Self-defeating habits can be your worst enemy. These behaviors start with a negative thought process. Then, you may find yourself replaying unpleasant thoughts over and over again. These thoughts prevent you from forming healthy beliefs and solutions.
It is common to get caught in these negative thinking traps, and the fear of stepping out of this comfort zone can be paralyzing. You are used to this pattern of thinking and may even believe it to be true. This negative space of thinking is easy to get lost in, and you may feel frustrated.
However, there is hope. Changing these thought processes can change your life. First, you have to recognize these habits as self-defeating. It all starts with a thought process, and you have the power to overcome it. Read on for more information.
Self-Defeating Habits
When you find yourself repeating the same pattern of behavior over and over again, you may feel stuck. Any behavior you participate in that takes you away from your goal or causes you to self-sabotage is a self-defeating habit. These habits leave you unhappy and prevent you from becoming your best self.
Self-defeating habits can become a normal thought and action process. They can fly right underneath your radar, so much so that you are not even aware that you are engaging in negativity. This happens when you believe that you should not succeed, so you engage in an action that destroys your success. For example, a person in recovery holds onto blame and feels undeserving of sobriety. As a result, they start using drugs or alcohol again.
You may be thinking, why? Somewhere within your life, you learned these self-defeating habits and identified them as coping skills to avoid your feelings during difficult circumstances in your life. The goal is to understand that you are in control of your behaviors and habits. You have the power to change, and in this article, you will gain the knowledge needed to change.
Common Self-Defeating Habits
Self-defeating habits can keep you trapped in the same cycle over and over again. It is essential to recognize thinking errors in order to challenge your belief system. After all, you do not want anything to distract you from being the best version of yourself during your recovery.
Here are three common self-defeating habits to avoid.
#1 Avoidance
Avoiding your emotions can produce more anxiety and depression. It is common not to want to engage in conflict. However, it is an unhealthy habit that can lead to problems in your life.
#2 Complaining
Complaining is the opposite of happiness. Complaining depletes energy and invites negativity into your life. It can produce more anxiety and leave you feeling empty and distracted. Complaining will eliminate your joy.
#3 Procrastination
You know what you need to do, so why continue to put it off? Procrastination leads to self-defeat, missed opportunities, low self-esteem, and regret. When you procrastinate, you admit to yourself that you do not deserve anything more.
Change and Challenge
Now that you have explored your self-defeating habits, you may be wondering how to change them. Challenging any thought process can be difficult initially. However, all you need to do is start and take it one day at a time. By following three simple steps, you can work on your self-defeating habits today.
- Write them on paper: List the self-defeating habits that you would like to change. Explore the thoughts behind these behaviors. This allows you to see your thoughts and become more aware of your thinking patterns.
- Make an action plan: Remember in treatment when you created a relapse prevention plan? Creating an action plan will be similar. You will plan your action to overcome your self-defeating habits. Remember, you are in control and get to decide what this entails.
- Call in support: Take time to think about who will support you with your change. You can break this cycle. A therapist can be a crucial part of your support system. Working with a therapist can help you to examine and explore yourself from a different perspective.
Continue to Grow
The fact that you engaged in reading this article shows that you want to change your life. You are struggling with understanding the concept of self-defeating habits and how to change them. However, you are on the right path for personal growth. By examining your thought processes, you are on the right track to change.
Self-defeating habits are common in recovery. During treatment, you learned to identify triggers and acknowledge your negative thinking patterns. It is easy to get stuck in the past. However, you know to catch yourself in the moment and reshape your thoughts. Don’t give up. Grow forward. Take life one step at a time.
Recognizing the need for change is half the battle; choosing to take one step toward change is the victory.
Knowing that self-defeating habits do not have to be with you for the rest of your life can give you hope. You have the key to your healing journey. If you feel stuck, there is a way to break the cycle. First, you must acknowledge the need for change. Recognizing the patterns is the first step; the next is understanding that help is available. Regardless of where you are in your life, you deserve to be your best self. At The Guest House, we understand self-defeating habits and their effect on recovery. We take pride in supporting you in your recovery. Call us today at (855) 483-7800 to learn more.