We all sabotage sometimes, which doesn’t necessarily impact us significantly. When we block ourselves from moving forward and creating a life we enjoy, sabotaging becomes a problem.
Do You Sabotage Yourself in these areas – health, relationships, finances, or work? Do you act in a way that hinders your success?
Reasons we sabotage ourselves.
You may be conscious that you are sabotaging yourself. Or maybe you are unaware that you are doing it and believe it’s not going your way because of outside influences.
- Negative self-talk – you set up your behaviors to support your beliefs you are “not good enough.”
- Taking on too much – It’s difficult to say “no” to someone or something and taking on too much will ensure that you don’t get things done all the time.
“We all overestimate what we can accomplish in a day but
underestimate what we can accomplish in a year with steady momentum.” Matthew Kelly
- If you are in self-sabotage mode, your beliefs could hinder you, and you form habits to support those beliefs. If you are struggling in an area, step back and see where you may potentially be sabotaging yourself.
Beliefs are powerful and are often the basis for self-sabotaging.
In what ways do we sabotage ourselves?
The following is only a small listing, yet probably familiar to many people:
- Procrastination – many people indulge in this area. You may not procrastinate in everything, but you do in areas of importance to your well-being. For example, you are waiting until the last to complete a project and not quite doing your best.
- Perfectionism –you expect so much of yourself and either are late, stressed, or not doing what you need to do. It never feels good enough.
- Always late – here is a definite sabotage behavior – a habit.
- Pessimism – here, you can undermine your values and well-being, reduce opportunities, and believe you don’t have control.
- Emotional Numbing – mindless social media, Netflix, over-eating, being busy all the time, and any other behaviors we do that sabotage our needs and desires. You may use numbing behaviors because you do not want to face feelings or actions you need to take care of yourself.
How can we stop sabotaging ourselves?
- Step back and look at your patterns in life that are blocking your well-being. For example, do you feel you are “not good enough?” If so, find support in reading or outside sources that help increase your belief in yourself.
- Though behaviors are habits rooted in a belief you have about yourself, they are still habits and patterns that could benefit you if you decide to change them. It may not be easy, and you will feel uncomfortable doing something unfamiliar to you.
“Make the familiar unfamiliar and the unfamiliar familiar.” Marisa Peer
- Your mind loves what is familiar and doesn’t like to be uncomfortable. When you decide to make a change, you can go beyond your current limiting actions that are sabotaging you and train your mind toward your well-being.
- Become aware of what you tell yourself and reframe the self-sabotaging thoughts with a stronger belief in yourself.
Your Thoughts
Where do you sabotage yourself? Do you feel you can change? Do you understand why you do it? How much of your life energy do you use to sabotage yourself?
Women’s Group Topic
Group support is powerful and can help its members move forward, even in small ways, to change their self-sabotaging behaviors and to create energy that supports us.
Be well,
Pat
“To fully enjoy the ‘richness’ of our lives, we must stop long enough to visit with ourselves.”
(Pat Brill)
Other Topics You May Be Interested In
Cleaning Out My ‘Guilt’ Closet
How I Handle Money Worries
K.I.S.S
Do you want to download a PDF copy of both of these books, then go to:
