Episode 328: Your Quirks Aren’t Flaws — They’re Your GPS
In this birthday episode, we get personal and talk about the parts of ourselves we’ve been taught to tone down, cover up, or feel ashamed of — the quirks, patterns, and preferences we thought made us “too much,” “too sensitive,” or just… weird.
And how Human Design gives us a language — and a framework — to see these parts not as flaws, but as guidance.
We discuss:
Why your quirks aren’t accidents — they’re insights
How I reframed what I used to feel self-conscious about through my Human Design
Real-life examples from my chart (and maybe yours, too!)
Listen to the Episode:
“You’re not here to be palatable. You’re here to be aligned. You are here to be yourself - how you’re designed.”
Read the Transcript:
So…when this episode drops, it’ll be my birthday. And I’m at the age where every birthday puts me in a reflective mood.
I’ve been thinking a lot about all the things I used to feel weird or self-conscious about — the things people teased me, made fun of me for, told me I was being “too much”, and while a lot it was said in jest, those words, made me second-guess myself – especially the “feedback” from when I was young(er), they influenced and shaped my beliefs of who I thought I was and what I thought of myself – how I perceived myself.
My quirks. My patterns. Things more often than not, I couldn’t explain.
But now — with the lens of Human Design — I can. I get it. I get me.
And I’ve come to understand that those quirks that people made fun of me for, they weren’t flaws. They were my body's GPS; my navigation system, my inner compass, whispering: “This is how you work best. This is how you’re wired”
Well, in my reflective mood, I’ve jotted down a few of my so-called quirks and how they actually aren’t flaws and how I’ve reframed them.
I think I have about seven or eight of them that I’ve jotted down that I’m going to share with you. Perhaps you might relate to some of these “quirks” or perhaps, as you listened to mine, you might see a reframing of your own “quicks as well.
First – I need to know everything.
When I’m interested in something — whether it’s a new tv show, a historical event, a wellness protocol or a Human Design gate — I go deep. I research. Wikipedia is the most used app on my phone and most visited on my laptop.
I memorize all the facts and figures. I know the history, how things came to be; you might say I become borderline obsessed. And then I have to tell you all about it. I go on tangents. And yeah — people have most definitely made fun of this for as long as I can remember.
When I was called a “know it all” or told by a teacher, “one day you’ll have your own classroom to instruct” or friends who rolled their eyes and joking-but-not-so-jokingly in a frenemy kind of way called me “extra,” “too much,” or told me to “just relax.”
So I’d silence myself. Make myself small. Thought something was wrong with me.
But what I now understand is: I have a Line 1 in my Profile. I’m an Investigator. I need information to feel safe and grounded.
Learning is my foundation. It’s part of me. There isn’t any part of learning that I don’t love – except math. I don’t love math.
But what I’ve come to learn is that this isn’t something about myself to fix. This is something to honor and something I’ve come to embrace and take pride on.
Speaking of the tangents, admittedly, I do go on tangents. A lot.
I joke that brevity isn’t a strength. And its really not. I mean, it’s why I’ve had this podcast for 8+ years and here we are on Episode 328.
But in the past I’d been told that I “lecture.” (Hence the teacher who told me that one day I’d have my own classroom.)
That I tend to get “carried away.” Their words, not mine, I mean carried away is subjective, isn’t it?
But I have noticed that I always have to explain everything - hold this thought, it’s something I’m ruminating on that I will circle back on in the future.
But as a Projector with Line 1, this isn’t me being “too much.” This is how I process insight. Once I know, I have to share it. I see things that others don’t.
The trick for me is noticing where the energetic invitations are, something I’m still learning how to do.
I’m also always trying new things. Always
Whole 30? Sure, I’ll try it! New kind of workouts? No problem! A 30-day challenge? I’m SO CURIOUS about what might happen at the end of the 30 days; what’s possible?!
New routines. New strategies. New structures. I’m game!
Some might see this as inconsistent, but I’ve come to realize it’s my Line 3.
The Martyr. The Experimenter.
Trial-and-error is how I learn. I’m not flaky — I’m resilient. I’m data-driven by design. So yes, I’ll try almost everything at least once. Failure isn’t in my vocabulary so please stop making me feel bad about myself!
I’ve often felt scatterbrained. Like a lot
The tangents have to come from somewhere right? My brain is always working.
It’s not uncommon for me to have 10+ browser tabs open in my mind at all times. Actually, I just counted, right now I have 23 actual browser tabs open. And I HAVE TO have them open right now. Turns out? I have Undefined Head and Ajna centers, which means I’m not here to hold tightly to one opinion or thought. I take in ideas. I amplify them. I release them. Oh and I also have an Active Brain – like I said, it’s ALWAYS working.
So, it’s not that I’m unfocused — I’m just wired for constant curiosity.
I correct people.
And yeah, I do — it didn’t always land well. Actually, it never landed well.
But as a Projector, I see systems. I also see inefficiencies. I see when you’re doing it wrong!
I see what could be done smoother, easier, more efficiently. Can you imagine how I was as a child? LOL.
But now that I have context for this – I’m a Projector, now I understand that my advice only lands when it’s invited. I get it now. I’ll keep my lips zipped, sit on my hands and push down every urge to share my wisdom until that energetic invitation is extended, tough as it may be.
But the desire to guide? It’s ALWAYS there. It never goes away and now I know that this isn’t me being bossy. It’s baked in.
I’ve made decisions that made no logical sense — but felt right.
And guess what - more often than night, they were right. That’s my Splenic Authority. The instant knowing. It’s quiet but clear, if I’m paying attention. And what I know to be isn’t always explainable — but always wise.
But if they don’t make sense to others (and in the past myself), my decisions were often second-guessed. Eyebrows raised. People waiting for things not to work out so they could say, “I told you so.” because they didn’t understand and trust my instinctive knowing, and hey, why would they, especially if their Authority was different than mine.
This is an odd but extremely validating one – I need sound when I eat.
TV, music, background noise — something.
As a kid, we never ate dinner at the table as a family. My dad was a high school coach, my mom had church responsibilities, us kids loved being at grandma’s house, so dinner was always whenever YOU were ready for it, in the living room, on a tv tray with the tv on. But there were times when my Mom did TRY to have us eat dinner all together at the table, which ok fine. But with the tv off?! No way. What else were we supposed to do – talk to each other?!? The scandal!
Of course, that didn’t go over well, there were arguments about it. I was too distracted. I was unfocused. Something was wrong with me. Nope. I just have High Sound Determination. My digestion thrives with sound. Sound is supportive to me. This isn’t a quirk and nothing is wrong with me. It’s literally how I process nourishment.
All of these things I used to make me feel self-conscious, I was made to feel weird about… but these things are just me.
My wiring. My rhythm. My Design.
And if no one ever told you this: You’re not here to be palatable. You’re here to be aligned. You are here to be yourself - how you’re designed.
Your quirks are not random.
They’re your GPS.
If you’re ready to start understanding your own patterns — the ones you’ve been teased for, questioned, or confused by — download my free guide, Energy Mapping 101.
And if you want to go deeper — to actually build a rhythm around your energy, your digestion, and your decision-making style — check out Find Your Flow.
Energy Mapping 101 is where you can start, Find Your Flow is my signature program - the pique of my approach.
All the links are in the show notes that you’ll find at www.livefablife.com/328 for Episode 328.
Thank you so much for being here and spending my birthday with me. I so appreciate your time, energy and attention.
Now, I’m off to have some cake bites - I ordered myself Sagittarius-theme Baked By Melissa cakes. If you’ve never heard of Baked By Melissa’s, they’re single-bite sized cakes - sooo yummy! I’ll include a link to it in my show notes.
And if we’re not connected on Instagram yet, come and find me at @livefablifewithnaomi. I’m taking a birthday trip next week and would love to take you along with me!
See you there - bye for now!
Naomi Nakamura is a Health x Human Design coach who’s creating a healthier society through aligned energy.
She blends a bespoke mix of Functional Nutrition and Human Design to help others shift into alignment to leverage and correctly manage their energy to support their body, mind, and spirit.
She believes that when we embrace our authenticity and lean into our bio-individuality, we naturally live a life of freedom, empowerment, and optimal health.
Naomi resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and can often be found exploring the area with her puppy girl, Coco Pop!
Connect with Naomi on: Instagram
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