Are You in Your Own way?

  Self-sabotage is a significant issue that often goes unnoticed. I only became aware of my own self-sabotaging behaviors after reading the definition and grasping the terminology. I failed to recognize the extent of the problems I was creating for myself and how I was obstructing my personal growth. Doubt, insecurities, and fear held me back from pursuing many things I believed I was capable of. As a young girl, I was never told that I excelled at anything; my mother thought it unwise to praise her children. I’m unsure whether she believed that praise would inflate our egos or if it was her way of keeping us humble. As a result, I carried a fear into adulthood that prevented me from realizing my true potential.

This is why it’s important to be mindful of what you say to others. Your words can have a positive or negative impact on that individual. The words that were recited to me as a child cultivated the woman I became in my 20s and 30s. It wasn’t until I turned 40 that I realized I was not who they said I was, but who my creator designed me to be. That was a woman of endurance, wisdom, and courage, to name a few. I no longer needed to hinder myself with insecurities or repeat the words that were said to me; they no longer held any power.

 Many of us engage in self-sabotage without even being aware of it. We recognize that we have something valuable to contribute to the world, yet we start to doubt ourselves and the journey ahead. Imagine what it would be like to step aside and allow ourselves to flourish into the individuals we are meant to be. What if we honestly believed in ourselves and did not impede our own growth? What if we trusted the process, acknowledging that while challenges arise, we have the strength to overcome them? What if we dismantled self-sabotage and focused more on self-empowerment, self-discipline, self-improvement, and self-care? Wouldn’t we become the best versions of ourselves?

-Chantelle aka Telle