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Originally published February 21 2014

7 extraordinary benefits to overcoming self-sabotage

by Mike Bundrant

(NaturalNews) Self-sabotage happens when you knowingly or unknowingly act as your own worst enemy. When it happens, you often end up doing the exact opposite of what would make you happy and successful.

If you were to look under the surface, you'd discover that most failed goals, relationships, businesses and dreams have deeply subconscious roots in self-sabotage. We tend to get in our own way - and do it consistently. Then, we hide the unpleasant truth from ourselves through various psychological defense mechanisms, such as blaming others, becoming angry and frustrated, distracting ourselves or even getting super confused and what is going on. Thus, we maintain the pattern and keep less of what we love and more of what we hate.

What if you didn't self-sabotage, though? What if you totally got out of denial and out of your own way, permanently? It's possible. You can largely eradicate self-sabotage from your life. If you did, you'd immediately begin to reap the following seven extraordinary benefits.

1. Solid decision-making

Poor, impulsive decisions are a set up for failure. When you make a self-sabotaging decision, you have to get very lucky in order for things to work out. Here are some examples:

• Saying yes to marriage when you have serious doubts about the person you are with. This one is more common than you think. In fact, some people fight of serious doubts or even the knowledge that they are with the wrong person, even as they are walking down the aisle.

• Starting a business without experience, funds or a viable plan. Why do most businesses fail? For these reasons.

• Making purchases that you cannot afford. Consumerism wouldn't be the same if we all bought only what we could afford, realistically.

• Doing something with your life for the sole purpose of pleasing someone else. Again, this is oh-so-common. Some people live out their lives without discovering what they really want apart from pleasing others.

• Saying yes even though you mean no. Healthy boundaries are so uncommon!

Essentially, self-sabotaging decisions overlook all the red flags, good advice and sound logic that lead to happiness and success.

If you had no self-sabotaging tendencies, you'd make much better, more mature decisions. Decisions would be patient, timely, set up for success and aligned with who you are.

2. Incredible self-discipline

A lack of self-discipline leads to emptiness and misery. When you don't control your eating, spending, study habits, time, excessive behaviors and emotions, you lose a grip on life.

If you had no self-sabotaging tendencies, you'd follow through with your plans, exercise even when feel down or lazy, be strict with what goes into your body, honor your commitments and motivate yourself even when it is difficult to do so.

Self-sabotage encourages you to take the easy way out, but that is a self-deception. The easy way out is often the path to difficulty, pain and failure.

3. Fulfilling, workable relationships

Relationships are perhaps the ultimate test of maturity. Can you speak your mind, be flexible, take the other's point of view, make sacrifices and be true to your word?

Can you balance respectfully your needs and honor the needs of your partner? Most of all, can you do what you know in your heart is right and take feedback with an open mind?

In the absence of self-sabotage, yes you can.

Self-sabotage would have you choose all the wrong relationship partners and justify the poor choices. You'll choose people who control, reject and deprive you of what you need to be happy.

4. Vibrant health and energy

Gaining tons of energy and vitality is not overly complicated for most people. You need to eat right, exercise and supplement any nutritional deficiencies over time. This requires consistent study and experimentation. Most of all, it requires sticking to a conscious plan religiously.

In the absence of self-sabotage, you absolutely can achieve a wonderful and fulfilling state of physical and mental health. Just do the research and stick to the plan. You want to treat your mind and body respectfully, because they are your vehicles to peace and happiness. It's obvious! Why would you ever mistreat yourself?

Because of self-sabotage. It will encourage you to give up and throw your health out the window. In some cases, people are willing to shave decades off their life as part of their cycle of self-sabotage.

5. Inner peace and a sense of being well-grounded

There is no greater peace than to know that you are 100% invested in fulfilling your purpose in life to the best of your ability. Peace of mind comes from acting in the way that you know is right, working hard and accepting your limitations.

Self-sabotage is the ultimate destroyer of inner peace. Self-sabotage is that voice in your mind that tells you to give up, that you can't do it, that it's not worth it. If this voice is more powerful than you, then you'll probably believe it and not put forth your best effort. No peace in this!

6. Emotional resiliency and choice

Most people have tremendous emotional resilience and resources. Within you lies the courage, patience, drive and the will to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. That is, until self-sabotage convinces you otherwise. Again, that voice in your head that criticizes your efforts would have you give in to despair and helplessness.

When you give power to your self-sabotaging tendencies, you give in to pessimism and failure - and lose access to your emotional strength.

7. Whatever you do tends to work out for the best

The bottom line, whatever you set out to do will be as successful as it can be if you stay out of your own way. And when you put forth your best effort only to meet failure, you'll still be pleased with yourself, accept the defeat and begin to make new plans, incorporating what you have learned.

A Bizarre, Challenging Self-Sabotage Experiment

If you have a pattern of failing in a certain area of life, then try the following experiment. Warning: This may seem crazy, but if you do it, you may blow your own mind.

1. Consider the failure - what are you failing to at?

2. After you fail, notice how feel: Humiliated, rejected, empty, out-of-control, helpless, lonely, worthless?

3. Pretend that some part of you is so used to feeling this feeling that way that it actually seeks out opportunities to feel that way again. In other words, this negative feeling is seeking to be expressed, over and over. And your unwitting failures are the perfect opportunity. Therefore, in a strange way, you are actually motivated to fail!

4. Now, catch yourself setting yourself up for failure. How do your decisions and actions lead directly into these old, familiar negative feelings? Once you understand the process, you are on the way to letting go and living up to your potential.

There may be no greater opportunity in life than to get out of your own way, mentally and emotionally. When you do, watch out! You're on track to do great things...

If you want to learn the truth about why we sabotage ourselves and how to overcome it, watch this free video.

If you like this article, then like my Facebook Page to keep up with all my writing.


About the author:
Watch the free video The AHA! Process: An End to Self-Sabotage and discover the lost keys to personal transformation and emotional well-being that have been suppressed by mainstream mental health for decades.

The information in this video has been called the missing link in mental health and personal development. In a world full of shallow, quick-fix techniques, second rate psychology and pharmaceutical takeovers, real solutions have become nearly impossible to find. Click here to watch the presentation that will turn your world upside down.

Mike Bundrant is co-founder of the iNLP Center and host of Mental Health Exposed, a Natural News Radio program.

Follow Mike on Facebook for daily personal development tips.



Watch the free video The AHA! Process: An End to Self-Sabotage and discover the lost keys to personal transformation and emotional well-being that have been suppressed by mainstream mental health for decades. The information in this video has been called the missing link in mental health and personal development. In a world full of shallow, quick-fix techniques, second rate psychology and pharmaceutical takeovers, real solutions have become nearly impossible to find. Click here to watch the presentation that will turn your world upside down. Mike Bundrant is co-founder of the iNLP Center and host of Mental Health Exposed, a Natural News Radio program. Follow Mike on Facebook for daily personal development tips.


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