#self-sabotage

[serenityquest]

I never knew this!!!! 😮

[momentsbeforemass]

How can I screw this up?

Nobody works against themselves.

Seriously, when was the last time you said to yourself, “How can I screw this up?”

Never. It’s absurd.

That’s why Jesus mocks the Pharisees for accusing Him of doing that in today’s Gospel.

Because no one does that. At least not intentionally.

But, if we’re honest, all of us do exactly that. At different points, all of us do things that work against us. Without meaning to, you and I drift into habits that in fact work against our peace, our growth, our relationship with God.

What makes this hard is that when we start that drift into a habit that’s going to work against us, there’s almost never a clue that we’re headed off in the wrong direction. Or if there is one, it’s too subtle for us to notice.

And there are almost never signposts along the way that tell us we’re headed in the wrong direction. At least not that we notice.

Until one day, often during a crisis, we suddenly realize how far we’ve drifted. And then wonder how we got there.

Whether it’s big things or small things, for a lot of us, it’s a cycle that we’ll repeat over and over.

If you’re not where you want to be. If you’re missing something you used to have. If you don’t have the peace that comes from a healthy, loving relationship with God.

Then today, take the time to make an inventory of what you’re doing.

For everything that you’re doing (whether it’s intentional or something you just kind of do without thinking) ask this question, “Is this bringing me peace, is this bringing me closer to God?”

You don’t have to tell anyone about it, this is just for you. So you can be brutally honest with yourself. And you should.

Because if you are, you’ll discover things that you’re doing that are holding you back that you don’t even know about. Things that are coming between you and God.

Once you do, take the first step to rob them of their power to hold you back. But don’t do it alone. Recognize them for what they are. Then take them to God in prayer.

And be ready for a gentle, patient response. From the One who will be overjoyed to tackle them with you.

Today’s Readings

[quietflorilegium]

“What the fuck did you people do to me?” I demanded. “We loved you,” said the teenager. “That’s all. The rest, you did to yourself.”

Seanan McGuire, "A Killing Frost"

[avoidantrecovery]

one less obvious way one can self-sabotage:

give yourself impossible to meet deadlines, making the task feel very daunting. and then shame because you (obv.) can’t make it, then procrastinate/give up completing the self-sabotage.

better:

give yourself realistic timeframes to do tasks/work. take your time, you don’t have to work quickly, stressed or ahead of schedule. divide tasks into smaller parts that can be worked on in set time frames and completed, giving yourself a sense of completion. you don’t have to finish all at once.

[limetimo]

GIRL HELP I NEED A PEP-TALK

Got a job offer. It's got potential for career growth but I don't have to stick around if it sucks. I'm qualified. I literally have a paper that says I know what I'm doing. I've been told many times I'm good at it, by lots of different people. I want to run and hide and ruin it for myself before I ruin it by actually messing up.

Any advice on how to stop self-sabotaging?

[i-am-a-secret-ssshhh]

Well...

It's finally happened.

I've self-sabotaged myself all the way to hell.

[nwenillyp]

I hate depressive moments but I long for these depressive moments when I'm happy

[momentsbeforemass]

Self-Sabotage

(for someone who’s their own worst enemy)

Do you want to be miserable?

Of course not. No one does.

Still, there are people whose actions say something different. People whose lives tell a different story.

People who – regardless of what they may say – apparently do want to be miserable.

Given their consistent efforts to sabotage their own happiness.

The key to receiving God’s best for our lives – even in the midst of the hardest things in life – is to quit comparing what’s going on in our lives to someone else’s life. Or some imagined version of our own.

And instead to live with a mind and heart open to God. With an attitude of “Speak Lord, your servant is listening.”

The most effective way to avoid God’s best for your life?

Self-sabotage. By becoming the accusers in today’s Gospel.

Criticize. Everything.

Pick it apart. Find something that it lacks.

Pick them apart. Find something they didn’t do right. Or didn’t do enough.

Don’t worry if the faults aren’t immediately obvious.

Keep at it. If you look hard enough, you’ll find something.

If you stay focused on finding the worst, you won’t be disappointed.

Armed with their imperfections, it’s time to accuse.

Don’t just provide information. Revel in it.

This is your moment to shine. Take them down. As publicly as possible.

Then do it all again.

Of course, you will become stunted, both emotionally and spiritually. You’ll appreciate even the best things in life less and less. You’ll find it harder and harder to have healthy relationships. You’ll close yourself off from everyone, including God.

But that’s what you wanted, right?

Because that’s the payout for self-sabotage, making yourself truly miserable.

If that’s not what you want, then why are you doing it?

Todays’ Readings

[imkeepinit]

FISA Amendments Reauthorization Act of 2017, § 202

[ryancrossfield]

overcome self-sabotage

Self-sabotage is a complex phenomenon that manifests when we consciously or unconsciously deny ourselves the opportunity to meet our innermost needs. Often, this occurs because we doubt our capacity to manage these needs effectively. This behavior is not just detrimental to our growth, but it is also an indication that our internal narrative is outdated, limiting, or simply incorrect.

The process of self-sabotage often stems from a negative association between achieving the goals we aspire to and the perceived person we must become to attain these goals. This is made more complex by the discomfort of unfamiliarity. Anything new, regardless of its potential benefits, will initially be uncomfortable until it becomes familiar. Unfortunately, this discomfort is often misconstrued as being "wrong," "bad," or "ominous," when it is merely a psychological adjustment phase.

Psychologist Gay Hendricks refers to this discomfort as hitting your "upper limit," the point at which you've reached your tolerance for happiness. Everyone has this threshold, a capacity for which they allow themselves to feel good. This concept aligns with what other psychologists refer to as a person's "baseline" - a set predisposition that they eventually revert to, even if certain events or circumstances temporarily shift it.

Interestingly, we tend to find comfort in the familiar, even if it does not serve our happiness or growth. Small shifts, compounded over time, can result in permanent baseline adjustments, but they often don't stick because we hit our upper limits. As soon as our circumstances extend beyond the amount of happiness we're accustomed to, we subconsciously find ways to bring ourselves back to a state we're comfortable with.

In some cases, these self-limiting beliefs arise from a need for self-preservation. Perhaps this is why we might prefer the known to the vulnerability of the unknown, why we might prefer apathy to excitement, or believe that suffering makes us more worthy. It might even explain why we think that for every good thing in life, there must also be an accompanying "bad."

To truly heal and move beyond self-sabotage, it's essential to alter these thought patterns. This change requires becoming acutely aware of negative and false beliefs and shifting to a mindset that serves us better. However, this change also demands honesty about our current state. We must love ourselves enough to refuse to settle for less than we deserve.

The greatest act of self-love is no longer accepting a life we are unhappy with. It requires confronting our problems directly, honestly, and straightforwardly. The first step to real change involves writing down everything you aren't happy with, clarifying every problem you face. Whether it's financial struggles, self-image issues, or anxiety, achieving clarity about what's wrong is the foundation for change. At this juncture, you have a choice: make peace or commit to changing. Lingering in indecision only prolongs the state of being stuck.

It's important to recognize that we don't reach a breaking point because of a single or a few negative events. We reach a breaking point when we finally accept that the problem isn't the world; it is how we interact with it. This realization is a beautiful reckoning to have, as Ayodeji Awosika explains, it involves finding the purest form of being fed up and making a commitment to change.

People are naturally guided by comfort. They gravitate towards what feels familiar and resist what doesn't, even if the unfamiliar could be objectively better for them. The majority of people do not actually change their lives until the discomfort of not changing becomes unbearable. This usually means they don't truly face the difficulty of altering their habits until they have no other choice.

One of the significant barriers to doing important internal work is the fear of the consequential life changes. If they confront their unhappiness, it might mean experiencing temporary discomfort, shame, or fear as they start over. Yet, this discomfort is an essential stepping stone towards profound healing and personal growth.

Remember, what you stand to lose in this process is merely what was constructed for a person you no longer are. Clinging to your old life is the ultimate act of self-sabotage, and releasing it is the first crucial step towards real change.

In summary, self-sabotage is a reflection of our internal struggles, outdated narratives, and fear of the unknown. However, with conscious effort, self-awareness, and the courage to change, it's possible to break free from this damaging cycle. The journey may be challenging, filled with moments of discomfort and fear, but the reward is a life that truly aligns with your desires, values, and a true sense of self-love.

[mysticalalleycat]

had a song stuck in my head and made memes about it, everyone stream intellectual property

[amamicorp]

Howdy hey! New day, new fic for @chaos-company's Angstpril event. As with all my other fics, this is for Danganronpa v3, postgame, virtual reality AU. So let's get to it.

Today is day 11, which has the prompt Self-Sabotage to go with the day. Pretty exciting one. For this one I did Kaede and Tsumugi. These two always have such an interesting dynamic, but especially so in postgame, and I wanted to give it a spin. Quite happy with the result. No specific warnings this time beyond general angst being involved, plus everything that comes with postgame VR. Hope you enjoy!

[solar-siren]

Angstpril Day Eleven: Self-Sabotage

Warning for 2.0 spoilers and suicidal thoughts/ideation.

Alan walks the laser bay in a slow spiral. He’s never sure how to feel about this place. Lora spent countless hours here, working tirelessly. There’s not a space she didn’t touch. He can all but see her crowded over the laser control, her and Gibbs working shoulder to shoulder. Flynn rushing up the stairs in a noisy clatter, interrupting her work. Her calling him away from his own desk to join if she was especially excited or nervous about a test. Lora was often at her happiest here, full of ideas, passion and life. Sometimes, she was also at her most frustrated here. While trying to solve a problem, she would often pace the floor as he is now.

And she died here. Basically.

The laser she dedicated her life to building ended her life. They still don’t know exactly what caused the malfunction that day. Only that Lora was injured in some way that couldn’t be identified or fixed. She lasted for a few months afterward, languishing, fading until there was nothing left. Even then she worked for as long as possible, pouring as much life as she could into saving the very thing that took hers.

Alan thinks of her constantly. She was his best friend, his better half. He took up her work after she passed. No else was brave enough, and someone has to finish what she started—the thing she died for. He owes her that much, at least.

But sometimes, when Alan is here, alone in the dark, he can’t help but think how easy it would be to join her. Looking at the SHIVA laser is like staring down the barrel of a gun. It almost feels like it’s watching him back. He steps closer.

“Alan-One,” Lora’s voice says. Ma2a. He must have forgotten to shut her down for the night.

“Are you alright?”

Alan swallows. Most people would be concerned that she’s asking a question like that—something she wasn’t programmed to do. (She’s always been… personable. He’s learned to glean amusement from others’ discomfort surrounding her eccentricities.) He’s more alarmed by the path his thoughts were taking just now. That, and the fact that he still hasn’t escaped from the spiral.

“Just thinking,” he says quietly, still watching the laser. Ma2a considers this.

“The SHIVA laser is currently offline,” she says. So she      has    been watching. He doesn’t respond.

“Your shift ended 11 minutes ago,” she continues. “Alan-Two will worry if you are late.”

That jolts Alan back to reality. Jet. How could he even think about—leaving—when Jet needs him? How could he have forgotten that for even an instant? He shivers through a wave of guilt and nausea.

“I’m sorry,” he chokes, inexplicably. Neither one of them is certain he’s speaking to her. Still, Ma2a responds.

“All is well.” She sounds almost gentle. So much like Lora. It hurts even as he’s grateful.

Alan does his best to pull himself back together. He swipes at his eyes with his sleeve, straightens his coat. Breathes.

“Right,” he says. His voice is mostly back to normal. “Thank you.”

“Always,” Ma2a returns. She waits until Alan types in the commands for her shut down before adding, “Goodnight, Alan-One.”

Alan freezes, stricken and moved.

“Goodnight,” he murmurs. “Sweet dreams.”

[howifeltabouthim]

I should inevitably have betrayed myself.

Ellen Wood, from East Lynne

[opalescent--eye]

The reason you self-sabotage is because it allows you to predict what is going to happen, which gives you the illusion of control.

Familiar hell over unfamiliar heaven, basically.

[janesmission]

Breaking Free from Self-Sabotage: Why We Do It and How to Stop for Good

Have you ever set a goal, made progress, and then—almost inexplicably—derailed yourself? Maybe you procrastinate on an important project, turn down a great opportunity, or abandon healthy habits just as they start working. This phenomenon is known as self-sabotage, and it’s more common than you think. Self-sabotage occurs when our actions and behaviors interfere with our long-term goals, often…