Unlocking Your Soul’s Blueprint: Human Design & Leadership With Candy Barone On Shayna Serene Circle

Shayna Serene Circle is my sanctuary—an online space I created for us to connect deeply, learn holistically, and grow into the best versions of themselves. Whether you are navigating significant life transitions, searching for your true purpose, or yearning for more joy and alignment, this is our community of like-minded souls coming together for support, inspiration, and connection.

Shayna Serene Circle members and I sat down with Human Design & Leadership Alignment Coach Candy Barone for my very first episode of The Shayna Shift Podcast. If you’ve ever wondered why you feel like you have to force your way through certain things in life, this episode is for you!

What Is Human Design? 

I discovered The Human Design System through my own spiritual journey of self-discovery. Like many of us caught up in the rush and chaos of the modern world, I found myself stressed, burnt out, and disconnected from my true self. I knew something had to change—that I needed a deep shift (hence the name of my podcast). 

Your Human Design Chart Is Your Energetic Blueprint

Your Human Design Chart unlocks the secrets of your soul’s blueprint—the way you were uniquely designed to live, work, nourish, play, rest, and lead. As Candy explains, it’s a powerful fusion of Eastern philosophy and Western science, pulling from the I Ching, Kabbalah, Chakra system, astrology, and quantum physics. Think of it as your energetic blueprint—a holistic operating plan for how you do everything in life, from making decisions to interacting with others.

What Is Your Human Design Energy Type?

There are five Energy Types in The Human Design System: Manifestors, Generators, Manifesting Generators, Projectors, and Reflectors. 

Understanding your type is the first step in embodying your authentic self and remembering who you truly are, before you were programmed by the world’s “should”-ing and shaming. In Candy’s words, “You are a once-in-a-lifetime prototype.” Knowing your type is key to clearing resistance, dropping into grace and permission, and claiming your natural gifts. 

• Manifestors (8-9%) get divine sparks and downloads. They are here to initiate others by initiating themselves, and they are not necessarily for everyone. They’re like cannonballs—powerful and disruptive. They must get those affected ready.
• Generators (37%) choose to only work on what lights them up. They are designed to live in the present by waiting to respond. They need to learn how to trust their sacral and not solely rely on logical analysis when making decisions.
• Manifesting Generators (33%) are multipassionate individuals and multi-potentialites. They can run fast and then realize upon reflection that they’ve skipped some steps. Manifesting Generators are here to learn patience and presence.
• Projectors (20%) are oracles and see-ers. They are believed to be the youngest Energy Type. As Candy puts it, Projectors are the last iteration who are here to guide us into the next evolution of human consciousness. They often mistake themselves to be Generators and seek energy deeply. Projectors are designed to wait for the invitation. 
• Reflectors (1-2%) are mirrors who reflect the health of humanity. They may feel disappointment in the chaos of the world. They have many open centres, which means that they are constantly absorbing energy. Some Reflectors are observed to have food intolerances and autoimmune conditions. 

A Human Design Reading Can Change Your Life

Before discovering Candy, I had gotten readings from other coaches, but those sessions left me confused. My Human Design Reading with Candy was the first time I felt heard and understood. I could finally say “YES, that’s me!”

I came to a huge realization through my work with Candy. I am a Projector, but I had been living like a Generator—pushing and living in fight-or-flight mode, hitting a wall constantly. My Human Design Reading put into words why living out of alignment was causing me so much stress, anxiety, and burnout.

If you’ve followed my health journey, you know how deeply poor gut health affected me. It was the underlying root cause of all of the symptoms I had struggled with—symptoms conventional medicine couldn’t explain. Recognizing that stress was a major contributor to my leaky gut was life-changing. Learning to manage my stress became an integral part of healing my gut and clearing my gut-related issues including acne, bloating, and constipation. 

Alignment vs Resistance: Know The Difference By Listening To Your Body

Each type has a Signature state of being aligned, and Not-Self state when they are misaligned. 

Your body knows the truth before your mind catches up. If you feel tension or fatigue, you’re probably not aligned. But when you feel expansive, lit up, and clear, you’re living in alignment.

Negative emotions, like anger and disappointment, can be reframed as signals that gently guide us back to alignment. For instance, frustration is often mistaken for a sign to quit. In reality, it’s a signal to slow down and check to see if you need to play, rest, or shift to your next level of mastery.

When Manifesting Generators feel frustrated, they are being called to check if what they’re doing is still the right thing, or if they need to pivot. 

Manifestors and Manifesting Generators might feel a pop or blast of what feels like anger. As Candy explains, this is actually a pop of creative energy from you being taken out of your flow. The interruption might frustrate you because of how hard the creative flow can be to get back into. Anger could also be directed to you because people dislike a disruptive change you made that was not communicated to them, or the change calls them to step into their potential, but they are not ready yet. 

Projectors can become bitter and resentful when we act like Generators. But Candy notes that bitterness can be your BFF when it comes to protecting you from patterns or environments that don’t serve you. As a Projector who knows that I am not a bitter person, I can easily recognize that when I feel bitter it’s not the other person—it’s that I’m not currently in alignment and need time to play and reconnect with nature. 

Reflectors need supportive surroundings to thrive. I tell my sister, who is a Reflector, to always be aware of her environment and notice if she’s ever in a room with energy that feels toxic or unhealthy. 

Fueling & Healing Your Body According To Your Unique Human Design

Your Human Design Chart can offer holistic health insights and even show markers for certain conditions like depression and addiction.

Candy shared some general ideas about how each Human Design type might thrive with food. These are broad suggestions, not medical advice—please consult a healthcare professional and trust what works best for your body.

• Manifestors may do well with fasting or one meal a day (OMAD).
• Generators often need a number of small to moderate meals throughout the day.
• Manifesting Generators have fast metabolisms and tend to alternate between high calorie and low calorie days, depending on the ebb and flow of their energy.
• Projectors may thrive on gentle, grounding foods like soups and roasted veggies.
• Reflectors should try to eat in a way that supports their own unique needs and goals, being mindful of not mirroring the eating habits of those around them.

How Human Design Empowers Me Professionally As A CEO 

As the founder and CEO of Shayna’s Kitchen, I’m bringing my deepest passions and desires to life through several meaningful projects and companies. I’m an organic chef, holistic nutritionist, and wellness entrepreneur dedicated to biodynamic farming, olive oil, matcha, gut health, spiritual wellness retreats, and CBD. 

As a Projector, my Human Design is to lead by guiding team members and empowering them to step into their aligned self. I’ve changed the way I structure my work, strategically delegating certain tasks while focusing on the aspects of my businesses that need me most. Each person on my incredible team has their own Human Design Chart that highlights unique strengths and gifts, and we use our charts to guide how we collaborate and communicate.

When I get overwhelmed, I simply get up and sit in the grass. We’re so used to thinking we need to respond right now so that people respect you, but I believe that anything urgent can wait a few minutes or hours.

Human Design is a tool for personal transformation. I’m not perfect—I’m still learning and growing, as we all are. My family used to tell me that sometimes I’d tell people things they didn’t ask to hear, often too bluntly. As Projectors, we see deeply. It’s like we have a crystal ball. Despite our good intentions, telling people what we see or what they aren’t ready to hear can come across as rude. I am now more mindful about meeting people where they are with grace and compassion.

Join Shayna Serene Circle Today + Discount From Candy Barone 

If you are reading this message, know that you did not find it by accident. Consider it your invitation to Shayna Serene Circle, the ultimate community & space of holistic tools and practices for mental, emotional, physical, and professional growth. 

We are all here to bloom as human beings on spiritual journeys. That’s why there are two sides to a Human Design Chart: our soul purpose and our life purpose. As a special gift to our community, Candy Barone is offering a discount (use code SERENE) on Human Design Readings.

• Shayna Serene Circle: Join Our Community
• Elevated Wellness Essentials: Shop Shayna’s Kitchen
• Spirituality & Wellness Retreats: Upcoming Dates & Locations
• Learn & Grow: Shayna’s Masterclasses
• @ShaynaTereseTaylor: Instagram, TikTok, & YouTube