One of my favorite cartoons growing up in the 80’s was a show I would argue was way ahead of its time. Not so much for the visual effects, but the premise and meaning of what it represented.
That cartoon was the Care Bears.
Let’s explore why I feel this cartoon was so revolutionary …
The Magic and Brilliance of Such a Simple Show
If you have never watch the cartoon, there were a series of teddy bears (and, then later other “stuffed” animals, as well) who each had a unique symbol on their bear belly.
The symbols represent their “gifts” or their natural power.
The Care Bears, who live in a faraway place up in the clouds called Care-a-Lot, are called to travel around the world on Missions in Caring, whilst evil villains such as Lord No Heart, try to foil their plans.
In each episode there was always some villain or evil, not just Lord No Heart, that the Care Bears found themselves faced against to overcome.
While the symbol that was emblazoned upon the little tummies of each bear had its own power, usually it wasn’t enough to beat the evil villain.
It was only when the Care Bears came together and formed the “Care Bear Stare” uniting and unifying their combined power together that they could then triumph over evil.
This cartoon, which originated in 1985, and popular in both the United States and Canada, originally started as idea by artist Elena Kucharik and was used on greeting cards from American Greetings.
There were ten bears originally as part of the cast: Bedtime Bear, Birthday Bear, Cheer Bear, Friend Bear, Funshine Bear, Good Luck Bear, Grumpy Bear, Love-a-Lot Bear, Tenderheart Bear, and Wish Bear.
Later, the show introduced additional bears, along with their cousins … characters such as: Brave Heart Lion, Cozy Heart Penguin, Bright Heart Raccoon, Lotsa Heart Elephant, Gentle Heart Lamb, Loyal Heart Dog, Playful Heart Monkey, Proud Heart Cat, Swift Heart Rabbit, Treat Heart Pig and Noble Heart Horse.
Do you notice that each of the characters have “heart” as their middle name? I doubt, in any way, this was by accident.
Because that was one the biggest themes throughout the series: Love wins.
And, when we tap into our heart, our hope, our compassion, kindness, and grace … love always triumphs over evil.
The Care Bears mission was to spread caring and sharing around the world, and encourage viewers to also spread caring, sharing, love, friendship, acceptance, fun and happiness to everyone around you.
Ah, no wonder I loved this show so much and would eagerly anticipate watching it on early Saturday mornings before I would head out for bowling (a huge activity us military kids, brats, did).
It also paired well with my love of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, another wholesome show that really was designed to instill deep values of love.
As a kid, and even now at the age of 51, I fully embrace this energy of compassion, kindness, generosity, and love.
It’s this very essence that drew me to Human Design, a system that, like the Care Bears, helps us recognize and embrace our unique gifts.
Now, I see the work I do in Human Design as a magical portal or key to access the inner Care Bear in all of us.
Human Design is your energetic blueprint. It’s the operating plan of you.
Meaning, it illustrates and maps out “how” you use energy, both what you draw from yourself and express into the world, as well as what you draw in and amplify from others.
We each have a unique wiring that is aligned with our Soul Purpose and what we are here to offer the world.
Human Design provides the insight into that map, illuminating the pathway of what alignment, optimal performance, and wellness look like and feel like for you.
Let’s explore why Human Design helps us access our inner Care Bear …
The Care Bear within Each of Us
Every individual on the planet right now has come into this life with a specific energy and set of gifts to share.
Often, through imprinting, our genetics, and our conditioning, we forget what we are here to share, and how we are here to operate optimally.
When we can better understand our innate wiring and personal energetic blueprint (aka, Human Design), we find our path back home to ourselves.
For all the shoulding, shaming, and bullshit we do starts to fall away.
We find inner validation and confirmation in who we truly are and how we are meant to awaken, activate, and amplify our unique leadership voice.
Because, some level of leadership lives within us all.
It’s a matter of living and leading radically authentic and sharing the gifts, light, and energy we are meant to put into the world and offer others.
Yet, from the minute we are birthed, we move further and further away from that truth. We forget.
The image on our bellies dims and eventually fades away. Yes, we all have our own symbol to activate.
Imagine, for a moment, if you truly understand and embodied the power you possess. For, we all have greater power, and potential, than we realize.
What if, instead, of conforming and trying to make ourselves like everyone else, we stood proudly in the light that is ours alone to share.
Think about it as being a lighthouse.
That when you are aligned AF and standing in your radical authenticity and truth, the light you emanate from magnetizes so strongly that you become a beacon for those who need you.
Your light, or Care Bear Stare, then becomes a magnet drawing to you those who need your guidance, wisdom, compassion, kindness, and love.
That in offering this light, you help bring others back to their truth, as well.
That is the meaning of life. That is your purpose.
It’s about being so embodied in your magic that your light shines out in a way to give others permission to do the same, as well.
It’s to sing the song within your heart, loudly and proudly, and be the magical unicorn you came here to be.
The truth is … there is NO purpose “out there.” YOU are your purpose. You ARE purpose. It’s your light that is purpose. The “how” you “be”.
For each of us is a unique piece of the Cosmic Puzzle. You have a Soul Contract to live out and a Living Legacy to lead.
Your Human Design is a pathway to help sing the song of your heart, let your music play, and bring you back to remembering who you truly are.
My Journey in Finding My Own Care Bear Sign
To be honest, I haven’t always been aligned in my own truth.
Like you, I have found myself succumbing to the societal pressures and noise that had me believing I was either “too much” or “not enough”.
It’s been a journey, to say the least, in finding my way back home to myself and to the work I feel so deeply called to do.
I resisted it. I fought it.
It was only when I stumbled upon Human Design did things start to truly shift for me.
And, as a teacher of mine says:
I didn’t find Human Design, it actually found me.
For I believe it calls to us when we are ready.
“When the student is ready, the teacher appears. And, when the teacher is ready, the student appears.”
Such words have never rang so true.
Over the last 6.5 years, I have been immersed in this work, studying not only my own chart, but also that of hundreds of other people.
And, what I have come to realize is there IS a roadmap, a pathway, that has already been carved out for us that works in tandem with our freewill … it doesn’t override it.
For we get to choose “who” we are. Human Design shows us “how” we are.
And, for most of us, we have forgotten.
So, now as I find Human Design truly meets me where I am at, offering a new layer of resonance each time I dive into my chart, I see more and more of my own truth and feel a more effortless embodiment of who I am.
When I think about the emblem I wear on my belly, or rather my heart, I envision a spark of white light with a heart cracking wide open.
I know that part of my gift is to light a fire under people so that they can fully activate their light from within.
For, it’s only when we allow our hearts to be cracked wide open that both the light of the world can shine in and we can then express the light of our own love out to the world.
As I dive deeper into my Human Design chart, I discovered that I’m a 6/2 Emotional Manifesting Generator, who is here to be a powerful catalyst.
I am here to redefine leadership, power, and how we show up in world.
This revelation helped me understand why I’ve always felt a strong drive to disrupt, to challenge the status quo, and to initiate the right things in respond to others’ needs.
My chart also shows me why I have such a big capacity for love, compassion, sensitivity, and grace.
It was through this understanding that I realized my emblem: a spark of white light with a heart cracking wide open.
My chart shows me that my purpose is to ignite others’ potential (the spark) while leading with an open heart (the cracking heart).
The Power Comes in Unity
Now, while you, my friend, are a powerful beacon of light by yourself, the real power comes when we align ourselves together and amplify the frequency and vibration of the collective.
It’s in our connections and community with each other that the real magic is and can be unleashed.
And, it only takes enough of us leading from a higher consciousness and vibration to come together to create this shift.
It’s called the tipping point.
And, if you choose to refine the lens from which you look out at the world, you will see that more and more leaders are coming forth in this capacity to align their magic and their light together.
It’s about activating a real-life Care Bear Stare.
When we truly see ourselves, and see the truth in others, we can bring out gifts together in unity to change the landscape of leadership and to assist in the next evolution of humanity on the planet.
Imagine, if you will, what your emblem on your belly would be.
What image holds the vision and the symbol for what gifts you are here to shine in the world and into the heart of others?
Who are your Care Bears?
As you reflect on your inner Care Bear and the symbol that represents your unique gifts, remember that Human Design offers a roadmap and energetic blueprint to help you fully unlock that potential.
Understanding your Human Design chart is like discovering your unique Care Bear symbol.
Just as each Care Bear had a specific emblem that represented their special power, your Human Design chart reveals your innate gifts and the unique way you’re meant to share them with the world.
By embracing your authentic self and joining forces with others, you can create a real-life “Care Bear Stare” that transforms not just your life, but those you are here to inspire, influence, and impact.
Consider it as your personal “belly (or soul) badge”, illuminating the path to your most authentic self and showing you how to align with other Care Bears to truly shift the overall collective consciousness.
Are you ready to discover your Care Bear emblem and join the mission of spreading love, compassion, and positive change in the work you do?