4 Ways We Self-Sabotage (That We Need To Stop)

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Not giving ourselves the credit we deserve.

It’s so easy to over-think life decisions and every day interactions, but we have to stop obsessing over ways we could’ve done things better. When you berate ourselves about the mistakes we’ve made, it’ll turn into a habit that’s hard to break. Accept the B you got on an exam instead of the A+ you wanted. Striving to better yourself isn’t a crime, but you have to know when to stop.

Taking criticism too seriously.

I’m sure you’ve all heard the expression, “consider the source.” If there’s anything you should take to heart about criticism, it’s this. Consider who’s doing the criticizing and if it’s coming from a good place. Constructive criticism is important, but there will ALWAYS be people that just want to put you down for their own personal enjoyment. Learn to recognize the difference.

Alienating the people we love.

Some of us are experts in putting up walls for self-preservation. If you can’t break down those walls for someone you truly care about, you’re only hurting yourself in the long-run. It can be so hard to let someone in, to truly open up and let yourself trust another person. However, how can we experience the best kind of love if we’re too afraid to get hurt? In life, heartbreak is inevitable. That’s something we need to accept without letting it deter us from building meaningful relationships.

Reaching for unattainable bodily perfection.

I don’t think there’s a single person who hasn’t had self-deprecating thoughts about body image. The media bombards us with both men and women portraying near-perfection. These images are everywhere. This leads us to grapple with invasive thoughts of how we can be better than what we are. We need to remind ourselves that the physical body truly is not what matters. We need to be kind and accepting of ourselves. This is a hard battle to fight, but it’s worth it.