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Are You Self-Sabotaging?

 


Have you ever thought to yourself that you’re not deserving of something? Perhaps good grades, a job offer, or even a promotion? Or maybe, when something good goes your way, you become skeptical and suspect that it’s too good to be true.
If yes, then you are showing signs of self-sabotage.

Self-sabotage is a common phenomenon, it happens to us all. Self-sabotage is when we consciously or unconsciously disrupt our success and well-being – mentally, physically, emotionally, socially, or even spiritually.

Naturally, self-sabotage is a defense mechanism. Our brains are wired to avoid taking risks or doing something uncomfortable. When we step out of our comfort zone, a signal in our brain sends a warning to our bodies that we may be in danger or in a difficult situation. This signaling might not be able to differentiate what kind of discomfort we’re facing – whether being challenged to a new role in our work or running away from danger, so we run away from it altogether. For some people, self-sabotaging can be a trap, whereby people can turn to temporary relief to escape processing and managing their thoughts and feelings.

It can be so hard to break out of self-sabotage behavior. We’ll keep on going back to those temporary reliefs until we learn of a newer and healthier way of thinking, and practice them over and over again. Don’t let it consume you and be at the cost of yourself. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to move away from self-sabotage:

1.      Develop your self-awareness

What does self-sabotage look like for you? Do you wait until the last minute to start projects? Do you run away from challenges?

2.      Identify what and where your comfort zone is

What do you do when you encounter discomfort? What is your temporary relief?

3.      Rethink what failure means to you

When you imagine yourself failing, what comes to your mind? Remember, our fear of failure can also pull us back

4.      Create a plan, and do it

After you identify the behavior patterns you want to break, create a plan on how you’ll face them.

5.      Practice mindfulness

Practicing meditation can help break away from self-sabotaging. It can develop self-compassion, building self-awareness, and being more in the present.

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