Human Design in Real Life: Diaries of a 1/3 Line Profile Parent
Dear reader, you may have noticed I’ve been a bit MIA lately – what can I say, such is the ebbs and flows of a sacral generator following what lights me up. Oh, and also the fact that I recently became a mom to a bouncing baby 5/1 manifesting generator * heart eyes emoji *. Now, I can’t promise consistency as I dip my toes back into the world of posting and writing, but am leaning into doing what feels inspiring as it comes … and particularly if that inspiration happens to align with nap time. My goal is to deliver more Human Design IRL content to add context and depth to the experience of different HD types, authorities, environments, variables, and profiles. I enjoy nothing more than taking the theory out of the textbook and seeing how different aspects are experienced for different people. This series aims to bring color, add pizzazz, and always, always create dimension and nuance.
Got an HD IRL story you’d like to share here? Shoot me an email!
Forever channeling Kim Possible.
Diaries of a 1/3 line profile generator who is brand new to parenthood.
I knew going into parenthood that there would be a lot of trial-and-error involved. After all, you’re not only learning so many new skills… in real time … but adjusting to an ever-changing and growing creature who is also learning what it means to be a unique individual in this world. As a 1/3 profile, I’m grateful to have the understanding of what I need in order to better navigate this time period and build some semblance of confidence (can you even call it that??) as I go. Here are a few things I’ve noticed in this process. As a caveat, none of this is designed to be advice to you for what “should” be done, but rather a series of things that have supported me.
Outsource guesswork to professionals you trust
The first line of it all! Parenthood is one of those experiences where having access to TONS of information and opinions is not always soothing to my investigator ways. Advice often exists in a binary: “You should always use a swaddle,” “you should never use a swaddle.” Googling what to do really only leads to marketing and genius SEO that is very effective in hitting on the “problem/solution” strategy — aka “here’s the one thing you need to make your baby eat, sleep, and poop on command!” And of course, I’m very interested in hearing all of the perspectives, but also have found much of the advice out there to actually be disempowering as it doesn’t often serve to build individual competency or self-trust, but further separate the parent from their intuition and conveniently sell a solution for that feeling of being lost and unanchored. To help - and I use help loosely because it’s all hit or miss - I’ve found comfort in finding a few professionals I trust and outsourcing, turning to them to help with decision-making. For me, a trusted professional teaches you about the root of the experience “i.e. wanting to sleep on top of you is a thing because they’re learning to regulate their breathing, feelings, digestion, etc” and then offers suggestions based on what has worked in their own experience — “get a carrier that enables you to wear the baby because your arms, wrists, and back will eventually rebel from clutching a squirming potato for hours on end.” By understanding the “why,” I’m better able to navigate figuring out a solution that is supportive and sustainable to my needs, goals, and capacity. I also value folks who have seen or been through what I’m experiencing before and had their own trial-and-error lessons. Professionals to me are really anyone who has gained knowledge through information gathering or personal experience – so yes, my dear friends are also my pros.
2. Leave space for nuance
We’re all unique and shiny starfish at some points and regular degular normies at others. I do appreciate the training that Human Design has offered me to recognize this. Creating space for the nuance of raising an individual who may or may not be similar to me puts my channel of correction at ease (most of the time!). Someone once told me that “comparison is the thief of joy,” and I’ve certainly found that to be true in many aspects of life and particularly so now. Sometimes the simplest solution works, and sometimes you just puzzle it out and hope that one day you learn the ancient and cryptic language of “baby” or can effectively read the mind of an infant (spoiler: you’re probably better at doing this than you think). There’s always room to give yourself and others compassion when facing complex situations.
3. Perfection can kick rocks
OoOo do I love to hear it when the pediatrician or one of the professionals above calls my baby “perfect.” I mean, I certainly find her tummy time skills absolutely astounding and am prepared to accept awards on her behalf BUT, but, but… what happens when something doesn’t exactly line up to a pre-set standard? Working through perfectionism has been my “thing” as a third line. I’m designed to not get it right on the first try because the lesson is in the doing. And with a 5/1 profile baby, the temptation to put her on a pedestal is reaaaal — but isn’t that the case for all parents? There are other descriptions and expectations that I want to set for my child. For example, it’s more important to be curious than perfect. Or maybe, it’s more important to be creative than perfect. There are so many more interesting ways to exist and experience the world if you’re not tied down by the expectation of there only being one way. Not to mention, life as a parent is a series of being messy and trying again… and doing your best, and somehow holding it all together when you’re tired and extended beyond ways that you could ever imagine you could be. Plus, what works for you most likely won’t work for another parent or another person or another baby, and that’s totally fine. It’s more interesting to figure out how you show up in these situations when things are chaotic. Leveraging human design can help you figure out the root of why you’re showing up as you are (clue, usually open centers are a fun one to look at) and further inform how to feel more aligned – and thusly, more supported in the experience and family you’re hoping to build.
Celebrating individuality
In a society that wants to tell you there is one “normal” experience that you “should” strive for – it’s a wild act of rebellion to foster your trust in yourself. Doing so takes time, practice, and a lot of grace along the way. Sometimes doing what’s right for you means doing absolutely nothing at all. IMO any time you stop and just stare at the ceiling as a parent or otherwise, you’re doing yourself a wonderful kindness. All to say, I hope my little share here is helpful as you push and pull your way through.