisfying they find their work. 

• Strategy: Respond to what is presented to them, inform others, then take action.

"The big thing about Manifesting Generators is that most of them feel like they don't fit in. Manifesting Generators are here to break things and remake things, they're here to find faster ways. They tend to be people that when they walk into a room, you can feel their aura, it's a big energy," says Emma.

"When Manifesting Generators are willing to accept their nonlinear way of being, meaning that they're potentially going to be multi-passionate... they’ll be the sort of energy that looks back over life and goes, 'Oh, I can see how all those jobs or all those changes now fit together – I can see the through line.' But at the time, it feels like they can jump all over the place and that's exactly the way they need to be. They're very fast learners, they get in, they get out and because of this, they can feel like they're quitters and they can't stick to one thing, but they're not designed to. It's really about learning that the sacral will tell them when to start something and when to quit something."

Projectors. 

• Role: The seers and guides. They are here to lead those who recognise their value.

• Percentage of the population: 20 per cent.

• How they use energy: Do not have consistent energy but can tap into powerful energy sources when working in alignment with their strategy.

• Strategy: Wait for an invitation.

"Projectors are here to be guides... and they’re very much here to be seen and recognised," says Emma. "I always love to think about Yoda who sits on his little cushion and people just come to him – this is the energy of a Projector. But the challenge with Projectors is that they have to see and recognise themselves first. If they don't value themselves – their skills and talents and all those things – then no one else is going to see them."

"What can happen a lot with Projectors is that they try to force people to see and value them and all that does is push people away. A Projector that is really in alignment with themselves... they become incredibly magnetic, we can't help but listen, but if they are trying to force their point, we are repelled. So, what's really important for Projectors to make sure their wisdom gets out in the world is... learning to love, trust and accept themselves, value who they are and let go of ego... because that is so, so powerful."

Reflectors.

• Role: The mirrors and barometers. They are intuitive and empathic beings, who reflect the energy of people and environments around them.

• Percentage of the population: 1 per cent.

• How they use energy: Like Manifestors and Projectors, their energy is inconsistent.

• Strategy: Wait a full lunar cycle (28 days) to make big decisions.

"Reflectors are incredibly powerful energetic beings. They are literally here reflecting and amplifying the energy of the world," says Emma. "As a Reflector, what's super important to understand is how people, places and what you're doing, makes you feel. And then taking time to really sit with this energy because they are here to amplify and reflect back the energy of others."

"As Reflectors, they can read energy in a way that no other energy type can do. They have visibility, almost to see into the future of energy. They definitely need more time and space, they need to allow themselves to know how they feel. They need to trust that they ebb and flow depending on the places and the people that they're around and that is absolutely perfect for them. They're very impactful people when they allow themselves to just trust and slow down."

Human Design & Decision Making.

Within your energetic blueprint, you’ll also receive one of seven 'authorities', which explains how you best make decisions. These are the seven authorities: 

1. Sacral: Make decisions using a visceral feeling in your body that will either be a 'hell yes' or 'hell no'.

2. Splenic: Make decisions quickly based on trusting your gut and acting on your intuition.

3. Emotional: Ride the wave of your shifting emotions until you come to a place of clarity. 

4. Ego: Follow the desires of your heart and trust what it’s telling you in the moment. 

5. Self-Projected: Hearing yourself 'think out loud' while talking to others gives you clarity and perspective. 

6. Mental-Projected: You have to talk to people and see your decisions reflected through others in an environment that feels good to you to get clarity.

7. Lunar: Specific to Reflectors, you must spend at least one lunar cycle (28 days) contemplating before making an important decision.

Listen to Fill My Cup.On this episode, Allira Potter will give you practical tools to make your week that little bit better. Post continues below.

How do you find out which energy type you are?

You need three things to find out your energy type: your date of birth, place of birth and time of birth. You then submit this information into Human Design websites such myBodyGraph, myHumanDesign or JovianArchive, which will automatically generate your body graph. 

What does knowing your 'energy type' actually do?

For me, learning I’m a Splenic Projector has been like a homecoming of sorts, in that it has helped me understand myself and how I relate to others and the world around me better.  

For example, learning that around 70 per cent of the population are thought to be some sort of Generator, I now see (cue Madonna) that we are living in a Generator world, and I am a Projector girl. Knowing this has helped me start deconditioning from the idea that I have to do things the way the majority of people do. It also explains why I need more down time than others, like my Generator husband.

Likewise, I’ve quietly thought for a while that my intuition was pretty reliable, but learning my authority is Splenic has given me more confidence to trust and act on my gut feelings. Additionally, during my Human Design reading, I was told that as a Projector, "You are not meant to work nine to five." It was music to my ears, although it also probably explains why freelancing works so well for me. Other common traits of Projectors include requiring a lot of alone time, preferring one-on-one interactions over group situations, along with a need to be recognised. I’ve always felt like I needed to apologise for these aspects of myself, but not anymore. 

Emily McGrorey is a full-time reader, part-time procrastinator, freelance writer, casual Pilates student, and aspiring author. You can follow her on Instagram here.

Feature Image: Supplied.

TAKE SURVEY ➤