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Explore a sample system

A quick reset

A few minutes, eyes open or closed: a quick scan, a couple of breaths, a small movement, and a hand where a part seems to be. For between things, or before something hard.

7 steps, drawn from 3 books on IFS.

Checked: each step was read against the book passages it rests on, and stays inside them.

Read every step first
  1. A quick scan. Quickly scan your body, starting with the places touching the floor or your seat and moving up to your head and face. If a place hurts or feels uncomfortable, ask it to take a back seat for now, and promise you will come back to it later.
  2. A couple of breaths. Take a couple of breaths, noticing their pace and anywhere they feel held. Then breathe out a long, full exhale. If focusing on your breath is too much, skip it.
  3. A small movement. Move a little, side to side and front to back. Scan for tension you do not need, especially where you know your parts hold it, and see if a slight movement lets some of it go.
  4. A hand where it is. If you noticed a place where a part seems to be, you can rest a hand there, as a way of letting it know you notice it. Or rest a hand on your chest and breathe slowly.
  5. A kind word. If this moment is hard, you might say something to yourself like: this is really hard for me right now.
  6. How loud is it now? The same scale you used at the start. Lower is worth noticing. The same is fine too: it does not mean you did it wrong.
  7. That is the reset. If a place asked to wait, keep your promise and come back to it later. Then carry on with your day.