How to stop self-sabotaging?

How to stop self-sabotaging: Self-sabotage occurs when your thoughts hold you back from achieving what you want. Sometimes, you do this without even acknowledging it. But when you sabotage yourself, the negative behavior you engage in creates barriers to attaining your goals. Sometimes, you are aware of your self-sabotaging behavior. Other times, self-sabotage may look less clear.

Although self-sabotage can lead to adverse outcomes, it starts as a protective mechanism to keep us safe from any possible harm. For our minds, what is familiar is considered safe, so any try to let go of the familiar and welcome the unfamiliar might trigger self-sabotaging behavior.

How to stop self-sabotaging:

Know yourself

To fight the cycle of self-sabotage, it is necessary to learn your triggers and recognize your self-sabotaging manners. You might want to take time to find patterns in your behavior. So look for areas in your life where things seem to go bad regularly or where you would like to accomplish more success. 

Practice mindfulness

When you focus your awareness in a non-judgmental manner on some of the behaviors that lead to self-sabotage, you can not only learn more about yourself but also produce more self-understanding.

Practice self-compassion

Studies show that having self-compassion is connected to pleasure, understanding, and emotional resilience. When you practice self-compassion, you can easily go from where you are now to where you desire to be.

Reframe

One reason self-sabotage is so ordinary is that some parts of our brains are trying to save us safe from danger. Try to shift negative thoughts into positive ones.

Also Read: How to calm the mind?

​Get more comfortable with failure

Self-sabotage might come from a fear of rejection, which can make you avoid trying difficult things. If you do not give it a try, then you can not fail. In this case, you subconsciously sabotage yourself. 

Talk about it

If you notice specific patterns that keep appearing in your relationships, try talking to the people you are closest to. Simply talking through a self-sabotaging pattern out loud can stop you from taking it out. Plus, it can be a powerful learning experience when the situation plays out along a distinct path, not down the path of self-sabotage.

Identify what you want

Self-sabotage can occur when you are scrutinizing for a way out. These behaviors help indicate something about your condition is not working for you. So, it is better to analyze and identify what you want in life to have a clear idea about life.

When to seek help

It is not always easy to identify and stop some self-sabotaging behaviors, especially rituals that you have followed for years. If your efforts to try different manners and reactions have not worked, or only work for a while, therapy can be a good option. There is nothing bad in taking professional support. There can be something that you are failing to see or notice but someone skilled may help you notice the pattern. Sometimes it is not feasible to uncover all underlying aspects on your own.

At the end

If self-sabotage is getting in the way of attaining your goals, then hopefully these above-mentioned methods can help you get the life you.