How to stop self-sabotaging and own your greatness
Self-sabotage is a common struggle that many of us face. I know firsthand what it’s like to delay or procrastinate. I saw this post the other day and felt instant conviction.
“Procrastination is the arrogant assumption that God owes you another opportunity to do what you had to do.” As I sit here delaying the instruction to write a poem around wisdom and living a wise life… yikes.
We hinder our progress and hold ourselves back without realization. After accepting defeat when attempting to sell my journals and shirts at a church market day a few weeks back, I realized self-sabotage is a challenge to overcome daily.
💡 What helps me is awareness around specific emotional responses that I default towards, i.e., anger or self-sabotage.
🫵🏾 Take a moment to identify what emotions you default to when under immense pressure or challenges.
Often, we are the reason the process is delayed without realization. It’s in a God-centered community we find accountability.
Peep what my friend shared with me on this topic when I felt defeated by my decision to leave the market the day before I had a chance to sell anything:
Self-sabotage gives us the illusion of control. The truth is you fear failure (or whatever your areas of frustration are), and the idea makes you reject yourself before allowing God to be a Father, protector, or provider.
How often will you repeat the downbeat song in your head that stops you from reaching your potential?
It’s time to change that narrative to walk in the power within us. Greater is He that is in us than he that is in this world (1 John 4:4).
We must let go and let God. We can’t have a tight grip on everything because it provides a false sense of security. Instead, do as Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Alright, in the fashion of keeping each other accountable, here are a few steps we can take today to break free from the gripes of self-sabotage, allowing God to orchestrate our actions:
1️⃣ Acknowledge your emotional triggers and identify your emotional responses.
2️⃣ Decide how you want to respond and show up. This works on self-control, a fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians 5.
3️⃣ Give control back to God. Do you believe he is the author and finisher of your faith? The one who orchestrates your steps from beginning to end? Ask him to help you trust his perfect plan.
4️⃣ Surround yourself with people who will keep you accountable. You are not alone! Do not isolate—lean into the discomfort, inviting a few trusted friends to sit with you.
5️⃣ Celebrate the small steps. It’s essential to document your journey. Take note of everything because change happens over time. When you write the in-between, you can see God in the details. Remember is a collection of small decisions that form the larger narratives.
Self-sabotage is a universal struggle. It won’t define us. Let’s exercise our authority to apply the steps above and break free.
God’s got you!
Your accountability partner,
Janae Carlee