Self-sabotage occurs when we actively harm ourselves physically, intellectually, or emotionally, or when we undermine our own success and happiness by sabotaging personal goals and values.
Depending on one’s level of awareness, self-sabotage, also known as behavioral dysregulation, can be conscious or unconscious. Choosing to eat cake despite a wish to eat healthy is an example of purposeful self-sabotage. When a personal aim or value is undermined but not first recognized, this is referred to as unconscious self-sabotage.
In this video, I tell the story of when I sabotaged my own musical future/career, subconsciously in the “musical theatre” world. What became a ‘isn’t this funny?’ story I told for 30+ years later became a realization at 50 that I nuked my own opportunities at the time, on purpose (subconsciously), because it didn’t feel right and I didn’t have the courage (or commitment in personal voice) to exit the situation in a more professional way.
I’m hoping this video helps others find their voice or path, or moments in their lives where they might have self-sabotaged their own potential because it didn’t feel right. I don’t regret my decisions but some of them sure hurt at the time and I would certainly have handled them differently today. Experience = wisdom. I’m hoping some of this wisdom helps someone else.
Let me know what you think in the comments below.