Designed To Thrive with Colleen Tobey

What if the parts of yourself you've been trying to change are actually the things holding you up?
When renovating a home, one of the first things you need to understand is which walls are load-bearing and which spaces are meant to stay open. And as it turns out, the same principle can apply to understanding ourselves.
In this episode of Designed to Thrive, Colleen brings together her two worlds — Interior Design and Human Design — to explore what she calls the Interior of the Self.
Using the nine energy centers in a Human Design chart as a metaphorical floor plan, Colleen explains how our defined centers act like the structural walls of a home, while our undefined and open centers are the flexible spaces where we absorb energy, learn, and develop wisdom.
She explores what happens when we try to tear down the parts of ourselves that are naturally consistent, or build walls around the parts of us that were never meant to be rigid. From burnout and people-pleasing to identity and self-worth, Colleen invites us to consider where we've been trying to renovate ourselves into someone we're not.
She also shares her own Human Design as a Splenic Projector, how her open G center influences her relationship with her environment, and why understanding her personal blueprint has changed the way she approaches her work, energy, and everyday life.
In this episode, Colleen talks about:

• The connection between Interior Design and Human Design
• Understanding the nine energy centers as rooms in your personal floor plan
• The difference between defined, undefined, and open centers
• Why open centers aren't weaknesses, but opportunities for wisdom
• How each of the nine centers influences the way we think, communicate, work, feel, and relate to others
• The two biggest renovation mistakes we make with ourselves: tearing down our natural strengths and forcing structure where we need flexibility
• How conditioning can make us feel like we're living in someone else's house
• The difference between a perfectly staged home and one that feels authentically lived in
• What Colleen's own Human Design chart has taught her about her identity, energy, and environment
• A five-step Human Design walkthrough to help you better understand and honor your own blueprint

A moment to take with you:
You are not a fixer-upper.
You don't need to gut yourself and start over. Some parts of you are designed to provide structure and consistency. Others are meant to remain open, adaptable, and full of possibility.
The goal isn't to fix your floor plan. It's to understand it, honor it, and create a life that feels like home.
Question to Consider:
Where in your life have you been trying to change something about yourself that might actually be part of your natural design?
And what might shift if you stopped trying to renovate yourself into someone else and finally moved into who you already are?

Mentioned in this Episode

Jenna Zoe (https://www.myhumandesign.com)

Connect

Connect with Colleen on Instagram @the_homecraftdesign or her website https://www.homecraftdesign.com/

What happens when you willingly sign up for something that is really, really hard?

For Colleen, it meant hiking Mt. Katahdin in Maine with her dad and sister — a 10.5-mile, 4,000-foot-elevation-gain adventure that took 12 hours, pushed her fear of heights to its limits, and became one of the most meaningful experiences of her life.

In this episode, Colleen takes you along for the journey: from flying into Boston and reconnecting with family to choosing the perfect weather window, climbing massive granite boulders above the tree line, and finally reaching the iconic wooden Mt. Katahdin sign at the end of the Appalachian Trail.

But this episode isn't really about hiking.

It's about doing hard things.

It's about what happens when you are scared and keep going anyway. About being completely present because there is no room to think about anything else. About the people who help you when the path gets difficult. And about how sometimes the hardest experiences become the ones you never forget.

Colleen shares the emotional significance of reaching the summit with her dad and sister — including honoring her brother Sean, who died in a car accident at 16, by carrying his ashes to the top of the mountain and tying one of his shoelaces to the iconic summit sign.

She also shares the unexpected moments that made the journey memorable: meeting inspiring hikers along the trail, including Samuel Tobin, who was hiking on crutches after surviving a motorcycle accident, getting a ride from a stranger at the end of a very long day, eating Maine lobster, and discovering just how much her body and mind could handle.

In this episode, Colleen talks about:

• Hiking Mt. Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine

• The Appalachian Trail and what it means to reach its northern terminus

• Taking on a Class 3, extremely strenuous and technical hike

• Facing her fear of heights

• Why hard experiences can bring you completely into the present moment

• The power of having her dad and sister beside her

• How her sister Catherine's rock-climbing experience helped them navigate the most technical section

• Meeting inspiring people and hearing their stories along the trail

• Honoring her brother Sean by bringing his ashes to the summit

• The unexpected kindness of a stranger at the end of a 12-hour hiking day

• Why this became a trip Colleen knows she'll never forget

• And the reminder that we can do hard things

A moment to take with you

Sometimes we don't know what we're capable of until we're already in the middle of something hard.

And sometimes the thing that makes an experience meaningful isn't that it was easy — it's that you were scared, exhausted, challenged, emotional, or unsure... and you kept going.

We can do hard things.

And when we do them with people we love, they can become part of the stories we carry with us for the rest of our lives.

Question to consider:

What is something hard you've done that you're proud of — and what did it teach you about yourself?

Connect

Connect with Colleen on Instagram @the_homecraftdesign or her website https://www.homecraftdesign.com/

What makes a life feel like a dream?

For Colleen, the answer started with an ordinary dog walk and a conversation with her business coach that completely reframed how she thinks about money, contribution, and her own worth.

In this episode, Colleen shares a realization that has been sitting with her: her life doesn't feel extraordinary simply because her husband makes good money. It feels extraordinary because of what they are building together — and what she does with his contribution.

Running a household. Raising kids. Managing schedules and appointments. Keeping food in the fridge. Creating a home that feels good to come back to. Building a business. Creating a life.

Not all of those contributions come with a paycheck. But that doesn't make them less valuable.

Colleen explores the process of deconditioning the belief that our value has to be monetary and what happens when we stop treating contribution like a competition or a scorecard.

She also gets honest about her relationship with Home Craft Design — a business she's built over seven years — and why she can simultaneously feel stuck in parts of her business while knowing that she doesn't actually want to give it up. For her, the business is more than income. It's a creative outlet and a part of her identity that exists outside of motherhood.

Most importantly, Colleen shares the realization she's still practicing:

You can still be figuring out your worth and already be worthy.

In this episode, she talks about:

• The unexpected realization that her life feels like a dream
• Why monetary contribution isn't the only measure of value
• The invisible work that turns income into a life
• Reframing household management as a form of contribution
• Letting go of the idea that one person's role is more valuable than another's
• The difference between want to and have to
• Why Home Craft Design still matters to Colleen, even when business feels hard
• How a business can be a creative outlet without being the foundation of your worth
• What Human Design has taught her about deconditioning
• Letting "I'm still figuring it out" and "I'm already worthy" exist at the same time

A question to sit with

What is your worth — and what brings value to your life — aside from monetary things?

Your contribution doesn't have to be measurable on a spreadsheet to matter.

It counts. You count. As you are, right now — even in the middle of figuring it out.

Connect

Connect with Colleen on Instagram @the_homecraftdesign or her website https://www.homecraftdesign.com/

Welcome back to the Designed to Thrive Podcast — and welcome to Season 2!

After an unintentional summer break, Colleen is back and reflecting on what the pause taught her about being selective with her time, shedding perfectionism, and giving herself permission to step away without needing to explain it.

And she's coming back with a big declaration:

She wants to do Human Design.

In this deeply personal episode, Colleen shares the realization that she has been circling this truth for a while — and what finally happened when she stopped letting her mind and ego talk her out of it.

She explores:

• Why we become so attached to the identities we've built
• What it feels like to outgrow a career, passion, or version of yourself
• How Human Design has helped Colleen understand her own identity and direction
• Her experience as someone with an Undefined G Center
• Why saying "I don't want to do interior design anymore" doesn't mean everything she's built was a mistake
• The relationship between Human Design, interior design, wellness, and intentional living
• Her vision for combining Human Design and interior design through The Be Well Home Edit
• What it means to speak the vision and let others handle the operational control
• And, ultimately, what alignment feels like when you finally stop fighting who you are

Colleen also reflects on the many identities she's inhabited throughout her life — from wanting to be a marine biologist and forensic scientist to becoming a social worker and eventually an interior designer — and how those seemingly disconnected chapters may actually be evidence of how she's designed to move through the world.

This episode is an invitation to ask yourself:

What identity are you holding onto simply because you've worked so hard to build it?

And what might become possible if you gave yourself permission to let it evolve?

Connect

Connect with Colleen on Instagram @the_homecraftdesign or her website https://www.homecraftdesign.com/

To learn more about The Be Well Home Edit visit: https://www.homecraftdesign.com/be-well-home-edit-virtual-interior-design-support

For Human Design Readings visit: https://www.homecraftdesign.com/store/p/4m6mn09puk9d90yje4cybrwsso8p0d

In this deeply personal anniversary episode, Colleen reflects on fourteen years with her husband and eleven years of marriage, exploring the profound connection between love, nervous system regulation, and the homes we build together. Drawing on neuroscience, family systems research, and Human Design, she explains why healthy relationships aren't just emotionally fulfilling—they're biologically supportive.
From the science of oxytocin and emotional safety to the unique ways each Human Design authority navigates love and decision-making, this episode offers a powerful framework for creating relationships and homes that help you feel seen, supported, and fully yourself.
In this episode, Colleen discusses:

• Why secure, long-term love changes your brain and nervous system
• How trusted relationships help regulate the amygdala and reduce stress responses
• The role of oxytocin in emotional bonding, health, and resilience
• Why emotionally safe homes support creativity, presence, and higher-functioning decision-making
• How the emotional climate of a home shapes children's lifelong wellbeing
• Why creating beauty and intentionality in your home is foundational—not frivolous
• How Human Design authority influences communication, decision-making, and relationship dynamics
• What each authority type needs in order to feel supported and understood in love
• Why honoring your natural decision-making process creates healthier, more aligned relationships

Human Design Authorities Covered

Emotional / Solar Plexus Authority

• Needs time and patience before making decisions
• Finds clarity after moving through emotional highs and lows
• Benefits from partners who don't rush resolution

Sacral Authority

• Operates through immediate gut responses
• Thrives with direct yes/no questions
• Needs trust in embodied knowing over mental analysis

Splenic Authority

• Relies on quiet, in-the-moment intuition
• Needs stillness and spaciousness to hear inner wisdom
• Benefits from relationships that don't create pressure or urgency

Self-Projected Authority

• Discovers truth by speaking it out loud
• Needs attentive listeners rather than problem-solvers
• Finds clarity through authentic self-expression

Ego / Heart Authority

• Guided by desire and willpower
• Needs mutual respect and reciprocity
• Learns to trust that wanting something is valuable information

Mental / Outer Authority

• Processes through conversations with trusted people
• Needs healthy environments and thoughtful dialogue
• Uses sounding boards to access inner clarity

Lunar Authority

• Requires time—often a full lunar cycle—for major decisions
• Benefits from patient, grounded relationships
• Gains wisdom through observing experiences over time

Key takeaway
Love is not a feeling you fall into. It’s a home you build. And like any good home, it takes intention. It takes design. It takes knowing what you actually need—and being brave enough to ask for it.
Reflection Questions
Does your home feel like a place where your nervous system can exhale?
How do you make important decisions in relationships—and does that align with your Human Design authority?
What does emotional safety look like for you?
Are you honoring your natural rhythm when communicating your needs and making choices?
What kind of emotional climate are you creating in your home?

If this episode resonated
Consider how both your relationship and your home support—or challenge—your ability to feel safe, seen, and regulated. Sometimes the most meaningful design work isn't about furniture or finishes. It's about creating spaces and relationships that allow you to fully come home to yourself.

Connect

Connect with Colleen on Instagram ⁠@the_homecraftdesign⁠ or her website ⁠https://www.homecraftdesign.com

What if the life you want isn’t unrealistic — just waiting for you to fully claim it?

In this deeply personal episode of the Designed to Thrive Podcast, Colleen shares a recent birthday weekend experience that sparked a powerful realization about abundance, self-worth, dreaming bigger, and trusting the life she’s building.

From a spontaneous shopping moment at Marine Layer to dreaming about slow summers in Europe with her family, this episode explores what happens when scarcity starts giving way to gratitude — and when you stop apologizing for wanting more from your life.

Colleen also dives into the role Human Design has played in helping her trust herself, understand her gifts, and release the pressure to have every step figured out before moving forward.

Inside this episode:

• The mindset shift from scarcity to gratitude
• Why dreaming is not the opposite of doing
• Reframing jealousy as proof of possibility
• The power of creating specific, vivid visions for your future
• Passive income, freedom, and designing a life with more choice
• The difference between “want to” vs. “have to”
• Why not knowing the full plan doesn’t mean you’re lost
• An introduction to Human Design as a personal blueprint
• Colleen’s Human Design gates: Gate 23, Gate 45, and Channel 23-43
• How Human Design helped her understand her voice, purpose, and leadership style
• Why self-understanding changes the way you pursue your dreams
• Journal prompts to help clarify your own vision and desires

This episode is an invitation to stop shrinking your desires into something more “reasonable” and start getting honest about the life you actually want to live.
Because dreaming isn’t frivolous.
It’s often the first signal toward the life you’re meant to build.
If this episode resonated with you, be sure to subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with someone who’s ready to dream bigger and trust themselves more deeply.

Connect
Connect with Colleen on Instagram ⁠@the_homecraftdesign⁠ or her website ⁠https://www.homecraftdesign.com

Visit  https://www.myhumandesign.com to get your free human design chart.

What if attraction isn’t about chasing harder — but aligning more deeply with who you already are?
In this episode of the Designed to Thrive Podcast, Colleen dives into the intersection of Human Design, manifestation, nervous system alignment, and the environments we live in. Through the lens of all five Human Design types, she explores how we’re each uniquely designed to attract opportunities, relationships, creativity, abundance, and success.
This conversation goes far beyond “vision board” manifestation culture. Instead, Colleen shares a grounded and embodied perspective on attraction — one rooted in strategy, self-trust, energetic alignment, and creating a home that supports the version of you you’re becoming.
Inside this episode:
What attraction actually means (beyond manifestation trends)

• How each Human Design type is designed to attract
• The difference between forcing vs. magnetizing
• Why your authority matters in decision-making
• How your nervous system impacts what you call in
• The connection between your environment and alignment
• Why your home can either support or block your next level
• The role of rest, recognition, momentum, and intuition in manifestation
• Colleen’s experience as a Splenic Projector
• Why “waiting” and “initiating” look different for every type
• The Human Design environment types and how they shape wellbeing
• Simple steps to start attracting from alignment instead of exhaustion

Colleen also shares her excitement about beginning Erin Claire Jones’ HD Genius certification program and how she plans to bring even more Human Design depth into her work through the Be Well Home Edit and Style Alchemy.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, burnt out, disconnected from your intuition, or frustrated that things aren’t flowing the way you hoped — this episode is an invitation to stop forcing and start aligning.
Because the things meant for you may not be missing.
They may just be waiting for you to meet them as yourself.
If this episode resonated, be sure to subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with someone who’s ready to attract from alignment instead of pressure.
ConnectConnect with Colleen on Instagram @the_homecraftdesign or her website https://www.homecraftdesign.com/To learn more about The Be Well Home Edit visit: https://www.homecraftdesign.com/be-well-home-edit-virtual-interior-design-support

What if the most beautiful homes aren’t designed from trends… but from nature?

In this episode, Colleen explores how the natural world shapes the way we experience beauty, safety, grounding, and home—and why she believes Mother Nature is the greatest designer of all time.

From the lush, layered landscapes of Pennsylvania to the sun-drenched mountains of Colorado and the weathered coastal charm of New England beach towns, this episode is a reflection on how the places we love quietly shape our instincts around color, texture, light, and design.

Inside this episode, we explore:

• Why your nervous system responds so deeply to nature
• How landscapes influence your personal design style
• The connection between environment, memory, and emotional regulation
• What East Coast and Colorado landscapes taught Colleen about interiors
• Why homes feel best when they reflect the natural world around them
• How nature layers color, texture, light, and contrast effortlessly
• A simple framework inspired by nature: Ground. Breathe. Catch.
• Why some homes feel technically “correct” but still emotionally flat
• Practical ways to bring the feeling of your favorite landscapes into your home

You’ll also hear reflections on:

• Pennsylvania autumns
• Maine and Cape Cod coastal interiors
• Colorado’s dramatic light and expansive landscapes
• Designing a home during renovation by following instinct instead of perfectionism

Key Takeaway:
The spaces that feel most alive are often the ones rooted in something real—something organic, grounded, and deeply connected to the natural world.

Nature doesn’t follow trends. She follows rhythm. And when your home reflects that rhythm, something in your body recognizes it immediately.

A simple practice:
Think about the landscapes that have made you feel most like yourself. Then ask: does my home reflect any of that feeling?

Sometimes the shift your home needs isn’t a renovation. Sometimes it’s just a whisper of the natural world brought back in.

Because your design instincts aren’t random. They’ve been shaped by every landscape you’ve ever loved.

Connect
Connect with Colleen on Instagram ⁠@the_homecraftdesign⁠ or her website ⁠https://www.homecraftdesign.com

This episode is different.
No frameworks. No how-to. No step-by-step anything.
Just a real, honest reflection on what this past year has looked like—what’s shifted, what’s mattered, and how growth actually feels when you’re inside of it.
In this birthday episode, Colleen shares a personal window into her life: the quiet ways she’s changed, the things she’s fallen back in love with, and the deeper alignment she’s stepped into—both personally and professionally.
Inside this episode, she reflects on:

• Why real growth is subtle (and how you know it’s happening)
• Learning to listen to your body instead of external noise
• The power of slowing down in a fast-paced life
• Simple, grounding rituals that bring you back to yourself
• Rediscovering creativity through watercolor and pottery
• Letting go of perfectionism—especially in her own home renovation
• Deepening her relationship with Human Design and what it means to truly live your design
• Using her voice more fully through the podcast—and what that’s unlocked
• The role of therapy, including brainspotting, in nervous system healing
• The relationships that have supported and shaped her this year

She also shares reflections from a milestone anniversary trip to Paris, the beauty of everyday moments (like spring mornings and birdsong in Colorado), and what it looks like to build a life—and a home—that actually feels like yours.
Key Takeaway:

Growth doesn’t always feel like transformation. Often, it looks like small, aligned choices made over time—until one day, you realize you’re different.
A note to you:

You don’t have to have everything figured out to be evolving. You’re allowed to be in process. You’re allowed to change. And you’re allowed to build a life that feels like you—slowly, imperfectly, and fully.
If this episode resonates, share it, leave a review, or send it to someone who needs the reminder: you’re allowed to become who you already are.

Connect

Connect with Colleen on Instagram ⁠@the_homecraftdesign⁠ or her website ⁠https://www.homecraftdesign.com