🕯️ U-Turn — How to Practice U-Turns in IFS

A U-Turn in IFS means turning inward when your attention wants to go out — shifting from “Why are they like that?” to “What part of me is reacting right now?”

It isn’t self-blame. It’s self-inquiry. When anger, judgment, or hurt rise toward someone else, those feelings point to parts inside that need witnessing.

A U-Turn might sound like:“Before I tell them what they did wrong, can I check what’s stirred up in me?”

Making this turn is difficult because protectors often prefer to analyze or fix the other person. That outward focus keeps you from feeling your own exiles’ pain. But when you turn inward, you give those parts the gift of your attention — the same curiosity you might have wanted from others.

With practice, U-Turns create freedom. They soften blame, bring clarity, and remind you that no external situation can block your access to Self.

The road back home is never straight. It bends inward — always, gently, toward you.