Are you currently pondering  a big decision?  Whether it is a relationship dilemma, a career change, or a new health and weight loss plan there are basic psychological patterns that many of us follow. These patterns, ingrained in our psyche, can either lead us down the path of success, or can subtly sabotage our efforts, bringing  us to destruction. How do we recognize these patterns and learn to make smart choices? Overcoming self sabotage is much easier than you may think. It will involve a conscious effort on your part, and a bit of self awareness, but breaking free from patterns of self sabotage are within reach.

What is Self Sabotage?

Self sabotage is a destructive behavior in which an individual continues to behave in certain ways, or to choose certain types of things that repeatedly place them on a path that leads to heartache, failure, and frustration.

Upon reading that description, most of are probably wondering why anyone would choose things that bring such disappointing results. Sadly, most individuals do practice some form or self sabotage, for one reason or another. Subconsciously, we may be afraid of success, change, or we may desire a certain person or situation so completely that we are unwilling to look at the red flags that are flying everywhere. Other reasons may include childhood trauma, emotional wounds, or low self esteem.

If you have found yourself repeating a cycle of defeat in any area of your life; such as diet, health, relationships, business success, or addictions, this  is for you.

Steps to Breaking Free From Self Sabotage

The first and most vital step to breaking free from self defeating behavior is to invite your Creator into your everyday thoughts and decision making processes. Many of us separate our prayer life from the rest of our life. God should be invited into every area. He should be front and center in our relationships, our business dealings, our parenting, and everything else we are involved in. By putting God outside of your day to day decisions, you are setting yourself up for defeat. If you invite the wisdom of God in, you will begin to experience clarity and balance in every area.

Our lives are not meant to be compartmentalized. One thing affects the next, good or bad.

Recognizing the Problem is the First Step

Make the decision today to practice a conscious awareness of your thought patterns. What do you do when you feel confused or irritated? Do you seek refuge in God's wisdom and peace, or do you reach for old habits? Maybe you are defeated in the area of weight loss because you aren't allowing God to help you deal with anxiety. You may be reaching for food comfort instead of God comfort.

The first step to freedom is recognizing the problem. God will give you the clarity and strength you need to recognize and overcome self defeating habits. He wants you to live an abundant and free life that will bring Him glory. If you are all bound up in confusion and self sabotage, you are living well below God's best.

Don't Ignore the Red Flags

If you have experienced defeat in the area of relationship choices, as many people do, you'll need the wisdom of God for this area as well.

God has the perfect business partner, the perfect spouse, and the perfect circle of friends for you. He will bring them in His timing. That's the hard part of the deal. Often, we don't want to wait for God's best, so we choose the people in our lives ourselves. Red flags can be flying all over the place, but we want a relationship, a new job, or a particular friendship so badly, that we choose to ignore the warnings.

If you look back on any failed relationship situation you've been involved in, most of the time there was a crossroad that you can identify with. It was a particular moment that revealed a personality characteristic that raised a red flag and you chose to ignore it. By practicing self awareness and inviting the voice of God into our decisions, we can avoid these potential heartaches and emotionally costly situations.

Now, the world is an imperfect place, so even if you have the right relationship with God's seal of approval, there will certainly be trying and difficult times. But these trying times are so much easier to deal with when we know we are walking in the perfect will of God and have made our decisions according to His leading.

Make the decision today to break free from self defeating patterns of behavior. Invite God into every area of your life and start living the abundant life today!