###### 🔑 Ask, don't speculate The parts of us that learn [[⭐️ Internal Family Systems|IFS]] are [[💡 Parts|Parts]]. We're engaging intellectually, talking *about* [[💡 Parts|Parts]]. It's extremely easy to get [[💡 Blending|blended]] with [[💡 Parts|Parts]] who guess and speculate about what's going on in our inner-ecosystem. If we catch ourselves saying “I think,” an intellectualizing or speculating [[💡 Parts|Part]] has likely [[💡 Blending|stepped in]]. These are really lovely [[💡 Parts|Parts]] to have who are only curious and trying to help us, and sometimes they'll even be right, but speculation doesn’t compare to direct interaction – not only because [[🔑 Our parts will often surprise us]], but because talking to our [[💡 Parts|Parts]] directly strengthens our relationships with them. So, rather than speculating about a part, ask them! [^1]: