12/08/2025
"The good you do is what's most important. The rest is just noise."
From a recent episode of the TV show, Boston Blue.
In IFS, we know that much of the “noise” comes from our protectors. They work tirelessly to keep us safe, but they often drown out the quiet truth of our Self.
• Managers are protectors who plan, control, and criticize to prevent pain before it happens. They say things like: “Stay perfect, stay ahead, don’t let anyone down.”
• Firefighters are protectors who rush in after pain is triggered. They distract, numb, or lash out to put out the fire of distress. They say: “Stop the hurt now, whatever it takes.”
Both are doing their best to shield our tender Exiles—the parts carrying wounds and burdens. But in the process, their voices can become static, pulling us away from what truly matters.
✨ Self energy knows the truth: the good you do, however small, is what counts.
• A smile offered when someone feels unseen.
• A boundary set with kindness.
• A moment of presence in the middle of chaos.
These are the acts that ripple outward, far beyond what we can measure. The rest—the perfectionism, the numbing, the frantic noise—is simply the echo of protectors trying to help in the only ways they know.
Today, pause. Thank your Managers and Firefighters for their devotion. Then let Self lead. Trust that the good you do is enough. 🌿
