##### 🔑 There are no bad Parts Most of us are conditioned to cling to the "good parts" of us and silence or reject the "bad parts." But no matter how disruptive to our lives, no matter how scary they might seem, our [[💡 Parts|Parts]] are not bad — not any of them. Whether we see it or not, we are already on our own side. We may sometimes feel like we don’t like certain parts of ourselves. But this isn't because they're bad, it's because some of them don’t know each other well enough to see the other’s goodness, or because they might be using [[Protector Strategies 🛡️]] that protect one [[💡 Exiles|Exile]] but accidentally put us or other parts at risk. Many [[💡 Parts|Parts]] simply don't realize their negative impact on others, on our lives, or on other people. But even the ones who use relentless [[🛡️ Criticizing|🛡️criticism]] are trying to look after us somehow, and it's our task to get to know them and learn their benevolent intentions; those intentions point to our [[⭐ Values]]. What we discover is that [[🔑 Protectors do not like their jobs, but are afraid to stop|🔑 they actually hate their jobs but are afraid to stop doing them]]. It's up to us to find out what it is they're so afraid of so that they feel safe to let us address it. We may have [[💡 Parts|Parts]] who don't get along. They argue and [[💡 Polarization|compete with one another]] and try to [[💡 Protectors-in-Exile|exile one another]] because [[🔑 Each Protector thinks they know best|🔑 they all think they know the answer]] and because they have [[💡 Exiles|Exiles]] to protect. They might even demonize one another ("I'm so disgusting, why can't I stop?!") because they have no idea that [[🔑 All parts have good reasons for everything they do|🔑 they all have good reasons for what they do]]. But our parts are not the problem — their [[💡 Burdens 🪨|burdens]] are the problem, and [[🔑 Parts are not their burdens, roles, or strategies|🔑 parts are not their burdens]]. The better able we are to experience and embody this truth, and the more [[☀️ Compassion]] we’re able to have for the “worst parts of ourselves,” the easier it becomes to extend that [[☀️ Compassion]] to other people because we are able to see the wounds underneath their [[💡 Protector Parts|Protectors]]. ###### See Also - [[🔑 Intentions matter]] - [[🔑 There is nothing wrong with us]] - [[🔑 Protectors are dedicated to maintaining their idea of safety, balance and homeostasis]] - [[🔑 Protectors do not like their jobs, but are afraid to stop]] - [[🔑 We will always have Parts]] - [[🔑 Everyone everywhere is doing their best all the time]] - [[🔑 The more wounded the Exile, the more extreme the Protector]]