Karen Harbin | Career Transitions https://karenharbin.com/coaching/ Career Transitions Mon, 18 May 2026 20:36:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/karenharbin.com/coaching/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-heartglow.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Karen Harbin | Career Transitions https://karenharbin.com/coaching/ 32 32 143467950 Money in Bruce Springsteen’s Astrology Chart https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2026/05/18/money-in-bruce-springsteens-astrology-chart/ Mon, 18 May 2026 20:12:49 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14626 Money in Bruce Springsteen’s Astrology Chart Intuitive, Idealism, Beauty Introduction We looked at money in Madonna’s chart in my last post. Let’s take a look at money in Bruce Springsteen’s chart. This will give you an idea of how different our money stories can be beneath the surface when we look at two different musicians […]

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Money in Bruce Springsteen's Astrology Chart

Intuitive, Idealism, Beauty

Introduction

We looked at money in Madonna’s chart in my last post. Let’s take a look at money in Bruce Springsteen’s chart. This will give you an idea of how different our money stories can be beneath the surface when we look at two different musicians that have had successful careers. In Bruce’s chart, once again, we start with the Second House.

The Second House in Bruce's Chart

Bruce’s second house is in the sign of Cancer (dark blue “69”). Once again, the key words for the second house are: Money, Self-Worth, Possessions, Values, Security. The key words for Cancer are: Nurturing, Emotional, Protective, Intuitive, Family-Oriented. Even with this initial piece of information, we’re already seeing a different flavor than Madonna.

The Leader of the Second House

The Leader of the second house in this case is the Moon, which is in the Fifth House in Libra. It’s co-present with many other planets in that house meaning that Bruce has a super stellium in that house. The Sun, Neptune, Mercury, as well as his South Node are also in the Fifth House.

In Bruce’s case, the 2nd House describes the landscape of money and the leader (the Moon) acts like the manager or representative of those topics. It carries the story of the 2nd House into another area of life. It’s the agent carrying out the story.

This means that money and livelihood are connected to 5th House themes: earning money through creativity, performance, entertainment, joy, self-expression, artistry, audiences, playing.

This is all happening in the sign of Libra. Key words for Libra are: Diplomatic, Charming, Fair-Minded, Artistic, Relational, Balance, Harmony, Beauty, Diplomacy. Key words for the Fifth House are: Creativity, Romance, Play, Sexuality, Children, Joy, Self-Expression, Sports, Parts of life that allow us to shine from the heart.

When we blend these two together we get something along the lines of: expression through creative collaboration, artistic sensitivity, romantic idealism, a longing to experience pleasure through partnership and shared experiences. A natural charm and grace, along wiht a strong awareness of how one’s creativity affects other people. In its healthiest expression, this combination creates someone who brings beauty, fairness, warmth, and relational intelligence intot he realm of creativity and joy. 

One of the challenges of this placement is becoming overly dependent on validation, audience response. The growth edge is being able to create from an inner authenticy while still honoring Libra’s gift for connection and collaboration.

Planets in the Second House

Bruce has Uranus, (the planet of Innovation, Rebellion, Awakening, Disruption, Freedom) as well as the Lot of Spirit in his Second House. This might mean a relationship with money that is complex, highly individualistic, and subject to sudden changes, innovation, nontraditional approaches and unpredictability.

The Lot of Spirit represents the effort we put into our career. It’s about the choices we make, our motivations, our aspirations, our intention, and what the soul seeks to do.

Filtered through Cancer and the Second House, themes become: Emotional Intelligence, Intuition, Family, the need to create genuine safety and belonging. A deeper purpose might be: valuing themeselves, buiilding a life that emotionally nourishes themselves and others. Cancer adds sensitivity to all this. Financial choices are connected to care-taking, family responsibilities and stability.

Planets in the 5th House

If I was actually doing a thorough job of looking at the 5th House, I would go through each planet and think about how they interact with each other. For the sake of time, I’m not going to do that here. But, suffice it to say that having his Sun (his identity), Mercury (communication), Neptune (imagination) and the South Node (Comfort Zone) means there is a lot going on in his 5th House.

With his South Node in the 5th House, it means the North Node is in the 11th House. This means that Bruce will feel fulfillment in life only when he takes his creativity out into the world and in front of groups of people. He’s not someone who could sit in his lonely room and play for himself and feel fulfilled. He’s compelled to play in front of audiences.

Wrap Up

I hope you’re getting an idea of how we can look at money in your astrology chart. So far, we’ve looked at Madonna and Bruce and see very individual, yet strong paths to their careers and the money they’ve earned – timing, opportunities, challenges, relationships, 

Madonna’s path is more feminine and individual with a flavor of collaboration while Bruce’s is more about romantic idealism, relational intelligence, creativity, and joy.

They are artists with music in common, yet with very individual ways in which they approach their careers.

This is just looking at a couple of natal placements. Already, we have rich information. That said, this is the tip of the iceburg. There’s so much more to our charts and so much more information to gleen from them.

If you’d like to look at the role of money in your own chart, you might gain some insights into how you’re meant to earn money, how to create ease around money, and perhaps what some of your challenges and opportunties around money are. 

If you’re interested in this, go here to find out more.

Thanks for reading!

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]]> 14626 Money – The Second House in Astrology https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2026/05/12/money-the-second-house-in-astrology/ Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:54 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14599 Money – The Second House in Astrology Money, Self-Worth, Possessions, Values, Security Money in Your Astrology Chart Your Natal Chart is a reflection of the sky’s energy when you were born. It’s the first place we look in Astrology when we’re wondering about money and abundance in our lives. The first placement we look at, […]

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Money - The Second House in Astrology

Money, Self-Worth, Possessions, Values, Security

Money in Your Astrology Chart

Your Natal Chart is a reflection of the sky’s energy when you were born. It’s the first place we look in Astrology when we’re wondering about money and abundance in our lives.

The first placement we look at, when it comes to money, is the second house.

Using Madonna’s chart again, we start at the very left side of the wheel, look in a bit to see the #1 and move to #2 – the second House.

Key words for the Second House include: Money, Self-Worth, Possessions, Values, Security.

In Madonna’s chart, we see that the second-house sign is Libra. (It’s the glyph with the sort-of little hill with an underline in turquoise.) Key words for Libra include: Diplomatic, Charming, Fair-Minded, Artistic, Relational, Balance. This sign is often denoted by the legal scales, weighing one side against the other to achieve balance.

So, with just these two pieces of information, we begin to weave together her money story. It includes a desire to create financial and material stability through fairness, collaboration, balance – what feels fair, mutually beneficial, what creates aesthetic and relational harmony. There can be a real talent for earning through diplomacy, art, beauty, or anything that brings people into better balance with each other.

The Ruler of the Second House

In Hellenistic Astrology “rulers” play a big role. In this case we’re looking for the ruler of Madonna’s second house of money. Because the sign is Libra (I’ll write something separate on Leadership to help you understand this.), the ruler is the planet Venus.

Venus is in the 12th House in Leo. Now, we repeat what we did in the second house in that we look for key words for the 12th House: Spirituality, Hidden Things, Healing, Unconscious, Solitude, Beneath the Surface.

And the sign is Leo: Dramatic, Confident, Creative, Generous, Spotlight-Loving. We think of Leo the Lion. Hmm, it’s getting interesting.

Keywords for Venus are: Love, Values, Relationships, Beauty, Harmony, Receptivity. Venus is also the signifier of the feminine in all her glory – Venus de Milo lying gracefully on her chaise. 

In Leo. In the 12th House. This is where astrology becomes art – we blend these elements together – Money and resources may flow through 12th House environments: art created in solitude, spiritual practices, healing work, finances are tied to periods of withdrawal and reflection. Tendency to give generously.  Leo might mean creating singularly (hear me roar), separating from the pack, creating from dignity, loyalty. artistic gifts that develop away from public pressure but are displayed loudly.

This could also mean that her sense of self worth gets a little confused with Leo roaring like a lion and the 12th house being private: creating in solitude and then going out into the public loudly; toggling back and forth as a creative process; learning to gain self worth not just from being a singular visible person, but also from a rich inner creative life.

We know that Madonna, at her height of popularity, would disappear from view for awhile and re-emerge as a different persona that reflected strong, sexual, beautiful womanhood.

We haven’t gotten very far in Madonna’s chart, but already very rich information is being revealed. 

Planets in the Second House

Jupiter and the North Node reside in the Second House.

Jupiter and Venus are the benefics of the zodiac, meaning that they are the planets that bring good fortune, luck, positive results. Having Jupiter in her 2nd house as well as Venus as the leader of her money house tells us that she likely to have very good fortune around money.

The North Node in the second house denotes that she will feel more fulfilled making money herself, rather than through “other people’s money” – inheritances, spousal money, etc. 

Wrap Up

This is a brief overview of one technique around money. We haven’t yet attempted to look at connections to other planets or look at transits.

But, still, as you can see, without looking at too many things in Madonna’s chart, we’re getting a pretty good picture of her financial world.

We use celebreties to demonstrate astrology sometimes because it’s someone’s life that is visible and we can agree on it. 

That said, we only know their public personas and know little about their private triumphs and struggles. If we were doing a reading for her, she could either verify or clarify some of the things that are unknown to us. 

Next we’ll look at Money Markers in Human Design.

 

If you’d like to see your money story as told by astrology, human design, and the gene keys go here.

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]]> 14599 Money Markers in Your Charts https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2026/03/06/money-markers-in-your-charts/ Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:51:58 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14539 Money Markers in Your Charts Astrology, Human Design, Gene Keys Overview Let’s Talk About Money We’re all curious about money. How much do I need? How can I get it? How can I make enough to live on and to thrive? Yet, in our culture it’s a bit of a taboo topic. Even though we […]

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Money Markers in Your Charts

Astrology, Human Design, Gene Keys Overview

Let's Talk About Money

We’re all curious about money. How much do I need? How can I get it? How can I make enough to live on and to thrive? Yet, in our culture it’s a bit of a taboo topic. Even though we can learn about the world of finance and we can take courses on accounting, very little ties back to us and our personal lives.

There are definite gaps in learning about our own person finances and how to manage them.  Going even deeper, we don’t even consider that there might be even more personal information about our relationship with money. That’s where astrology, human design, and the gene keys come in. They provide insights and information not found else where.

In this post, I provide a brief overview of how we can look at money and prosperity using the three tools mentioned above. This is meant as an overview and I’ll be providing more details in posts going forward, which I’ll link to this post as they go live.

I’m using Madonna’s chart as the example. Your chart an information will vary. This is one way to receive very personalized information versus the one-size-fits-all guidance we usually receive.

Let’s dig in.

Astrology

Astrology has several money markers that are personal to you. They include:

  • The sign in your 2nd House in your natal chart. The 2nd House topics are generally topics related to money and the foundation you need to create what you want in life: money, self-worth, possessions, values, security
  • The condition of planets in your second house
  • The ruling planet of your second house – its condition and placement in your chart
  • We also look to the 8th House. 8th House topics are generally related to: other people’s money, shared resources, inheritance, taxes, intimacy, transformation, psychological depth
  • The Lot of Fortune and Spirit provide good information
  • We also might look at career aspects of your chart
  • There are also cycles like the progressed moon, or profection year that might inform your current money story
  • In addition to the natal chart, we can also look at transits to see what’s going on right now.

Everyone’s chart is different, so when doing a reading, there are certain areas that definitely get looked at, but depending on the person and where they are at and what they are asking, there are a number of individualized things we can look at.

For example, let’s look at Madonna’s chart. Her 2nd House sign is Libra and she has Jupiter and the North Node in her 2nd House. The ruler of Libra is Venus, which is in the 12th House in Leo, along with a bunch of other planets. 

With Jupiter in the 2nd House, she has a lot of good luck around money, and with the North Node there as well, it tells us that in this lifetime, she will feel most fulfilled by making money for herself, rather than relying on others. With Venus in Leo (how she will fulfill this potential), her value system involves: creativity, beauty, self-expression, performing, inspiring others. So, her earning potential is through creative expression, art, design, performance. The 12th House create a paradox in that it is more of a behind-the-scenes energy – she was much more visible when she was younger. Yet, even when she is visible these days, it’s big, creative, feminine energy.

There’s a lot more we could dive into here, as is the case with everyone’s chart, but you get the idea.

 

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Human Design

Human Design says that we are all designed to be living in abundance, but that we have individual ways of pursuing this abundance – what works for us may not work for others and vice versa. Some indicators in Madonna’s chart include:

Channel 14-2: Gate 2 is the most receptive of all the gates. All you need to do is receive and allow. All she needs to do is follow the steps that feel good and aligned to her. Her life path unfolds before her, with less suffering than others might experience. In fact, that is the only gate in her G Center, so that’s the way for her to make money for herself.

Gate 45 – 21 is the money line. She has Venus in Gate 21 (not the whole channel), which once again reflects the astrology above, saying that when she controls her own resources, things turn out better for her. In fact, when she’s leading a community they benefit from her financial energy.

That’s a brief look at Human Design, and as you look at her chart, you can see there’s a lot more going on, which we’ll dig into in another post. But you get the idea.

 

The Gene Keys

I love looking at the Gene Keys and the Pearl Sequence to tell the story of someone’s prosperity. There is so much rich information here that can be so helpful. Like astrology and human design, there are a lot of hyrogliphics and things to be interpreted, but when you take the time to do so, the information is so rich and helpful.

I’m not going to get into explaining the Gene Keys or the whole Pearl Sequence here, but I will say that the Gene Keys take the gates from Human Design and lay them out in sequences, giving us paths to follow, and stepping stones to unlock. That’s a mixed metaphor until I think of a better analogy. 

A quick example is that we can idenfity her greatest money block, which is found in the shadow of her Culture sphere. It’s in Gate 32.3, which is identified as “failure” here. So, letting the fear of failure get in the way of doing doing what you need to do. This can manifest as not being ready when the time is right. Or, pushing too hard, too fast, too long against right timing. 

Now, I have no way of knowing if Madonna experiences this, but if I was guiding her, I might suggest that, even though the opportunity might not exist in the outer world right now, that doesn’t mean that it’s not going to. I would suggest that she prepare herself, get ready, for when the opportunity presents itself. This means that she needs to trust in divine timing – to prepare for the next step of manifestation and be patient.

And, that’s just one part of one gate in the sequence! If I was doing a reading, that piece of information would be congtained within a larger story.

Wrapping Up

The purpose of this post was to give you a taste for the richness that can be found in your charts, when it comes to understanding your own prosperity. Stay tuned for more!

If you want to know more about your very own prosperity and money stories, go here and scroll to the bottom and check out Module 6.

If you have questions, please let me know.

Stay sensitive!

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]]> 14539 You: For Career Transitions, Start Here https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2025/08/14/you-for-career-transitions-start-here/ Thu, 14 Aug 2025 18:46:42 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14405 For Career Transitions –Start With You Imagine waking up each morning and feeling a quiet certainty – your work fits you. Your skills, your nature, your energy — they’re all flowing in the same direction.  No more squeezing yourself into boxes that never felt right. No more hiding your sensitivity. Instead, you move through your days […]

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For Career Transitions -
Start With You

Imagine waking up each morning and feeling a quiet certainty – your work fits you. Your skills, your nature, your energy — they’re all flowing in the same direction. 

No more squeezing yourself into boxes that never felt right.

No more hiding your sensitivity.

Instead, you move through your days with clarity. You’re confident about what you bring to your work, and how you do it is not just accepted, but honored.

If you’ve ever felt the ache for a career that feels good to you,  it’s not something to supress. It’s something to explore.

I’ve felt the ache too. After years of learning, testing, refining, I’ve gathered tools to help you follow it – without taking risky leaps or burning your life down in the process.

See Yourself in a New Way - Authentically

You may or may not know this, but, over the years, your authentic self has been obscured by things like: doing your best, trying to fit in, being a good person, making a living. 

These are all good things, but as we do these things, we often lose ourselves along the way. It starts as we figure out how to navigate our original families. It gets more imbedded as we go to school, survive adolesence, go out into the world and make our way. We do all the “right” things, but we also deny the parts of ourselves that might sabotage this safe and acceptable path. 

It’s not a bad path, but at some point we can start to feel lost, depressed, unmotivated, etc. 

If that wasn’t bad enough, we women tend to blame ourselves instead of looking at wider cultural issues. Have you noticed yourself getting down on yourself because you don’t know what you really want? Or, have you asked, “What’s wrong with me that I can’t be happy with what I have?” 

Same.

We can feel trapped in our lives when this happens. It can often feel like there’s no other way than to just keep keeping on, no matter how bad we feel. 

That’s the way we do life these days, but it doesn’t mean you can’t break free and create something better for yourself. And, you don’t have to throw everything away to do it either. 

Start at the beginning - with you

Before you explore new roles or dust off your resume, I suggest that you focus on you for a minute.

I especially recommend this if you’re going through a midlife transition because a lot is happening at this time of life.

Or, if you’re a sensitive pereson, it’s a good idea to do a re-set on what it means to be sensitive in the work place.  (Hint: It’s a good thing!)

How about a short cut?

For years, I tried to “figure it out” the hard way. Personality tests. Therapy. Books. Workshops. Endless journaling. They all gave me pieces of the puzzle, but the big picture was still fuzzy.

Then I discovered a different way — one that cuts through the noise and gets to the heart of you.
It combines practical coaching tools with three powerful systems:

  • Astrology – understanding your authentic self, life stages, your path forwad
  • Human Design – learning how your energy works best, so you can work in a way that isn’t about pushing and burning out.
  • Gene Keys – discovering the deeper themes of your life’s work, your money story, and your heart’s desires.

This isn’t about labelling you or putting you in a box. It’s about naming what you may have always felt but couldn’t articulate – the truth of how you’re wired and what that means for your work life.

Where we start - Module 1

I offer six modules in my flagship program – Plot Your Escape from Your Corporate Career. Module 1 is all about you. 

You can buy the complete program or you can buy Module 1 if that’s your main interest. It includes:

  • Welcome & Intake to customize the session to you
  • With Astrology, we look at the three most significators of your personality
  • Your Life Chapter is revealed through Lunar Cycles
  • We look at what drives you and what is steering your ship
  • Your path of fulfillment and least resistance
  • What challenges might get in the way
  • What you need in place to take big leaps
  • We may discover talents and whether your career is on your terms or not. We also may discover if you’re a leader or a great #2
  • Human Design reveals your archetype, your role in the world, your strategy for impact, and how you function best
  • We’ll also talk about the big astrological shifts and how they impact you personally
  • The intake questions help customize your journey. For example, if you’ve already had a natal astrology reading, we will focus more on transits and other tools

What you get.

By the end of this module, you’ll have:

  • A clear picture of your natural strengths and sensitivities.

  • Insight into why certain jobs drained you and others lit you up.

  • Language to describe what you need in order to thrive.

This becomes your career compass — a guide you’ll carry into every decision you make going forward. From here, every step in your career transition is grounded in who you really are.

Conclusion

Go here to find out about the Plot Your Escape program. Scroll down to see where Module 1 fits in. 

I’d love to help guide you on your journey to a more fulfilling career. Until then, stay sensitive!

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]]> 14405 Claiming Your Life’s Work https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2025/05/06/claiming-your-lifes-work/ Tue, 06 May 2025 13:10:13 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14305 Claiming Your Life’s Work Following the path to meaningful work. Over the past few weeks, I’ve shared the heart of my work. You’ve heard about my path as a Wayfinder Coach.Why I use tools like astrology, Human Design, and the Gene Keys.And how sensitivity—often seen as a flaw—is actually a powerful gift. This series wasn’t […]

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Claiming Your Life's Work

Following the path to meaningful work.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve shared the heart of my work.

You’ve heard about my path as a Wayfinder Coach.
Why I use tools like astrology, Human Design, and the Gene Keys.
And how sensitivity—often seen as a flaw—is actually a powerful gift.

This series wasn’t just about laying the groundwork of what I do. It was about inviting you to step into your power, in a way that feels authentic and true to you.

Craving Something More in Our Work Lives

So many of us have spent years trying to force ourselves to fit.
Into jobs, expectations, rhythms that don’t match our nature.
We’ve gotten used to self-doubt, burnout, and pretending.
But deep down, we know we’re meant for something more.

We’re craving something more in our work lives.

Something with more purpose.
More meaning.
Work that reflects who we truly are—
and how we long to make a difference.

The World Needs Us

So many of us are ready for something more balanced—
where quick decisiveness is complemented by deep thoughtfulness,
where teams value those of us who are sensitive, intuitive, and can think things through.

It’s time for more voices than just the loud ones.

The first step us valuing ourselves, advocating for ourselves, owning our power. I believe we need to start with own self-actualization and fulfillment. It begins with us.

Whether you’re seeking direction in your work, wanting to escape your corporate career, or simply needing space to come back to yourself—
that’s what my work is for.

I’m here for you.

Thank you for being here.

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]]> 14305 The Art of Sensitivity https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2025/05/01/the-art-of-sensitivity/ Thu, 01 May 2025 14:11:24 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14288 The Art of Sensitivity It’s a Reclamation. There’s a quiet group among us. They’re the ones often described as sensitive, shy, quiet, nice, or introverted.Words that—although not inherently negative—are rarely used as compliments. If you’ve heard these words used to describe you, you may have learned early on to feel a little ashamed of them.To […]

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The Art of Sensitivity

It’s a Reclamation.

There’s a quiet group among us.

They’re the ones often described as sensitive, shy, quiet, nice, or introverted.
Words that—although not inherently negative—are rarely used as compliments.

If you’ve heard these words used to describe you, you may have learned early on to feel a little ashamed of them.
To apologize for being sensitive.
To toughen up.
To speak louder.
To try harder to fit in.

And over time, many of us did exactly that:
We set out to fix our sensitivity.
To hide our softness.
To reshape ourselves into something more “acceptable.”

But, What Happens When We Spend Years Trying to "Fix" Who We Are?

When we contort ourselves to be easier, quieter, more acceptable?
We lose touch with our inner signals.
We override our truth to make others comfortable.
We start to believe our sensitivity is a burden—something that gets in the way.

The Hidden Cost of Being Nice

Dr. Gabor Maté, a physician and author, has spoken about how people who are nice—quiet, agreeable, conflict-averse—often experience worse health outcomes.

Why?

Because being nice sometimes means suppressing emotions, overriding boundaries, and putting others’ comfort above our own needs.
We disconnect from our bodies to stay likable.
We push down anger, grief, or overwhelm in order to stay “easy to be around.”
We internalize stress to keep the peace.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with being kind, or caring, or thoughtful.

The problem is when we’re taught that our value lies only in being pleasing, quiet, or selfless—and that anything bold, emotional, or intense is “too much.”

What if Sensitivity Isn't A Flaw?

Here’s a question worth sitting with:

What if your sensitivity isn’t something to fix—but something to honor?

What if sensitivity is actually an art form?
A way of seeing and sensing that allows you to navigate the world with a deeper kind of wisdom?

Highly sensitive people often notice what others miss.
They sense the subtle dynamics in a room.
They feel the emotional weather before anyone speaks.
They intuit what’s true even when it’s unspoken.

This is not weakness.
This is a refined kind of strength.

The Art of Sensitivity

The Art of Sensitivity isn’t about staying fragile.
It’s about learning to trust your inner landscape.
To respect your own rhythms.
To notice what feels right, and what doesn’t.
To stop gaslighting yourself for being the way you are.

It’s about loving the parts of you that are soft, tender, or emotional—not because they make you palatable to others, but because they are part of your brilliance.

It’s a reclamation.
Of self.
Of soul.
Of a way of being that the world deeply needs.

If you’re someone who’s been told you’re “too sensitive”—maybe it’s time to stop shrinking around that label and start expanding into it.

Not as something to apologize for.
But as something to live into fully.

Welcome to the Art of Sensitivity.

If this speaks to something in you— a soft voice you’ve long quieted, a strength you’re just beginning to trust— I invite you to rethink your sensitivity. 

It’s a journey I’ve been on. It doesn’t happen overnight. The feeling of becoming my true self has brought so much relief. It’s like releasing a burden I didn’t know I was carrying.

And if you’re on that path too, know this: your softness was never the problem—it might just be your strength.

Stay sensitive!

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]]> 14288 Coaching to Astrology (Why?) https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2025/04/21/coaching-to-astrology-why/ Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:51:33 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14241 Coaching to Astrology? (Why?) Coaching has been so powerful in my life, and I am so grateful for it. Yet, I see people’s eyes glaze over when they hear the word “coach”. “Wayfinder” is a word my original teacher, Martha Beck, started to use to more properly describe what we do. But, when you tell […]

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Coaching to Astrology?

(Why?)

Coaching has been so powerful in my life, and I am so grateful for it. Yet, I see people’s eyes glaze over when they hear the word “coach”. 

“Wayfinder” is a word my original teacher, Martha Beck, started to use to more properly describe what we do. But, when you tell someone you’re a “wayfinder”, you still get a similar blank stare.

So Many Coaches of So Many Kinds

When my mentor, Martha Beck, found out she was a Life Coach (Yes, she found out in a newspaper article about her.) she thought, “Oh, that’s what they call it.”. She had been helping students, then more and more people by using tools she had used on herself, and then using them on others, eventually landing on the Oprah Show. This happened many years ago, and in the meantime, other modes of coaching emerged and today, there are so many coaches and different kinds of coaches.

Even though there are so many of us, we still operate on the fringes of society. While some are welcomed into the corporate world or into businesses, those of us helping individuals transform various parts of their lives (health, career, relationship, families, etc.) are mostly on our own, “in the wild” as I’ve come to call it.

For those looking at coaches, it means you don’t know what you’re going to get when you hire a coach. And, it’s not a super-cheap no-brainer type of purchase either.

How do I fit into all of this?

After 25+ years in the corporate world, I trained as a Life Coach at the Wayfinder Life Coach Training School. 

I then flapped my little fledgling wings and went out into the world on my own, as one does, to start a solo business, thinking that all my corporate marketing experience would make marketing my little business a no-brainer. Wrong! 

What I discovered is that running a heart-based business is a whole other thing. It’s like handing your heart to the world and crossing your fingers that you won’t get hurt. In other words, it brings out all your vulnerabilities.

So, if you ever want all your “stuff” to come up, start your own heart-based business. 

An Unexpected Healing Journey

The good news is that this sends you on an unexpected, deeply healing journey. Of course, the healing comes after the money anxiety, the ‘feeling like a fake’ anxiety, and the “what have I done?” anxiety, among others.

It is a required part of the cirriculum that we, unexpectedly, use any and all coaching tools on ourselves at some part of our journeys.

By coaching tools, what I mean, are tools and techniques that: 1) help reduce stress and anxiety so we can access the wise part of ourselves that makes good decisions, 2) help us dream that bigger dream – we all need big dreams to pull us forward, and 3) help us get on and stay on the path that will leads us to our dreams.

This is an oversimplification, of course. But, the tools we coaches use on each other are the same tools we use on our clients.

My Coaching Framework

Here’s the Coaching Framework that I use to outline how i work with clients. Each section is a bucket that contains numerous tools. You can enter the framework at any place … there’s no start or finish. This allows me to meet my clients where they are and develop a customized path, based on what they want, who they are, and their own unique personal challenges.

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I should not that the labels on my framework evolve and change as my work evolves, so you may see different words in different places in my work. 

The YOU Part

Over time, what I’ve noticed, is that the YOU part is key. 

  • “If you don’t know who you are, it’s hard to know what you want,” says, my teacher Karen Curry Parker, founder of Quantum Human Design
  • “We suffer from a case of mistaken identity. Our culture has sold us a bill of goods about who we really are,” writes marital/family therapist (and founder of Internal Family Systems), Dick Schwartz
  • “The emptiness dogging us emanates from the places where we have lost contract with our deepest selves”: writes Gabor Mate in the Myth of Normal.
In our culture, Martha Beck says, that we have our “essential” selves and our “social” selves. When we try to live from our social selves, things work for awhile and then they don’t. We end up feeling lost and uncertain, and the last place we think to look is within ourselves. But, peeling away the layers of our societal conditioning brings relief as we rediscover who we truly are.

This is Why I'm Zooming in On Astrology, Human Design, and Gene Keys

Being who we really are, living a life based on our own values, and going after the things in life that light you up are essential keys to a fulfilling life. 

If I’m not being who I really am, who am I being you may ask? We’re all being the person our original families, our schools, our friends, our jobs want us to be. We’ve adapated. We’ve fit in to survive and even thrive.

But, in the process, we’ve lost our authentic selves, who we really are deep down. For me, I have found that Astrology, HD and Gene Keys can offer a short cut to discovering your essential yourself. 

It gives us something to go on. Something to lean into. We can’t always circumvent growth pains, but being conscious of who, what, when, where, and why makes the journey more conscious and easier to navigate. Plus, we’re more likely to go where we want to go with less drama.

Conclusion

This shift in my business from putting coaching first to putting the magical tools first is because, I believe, it all starts with you. If you can get clear about who you really are. If you can once-and-for-all resolve your people-pleasing, your proving yourself, and your overworking, you’ll feel more like you. 

Doing it through insights and powerful internal shifts, not through will-power or beating yourself up ensures that the shifts will be lasting. 

This is the progress that gives you hope, fulfills a promise, and provides the energy to be fully engaged with your own life. 

This is the work of YOU.

I’d love to help guide you on your journey to a more fulfilling career. Until then, stay sensitive!

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]]> 14241 What is a Wayfinder Coach (and why I became one) https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2025/04/14/what-is-a-wayfinder-coach-and-why-i-became-one/ Mon, 14 Apr 2025 15:43:22 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14218 What is a Wayfinder Coach? (And why I became one) If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that I often talk about Astrology, Human Design, and the Gene Keys as powerful tools for career clarity—especially for highly sensitive women navigating a major life or career transition. But there’s another part of my story that’s just […]

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What is a Wayfinder Coach?

(And why I became one)

If you’ve been following along, you’ll know that I often talk about Astrology, Human Design, and the Gene Keys as powerful tools for career clarity—especially for highly sensitive women navigating a major life or career transition. But there’s another part of my story that’s just as essential: I’m a Martha Beck Wayfinder Life Coach.

So what exactly is a Wayfinder Coach?

What is Wayfinding?

Wayfinding is an old navigation term. It refers to the ability to find your way—often without a map—by using your inner compass, your felt sense, and your observations of the environment around you.

It’s the perfect metaphor for what this coaching method is all about. Wayfinder Coaching is about helping people find their way back to themselves—especially when they feel lost, stuck, or like they’ve wandered far off their true path.

Martha Beck, who created this approach, is a best-selling author, sociologist, and Oprah-endorsed coach. She combines evidence-based tools from psychology with wisdom traditions, intuitive practices, and deep listening.

It’s coaching, yes. But it’s also a kind of inner reconnection.

Why I Chose This Path

Before I became a Wayfinder Coach, I spent years in a more traditional career. I ticked the boxes. I worked hard. I did what was expected. But I often felt disconnected—from myself, from my purpose, and from the quiet voice inside that was urging me toward something more meaningful.

When I found Martha’s work, something clicked.

It wasn’t just her philosophy that resonated—it was how she made space for softness and strength to coexist. For logic and intuition. For structure and surrender. I wanted to learn how to hold that kind of space for others.

So, in 2017, I signed up for her intensive coach training. And it was transformative.

What Makes Wayfinder Coaching Different

Wayfinder Coaching is not about pushing, fixing, or forcing. It’s about asking powerful questions, listening deeply, and supporting people as they remember who they are and what they truly want.

Here are a few of the things I learned—and now use in my work:

  • How to spot inner resistance and gently explore the stories behind it.
  • How to follow the body’s wisdom (what Martha calls “your internal navigation system”).
  • How to identify thought patterns that keep people stuck—and how to loosen them.
  • How to help someone return to calm, clarity, and truth, especially when they’re facing uncertainty or self-doubt.
  • I use these tools alongside Astrology, Human Design, and the Gene Keys because together, they help paint a fuller picture of who you are and where you’re meant to go next.

What This Means For You

If you’re standing at a crossroads—feeling like you’ve done everything “right” and still feel unsatisfied—this kind of coaching might speak to you.

You don’t need to force your next move. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need a safe place to hear yourself think again. A space to reconnect with your true self—and begin to trust her guidance.

Wayfinder Coaching offers that space.

If you’re curious about what this could look like for you, I’d love to walk beside you as you find your way forward.

I Recently Did a Switcheroo

Recently, I did a Swictcheroo in the way that I approach my work with clients. 

Previously, Coaching was my main work and I supplemented it with Astrology, Human Design and Gene Keys. These days I’ve flipped it and my mainstays are the three magical tools, which I support with Coaching. 

What this means for you is that my main work is offering guidance through using the three magical tools, but where I may be different from others in this field … I also am trained to go beyond delivering information and can support transformation in an informed, trained manner.

My Other Qualification - My Deep, Quiet Sensitive Self

While I don’t have a certification in Sensitivity, I have spent a lifetime being sensitive, trying not to be sensitive, attempting to “fix” my sensitivity, to eventually recognizing it as a strength.

I deeply know the pain of being sensitive in a harsh world, especially when it comes to careers. 

It’s taken me decades to appreciate my own self. It makes me feel so sad when I look back at my younger self and see her struggling to be like everyone else, trying time and time again to overcome her shyness, her quiet nature, and her sensitive ways.

Not so long ago, my goal was to begrudgingly accept myself. I felt proud of that goal until I realized that was a really low bar that reflected my lifelong struggle with being a highly sensitive person. Then and there, I decided to learn to love myself and my sensitive ways. I’ve made progress, but the journey continues!

Coaching Programs I Offer

All that said, I do still offer two pure coaching programs: The ‘Get Back In’ program and the ‘Stay’ Program. 

These are two programs I wish I had access to at various points in my career. ‘Get Back In’ is just what it sounds like – guidance for when you’ve been out of the corporate world and have a gap (gasp!) in your resume. There can be very good reasons to have a gap, but the reality is that you’re no longer a cookie-cutter recruit, which might be making your job search more difficult. We address this and create strategies to get back in.

The ‘Stay’ Program is designed to help you stay in a job that’s lost it’s appeal, but you need to stay for any variety of reasons. Maybe you’re a couple of years away from retirement and you thought it would be easier, but it’s harder. Maybe you need the healthcare while you build your side-hustle. Maybe there are layoffs in your industry, so there’s a lot of uncertainty, but you need to stay while you look for something else. I built it because of a time in my career where I spent most of my energy stifling a scream, fully knowing I was over-reacting, and barely able to contain my frustration. If that sounds familiar, this program may be for you!

Conclusion

Coaching is still a big part of my work, but I truly believe in the transformational powers of astrology, human design, and the gene keys. They have been revelatory for me and my clients, and I hope they might be for you too. 

This is part of my own work of coming out of hiding as a sensitive person. I’ve spent my whole life denying who I really am – someone who is interested in going deep to discover what’s been holding us back in our lives and in our careers. 

Astrology tells me that I’m all about deep transformation. Human Design tells me I’m a guide and someone who likes to help. Gene Keys tells me my Life’s Work is to help myself and others transform patterns that hold them back in life. 

Coaching can tie it all together. In another post, I’ll share my coaching framework, which also emphasizes how important it is to be your true self.

If you are curious about my coaching programs and whether they’re a fit for you, we can hop on an Ask Me Anything call. They’re 30 minutes and they’re free. Or, if you’d reather email, you can email me at kharbin500@gmail.com.

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]]> 14218 How the Gene Keys Guide You to Your Life’s Work https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2025/04/11/how-the-gene-keys-guide-you-to-your-lifes-work/ Fri, 11 Apr 2025 18:54:47 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14197 How Gene Keys Guide You to Your Life’s Work Especially if you’re a Highly Sensitive Woman Introduction If you’re anything like the women I work with, you’ve probably spent a lot of your career doing what you’re “supposed” to do—climbing the ladder, checking the boxes, being the reliable one. You’re smart, capable, thoughtful… and yet […]

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How Gene Keys Guide You to Your Life's Work

Especially if you’re a Highly Sensitive Woman

Introduction

If you’re anything like the women I work with, you’ve probably spent a lot of your career doing what you’re “supposed” to do—climbing the ladder, checking the boxes, being the reliable one. You’re smart, capable, thoughtful… and yet something’s off. You want more meaning. You want your work to matter. But you’re not sure where to begin.

That’s where the Gene Keys come in.

If Human Design is like a map, the Gene Keys are like a poetic guidebook that helps you navigate the terrain with more grace and self-compassion. Created by Richard Rudd, the Gene Keys are a contemplative system rooted in the I Ching, Astrology, and Human Design. They invite you to slow down, reflect, and unravel your inner truth—one insight at a time.

What I Love about the Gene Keys

The Gene Keys speak in the language of transformation. Each of your Gene Keys has three levels of frequency: Shadow, Gift, and Siddhi. This isn’t about labeling parts of yourself as “bad” or “good”—it’s about understanding the full spectrum of who you are and how you express yourself, especially when you’re stressed or misaligned.

As a highly sensitive woman, you might carry a deep fear of being “too much” or “not enough.” The Gene Keys help you see that those traits you’ve tried to hide or fix are actually keys to your success when expressed with awareness.

The Gene Keys also specifically spell out your Life’s Work, as well as your path to that work. Having that in front of you gives you something to work with, something to respond to versus a blank page.

A Personal Example - My Life's Work Gene Key is Gate 44

Gene Key 44 is all about seeing patterns—especially the unconscious patterns that play out in relationships, groups, and systems. This Gene Key helped me understand that I’m here to help others recognize what’s working (and not working) beneath the surface so they can stop repeating old cycles and create something new.

This insight has been incredibly validating. It gave me language for a gift I always felt but couldn’t articulate: my ability to spot the subtle, often hidden, patterns that keep people stuck in unfulfilling careers or relationships—and to help them shift into something more empowering.

How the Gene Keys can Support You

Here’s what I’ve found most powerful about the Gene Keys in a career context:

  • They reveal your true genius—not the kind that wins awards, but the kind that brings you alive and serves others in a meaningful way.

  • They help you reframe your struggles as potential strengths that just need refinement and awareness.

  • They point toward work that feels natural and resonant—work that suits your energy, values, and depth.

Unlike other tools that try to “fix” you, the Gene Keys help you remember who you truly are.

The Gene Keys Profile

This is what a Gene Keys Profile looks like. You can create your own for free at the Gene Keys website. You’ll notice that you need the same things you need for an astrology reading – the date, time, place of your birth.

In my work, we work with your profile but I don’t do readings on your profile specifically. I make it as relevant to your career and your specific opportunities and challenges as you outline when you fill in the intake forms, if you sign up for my programs. 

How I Work with the Gene Keys

I don’t offer standalone Gene Keys sessions. Instead, I weave the Gene Keys into my signature career guidance process:

  • Your Destiny Code explores your Activation Sequence and the gifts you’re here to share.

  • Heart-Based Work dives into your Venus Sequence, helping you understand your emotional motivations and relational patterns.

  • Money, Money, Money unlocks your Pearl Sequence to support more aligned and prosperous work.

Each of these is part of the broader framework that I use to help you find meaningful, sustainable work that feels true to you. It’s a program called Plot Your Escape, and you can find out about the program and how Gene Keys fits into it here.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to support you on your journey. You can learn more about these modules in the link above —or simply book a free Ask me Anything session. 

You don’t need to reinvent yourself. You just need to remember who you are.

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]]> 14197 How Human Design Can Help Highly-Sensitive People Find Career Clarity https://karenharbin.com/coaching/2025/04/09/how-human-design-can-help-highly-sensitive-people-find-career-clarity/ Wed, 09 Apr 2025 15:09:48 +0000 https://karenharbin.com/coaching/?p=14165 How Human Design Can Help You Find Career Clarity For Highly Sensitive People Introduction In my last post, I explored how astrology can help you see yourself more clearly and uncover a career path that feels aligned, authentic, and fulfilling. Today, I want to dive into another powerful system: Human Design. If you’re highly sensitive, […]

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How Human Design Can Help You Find Career Clarity

For Highly Sensitive People

Introduction

In my last post, I explored how astrology can help you see yourself more clearly and uncover a career path that feels aligned, authentic, and fulfilling. Today, I want to dive into another powerful system: Human Design.

If you’re highly sensitive, you may have spent a lifetime trying to fit into a world that wasn’t built with your nervous system in mind. You might be exhausted from pushing yourself in ways that go against your natural energy. You may even feel like something is wrong with you because traditional career advice has never really fit.

But what if you’ve just been following the wrong blueprint?

That’s where Human Design comes in.

What is Human Design?

Human Design is a self-awareness system that combines astrology, the I Ching, the chakra system, Kabbalah, and quantum physics. It gives you a personalized energetic map — a blueprint — of how you are designed to operate in the world.

It helps you understand:

  • How to make aligned decisions
  • What kind of energy you naturally have (and don’t have!)
  • How you interact with others
  • What environments and roles suit you best
  • It’s especially useful for HSPs because it affirms what you may have always felt, but never had words for: you don’t need to hustle to succeed. You just need to align.

A Permission Slip to be Who You Are

Much like astrology, Human Design can act as a giant permission slip. The first time I saw my chart, I breathed a sigh of relief. I finally had language for why some things felt so wrong in my career — and what might feel more right.

For example, I learned I was a Projector, which explained why I was always burning out in high-paced environments. I wasn’t meant to push all the time — I was meant to guide, observe, and work in shorter, focused bursts of energy.

Just like with my astrology chart, Human Design showed me that I wasn’t broken. I was just living out of alignment.

How Human Design Supports Career Clarity

Here are a few key Human Design elements that can help you navigate your career path:

  1. Your Energy Type

Your type (Generator, Manifesting Generator, Projector, Manifestor, or Reflector) gives you clues about how you’re meant to work.

  • Generators/MGs thrive when they’re lit up by what they do. If they’re drained, it’s a sign something’s off.
  • Projectors need rest and recognition. They’re here to guide, not grind.
  • Manifestors are here to initiate and do things their own way.
  • Reflectors are highly sensitive to their environment — their workspace and coworkers matter deeply.

Knowing your type can help you understand what kinds of roles and rhythms actually support your energy, instead of depleting it.

  1. Your Strategy and Authority

This is about how you make decisions — and trust me, it’s a game-changer.

  • For HSPs, decision-making can feel overwhelming. Human Design gives you a body-based decision-making strategy, so you can stop overthinking and start trusting your inner wisdom.
  1. Your Profile

Your profile (a combination of two numbers, like 2/4 or 5/1) describes how you experience life and how others see you. It’s a key to understanding your purpose and the kind of roles that will feel aligned and nourishing.

  1. Centers and Conditioning

Your open centers show where you’re most sensitive to the world around you — and where you may be taking in energy that isn’t yours. This is especially important for HSPs, who often absorb other people’s expectations, stress, and definitions of success.

Human Design gives you a way to decondition from all that — to release what isn’t yours and reclaim your own truth.

You're Not Meant to Do It Like Everyone Else

That’s one of the core truths of Human Design. There is no one-size-fits-all path. The career ladder, the productivity hacks, the “just work harder” mentality — none of it may apply to you, and that’s okay.

When you begin living in alignment with your design, work starts to feel more like a flow than a fight. You start to recognize your own patterns of burnout — and what your body is asking for instead.

You begin to build a career — and a life — that actually fits you.

Inspiration from both Karen Curry Parker (Quantum Human Design) and The Projector Movement

I’ve learned so much from teachers like Karen Curry Parker, who offers a deeply compassionate and empowering lens on Human Design, and The Projector Movement, who focus specifically on helping Projectors understand their energy and find success on their own terms.

Both emphasize that you don’t need to change who you are to be successful — you just need to understand who you are and work with your energy, not against it.

  • That message has been so healing for me and for my clients.

This is what a Human Design Bodygraph looks like. This is my chart.

As you can see, there’s a whole lotta information in a Human Design Bodygraph.

I find this exciting, but I know it can feel overwhelming to explore a whole new system. Here’s the thing … you don’t need to master Human Design to benefit from it. Just a few insights from your chart can unlock a whole new level of clarity and self-trust.

If you’re curious, I offer career readings that combine astrology, Human Design, and the Gene Keys. Together, we can look at your chart and begin to sketch out what alignment might look like for you.

✨ You’re allowed to be sensitive.
✨ You’re allowed to work differently.
✨ You’re allowed to thrive — on your own terms.

I’d love to help guide you to more career clarity. My program Plot Your Escape dives into astrology, human design, and gene keys to help you align to your true self and go after work you love. 

Until then, stay sensitive!

 

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