When Rest Becomes Strength: A Journey into Astrology and Human Design

Over the years I’ve done my fair share of socializing, pouring myself into people and experiences with enthusiasm and intensity. For a long time, I lived this way—until my energy was so depleted I could hardly get out of bed. I thought it was depression or adrenal fatigue, but as I dove more deeply into my birth chart and my Human Design, I began to understand why my mother always said, “Jamie is a person who requires a lot of rest.”

This simple truth has become my north star: my heart is expansive and feels deeply for others, but my energy—precious and finite—must be managed with care. I am deeply aware and sensitive to the emotions of those around me, and I need large swaths of solitude, away from the energy of the world, in order to stay balanced and clear. A younger version of Jamie would have chastised herself for not having the stamina others seemed to possess, but through astrology and Human Design, I’ve learned to accept and even embrace my need for solitude.

My Human Design chart helped me to see that, as a Projector, I am not built for constant output or perpetual closeness. My gift is to see others clearly, to guide others toward self-love and awareness, and to hold space for those who dare to be vulnerable and honest—but I can only access these gifts when I honor my own rhythms of rest and retreat. My astrology echoes this truth: I am an Aquarius Sun and Leo Rising, carrying the constant tension of loving people, connection, and the warmth of community, while also needing spacious solitude to recharge, reflect, and return whole. For much of my life, I fought this rhythm. I said yes when my body begged for no. I kept pace with others, even when it left me empty. I thought that was strength.

Now I am learning to honor a quieter strength: the courage to be gentle with myself.

Sometimes I go silent, not because I’ve stopped caring, but because silence is where I mend. Solitude is not abandonment—it is where I gather enough light to offer again. My birth chart calls me back to this truth over and over: that healing and authenticity are not luxuries, but necessities.

I am not the person who can show up every day with check-ins and constant presence. I ebb and flow. I may drift into stillness, then return with stories, laughter, and love that runs deep. What I’ve discovered is that real connection doesn’t vanish in the silence—it steadies itself there.

Gentleness with myself also creates gentleness with others. I am grateful for the relationships that can hold the pauses, the space between, and the silence that restores. And I am eternally thankful for the friendships that have stood the test of time because we see each other with tenderness and compassion rather than judgment or scorn.

This is what I am learning at the edge of my own design: that to honor our energy is to honor our truest selves. And from that place, we can love more deeply, more honestly, and more freely than ever before.

An Invitation

If you are also longing to understand yourself more deeply—to honor your rhythms, your energy, and your truest self—grab a free Astrology Birth Chart or Human Design Chart here.