Burnout by design a.k.a how not to use your energy...the not-self

You have an amazing guidance system built within you.

In Human Design, it’s known as the not-self.

It’s the signal when you’re veering, or charging, out of alignment and straight to burnout.

The not-self gives us a lot of information about what’s happening around us, but it’s not where we want to stay.

Varying in tone for each energy type, there’s one thing for sure ~ if you’re not creating what you want, how you want it and when you want it - you’re operating more in your not-self theme than you’d realised.

And you may not even realise, because a lot of us have been conditioned to think we are our not-self.

If you’re a generator and you’re feeling frustrated, because what you’re doing is draining your sacral, I bet you’ve been told to work harder, to push through.

If you’re a projector who’s been feeling majorly resentful that no one listens to you, I bet you’ve been told that you need to make yourself heard, that you can make it happen.

When you believe this is who you are for long enough it’s how you live, even though it depletes massive amounts of your energy and prevents you from taking action from a place of simple alignment.

The not-self represents a feeling that needs to be understood, something within us that needs to be explored and unpacked.

The not-selfs by design

Manifestors and anger

Did you steam ahead a bit too hard without telling anyone and now you feel that people hate you? When you don't use your strategy to inform others, you can end up repelling people that were for you. Now you feel unsupported and you'll just become irritated the more you try to do everything yourself.

Manifesting generators and anger and frustration

Did you check in with your sacral before starting another project? When you're doing all the things, stretching yourself thinner and thinner, it's harder to ask for support. It looks like you've got it all covered and people are even jealous of what you've got going on, but in reality you're carrying too much and trying to fake a smile.

Generators and frustration

Has anyone ever told you you're capable? Like really capable! Others see you working hard and remember if you want something done give it to a busy person, right?! Only if it brings you joy, yours not theirs. If they're just riding on the back of your non-stop energy they won't thank you when you run out of steam.

Projector and bitterness

You need to be invited. Not because you're not special and amazing, so don't sulk - but because your magic is like having a spotlight shone straight into someone's eyes. Yes you can deliver amazing insights, but only when they've been asked for, otherwise you are in fact dazzling, but not in a good way.

Reflector and disappointment

The weight of the world is heavy isn't it? And no one notices how much you're carrying. It's like you're invisible which makes your heart feel sad when you consider all you would happily do for someone else. No one can see you behind all of that emotional baggage so the sooner you make better boundaries your new bestie and put it down, the better.

Your not-self shows you there is another way, one which is truer, simpler and easier.

Because sometimes the most powerful way to become all of who you came here to be, is to remember who you’re not.