Today marks the start of the Human Design New Year, a time infused with the energy of imagination and creative possibility. This blog is an invitation to reflect on the energies of Human Design Gate 41 and the long-term influences shaping us, offering insights into how they might be playing out in your own life.

To ground this reflection, I’m sharing my personal experience of working with these energies through the Shine Your Light challenge, which begins today. While this challenge provides the context for my reflections, the heart of this post is about exploring how the energy of the Human Design Gate 41 transit invites us all to dream bigger, simplify our focus, and align with what truly matters.

Gate 41, the start codon of the Human Design mandala, asks us to dream big, to consider what could be, and to focus on one feeling of value to guide us into this next cycle. For me, that feeling is tied to my word for 2025: Simplify.

Simplify reminds me to focus on what truly matters, to strip away distractions, and to make room for new possibilities. As I step into this new year and this challenge, I’m holding space for participants—and for myself—to envision their own potential while staying grounded in the trust that whatever unfolds is exactly what it’s meant to be.

Human Design Gate 41: Imagination and Focus

Gate 41, known as Fantasy in Traditional Human Design and Imagination in Quantum Human Design, represents the spark of creation—the energy to dream and envision what could be. But this energy comes with a lesson: imagination without focus can lead to escapism. When we’re caught in the shadow of Gate 41, we might find ourselves daydreaming endlessly or chasing unrealistic fantasies that leave us feeling stuck or unfulfilled.

The gift of Gate 41 is Anticipation—the ability to dream with intention and align with the emotional clarity needed to move forward. It reminds us to embrace the limitations that give structure to our creativity, allowing us to focus on what truly matters. For me, this is where my word for 2025, Simplify, takes center stage. By narrowing my focus to the one feeling of value that guides my vision, I can let my imagination flourish without scattering my energy.

This energy encourages us to trust the process, to let go of rigid expectations, and to stay connected to the emotions that inspire us to create. When aligned, Human Design Gate 41 becomes the foundation for meaningful new beginnings.

Grounding in Leadership: Earth in Gate 31

While the Sun shines in Gate 41, the Earth brings grounding energy through Gate 31, the Gate of Leadership. In Human Design, Gate 31 is about influence—not through force, but through alignment, authenticity, and humility. True leadership doesn’t demand or control; it inspires others simply by being in integrity.

As I guide the Shine Your Light challenge, this grounding energy reminds me to lead with humility and flexibility. I’ve set a structure for the challenge, but I’m intentionally leaving room for it to evolve based on what participants need. This approach allows me to hold space for each person’s process while staying aligned with my values.

Leadership in this context isn’t about perfection or rigid expectations—it’s about creating a supportive space for exploration and growth.

Emotional Energy of the 35-36 Channel

Adding another layer to this transit is the emotional energy of the 35-36 Channel of Transitoriness, activated by the long-term transits of Jupiter in Gate 35.1 and Neptune in Gate 36.6. This channel carries the themes of life’s stories—rising and falling as we process meaning and make sense of our experiences.

This collective emotional wave continues to influence us, putting us in situations that ask us to release rigid expectations and embrace the flow of life. The wave builds and crashes, and with it comes the lesson to let go of specific outcomes or timelines. Holding onto what “should” have been often creates pain and prevents us from fully experiencing the present moment.

Instead, this wave asks us to trust that everything is happening for us, even when it sucks. Each rise and fall carries meaning, offering opportunities to grow and evolve. However, if we focus only on what didn’t work out, we risk missing the profound insights and experiences gained along the way.

Acting Recklessly or Retreating from Potential

As a long-term transit, the energy of the 35-36 Channel frequently brings us to an emotional crossroads. On one extreme, it can cause us to act recklessly out of boredom, chasing new experiences without consideration for their alignment or consequences. On the other extreme, it can keep us from exploring the edges of our potential out of fear—fear of failure, rejection, or the unknown.

The challenge here is to find the balance between these extremes. The lesson is to wait for the right timing, to align emotionally with what we’re pursuing, and to test the threshold of our own potential. This energy invites us to push the boundaries of what we believe is possible, not out of desperation but out of a grounded desire to expand the limits of the human story.

In the context of Human Design Gate 41’s imaginative spark, this energy offers a powerful opportunity: to dream bigger and explore new possibilities while staying attuned to the right timing for those dreams to take form. Imagination flourishes when we allow ourselves to play with the edges of what might be possible, testing our limits without forcing an outcome.

Holding Space for the Shine Your Light Challenge

For me, this energy is a reminder to hold space for the Shine Your Light: 5-Day Style Confidence Challenge to unfold in its own way. I trust that even if things don’t go as planned, the process will still hold value. Each participant’s journey will be unique, shaped by their own emotions, insights, and experiences.

That said, I want to be clear: this challenge is built on a solid foundation of expertise and thoughtful structure. I’m bringing years of experience and a deep understanding of personal style and self-expression to guide participants. My confidence in what I’m offering comes from knowing this process works, but I’m not imposing my expectations or a rigid framework on anyone.

Someone might enter this challenge with completely different expectations than I imagine, and that’s okay. My role is to guide, not to prescribe. I’m here to create a supportive container where participants can explore their own potential, not to dictate what that journey should look like.

It’s also important to emphasize that this isn’t about toxic positivity. Emotional energy isn’t something to avoid or dismiss—it’s something to feel, honor, and process. All emotions have value, but the key is not becoming ruled by them. This is why emotional definition always requires waiting for clarity. By allowing emotions to flow without attaching to them, we create space for deeper understanding and more aligned action.

This energy has also been a mirror for me, highlighting the importance of not taking responsibility for other people’s emotional expectations. As participants move through this challenge, their experiences are theirs to own and process. Similarly, in our personal lives, it’s worth reflecting: Where might we be taking on the burden of others’ emotional expectations?

When we focus too much on what others feel or expect, we risk diminishing our own clarity and energy. This challenge is teaching me—and I hope it will teach others—that holding space is not about controlling outcomes but about trusting the process and honoring each person’s unique path.

Reflecting on Responsibility

As you reflect on this energy in your own life, consider:

• Are you taking responsibility for someone else’s emotional expectations or experiences?
• Where might you need to release control and trust others to process their own emotions?
• How can you hold space for others without diminishing your own clarity or energy?

The lessons of the 35-36 Channel remind us to find balance in our emotional interactions, allowing space for growth and understanding while letting go of the need to manage outcomes. By doing so, we create room for imagination, trust, and aligned possibilities to unfold.

Imagining Possibility While Keeping It Simple

The start of a new year often brings pressure to set goals, make resolutions, and chase outcomes. But life rarely unfolds according to rigid plans, and the pursuit of perfection can quickly become overwhelming.

Human Design Gate 41 encourages us to approach new beginnings differently. Instead of focusing on specific outcomes, we’re invited to tune into a feeling—whether it’s joy, fulfillment, peace, or alignment—and let that be our guide.

For me, this means returning again and again to my word, Simplify. Last year, I focused on Radical Self-Trust, which changed my life and business dramatically. Trust became my anchor, teaching me to let go of what wasn’t aligned and stay the course as I restructured my business around authenticity.

This year, Simplify is a natural evolution,  helping me channel that same trust into more intentional decisions. It reminds me to ask:

• What truly serves my vision?
• Does this bring me joy and fulfillment?
• What can I release to make space for what matters most?

It’s also helping me navigate the energy of my Defined Will Center, asking myself tough but necessary questions:

• Just because I can, does that mean I should?
• Is this where I am being called to use my energy?
• Am I being invited into this from a place of true recognition?

Simplifying isn’t about suppressing my drive—it’s about directing it intentionally toward what feels most aligned.

Reflection for This New Cycle

As we step into this new cycle, consider:

• What is the one feeling of value that will guide you through the year ahead? (For inspiration, check out my post on Choosing a Word for 2025.)
• How can you align with your goals in a way that allows flexibility and creativity?
• What would it look like to simplify your life and create space for what truly matters?

New beginnings are not about perfection or rigid outcomes—they’re about possibility. As we imagine what’s to come, let’s also hold space for the unexpected, trusting that every curveball, detour, and shift is part of the process.

Are you ready to walk into this new cycle with imagination, grounded leadership, and a willingness to embrace what’s possible? Let’s imagine a world where we all shine our light. 

(For more on working with the transits, check out my post on A Practical Guide to Following the Human Design Transits.)

#SimplifyIn2025 #RadicalSelfTrust