Naturally Challenging: One Week Down! Stomping Past Self-sabotage!

Phew, I made it through the first week! I posted a new blog post every day for seven days in a row. That is a new record for me. In fact, I’ve always been pretty pleased with myself if I posted weekly. However, this is not the time to rest on my new laurels (…perhaps a bit of an over-statement but you get the gist.) I still have 23 more posts to go after today.

Procrastination and I may have parted ways last week but that little devil, Self-sabotage, is still lurking around, waiting for a chance to strike. It’s funny because you need almost super human awareness to realize that it is even happening. It can look like procrastination but the difference is that procrastination usually stops you from starting something in the first place. Self-sabotage creeps in when you are going strong on a project. It happens like this:

7am

“I need to sit down and write…. but first let me take a shower,” (even though I took one a mere 10 hours ago.)

8am

“I feel clean! Now I can write… I am just going to check my email first… real quick.”

(Who even knows what happened between 9am and 11am…)

11am

“I know I need to write but let me just reorganize this cabinet right now because it is bothering me.”

All of the sudden the day is over, the post didn’t get written. Then the feelings of humiliation and failure come in and Self-sabotage reigns victorious. If I let that happen, I would have only myself to blame. Where does this self-sabotaging tendency even come from? Why would anyone do it to herself?

I am not a therapist but I suspect it is a way of dealing with insecurity. Putting things off after proving yourself capable of accomplishing them; seems to me, to be a form of self-denial. It is way of not dealing with the new potentially painful thoughts that might come up like:

“Yeah, I am making headway on my goal but does it really matter?”

“Will people care about what I write?”

“I am not making money from this. Should I be doing something else with my time?”

“What if I don’t make my goal? What if I do then what next?”

Usually once I start asking myself questions like these, my accommodating brain will bring up evidence or rather memories that will support these doubts and fears. I use the word “memories” because they are not actual proof of anything. Just because I failed to complete some writing projects in the past, does not mean I will fail this time. Also, remembering doubts and fears other people have projected onto me are not facts, regarding what I am truly capable of accomplishing. They are just opinions. (… And you know that old phrase about opinions!)

I feel pretty confident I am going to make it all the way through this challenge despite the shadow of self-sabotage, attempting to keep step with me today. I made myself a promise that I would do it for myself, no one else. It doesn’t mean that I am not watching the click reports like a hawk at times. In fact, I beam with happiness and gratitude whenever someone takes the time to leave me a comment. (…no pressure!) I just have finally figured out that it is my opinion that matters the most! I don’t need permission or approval from anyone else to do something. Knowing that now makes all the difference!

Does Self-sabotage ever stop you when you are making progress? Please leave me a reply in the comments section. I love hearing from you!

Many blessings to all,

 

Cynthia

Blessings to all,

Cynthia

justdragonfly

6 thoughts on “Naturally Challenging: One Week Down! Stomping Past Self-sabotage!

  1. SandraMeli

    I like your post :), especially the questions part since I have the same painful thoughts.
    I start something new that I think I like and then in a few days I just stop, I find it pointless or that I don’t actually enjoy the ‘thing’ as much as I thought I would (or maybe it’s just a lack of motivation and self-esteem)

    I have been going around in circles for the past 5 years, trying to do something different then my current job (which is computer science). I even quit once and moved to Spain, but after 10 months of not working and instead of finding ‘my life purpose’ I found a job in another IT company. So I ended up only switching companies but still stuck in a job that I don’t enjoy..

    Reply
    1. Cynthia Lenz Post author

      I’m sorry to hear that you have been going through that. It must be very frustrating. The only thing I can suggest is to focus on the areas you are interested in AND check out http://www.andreashieldsnunez.com/ Andrea Shields coaches people on how to do work they love and feel passionate about. I believe she can help you. All the best! It can get better! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Andrea

    Oh wow! Thanks for the shout out above! 🙂

    My own coach says that self-sabotage is a result of fear of change – even if the change is something you desperately want, there’s a part of you that wants to keep you safe and…unchanged, because change is scary. His theory is that you need to make friends with these fears by acknowledging how they are trying to serve you and ask them to work with you rather than try to manhandle or “conquer” them so you can consciously move forward. I’ve found this to be a really enlightening process. Not that I don’t still self-sabotage in my own special ways, but maybe just a little bit less than I used to. Baby steps! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Cynthia Lenz Post author

      Great point Andrea! We must be kind to ourselves during challenges. Encouraging ourselves the way the way we would others is a far more pleasant and productive way to get things done.

      Reply

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