I’m sure I am not the only one who has experienced the ever-so-lovely behavior that is self-destruction. It’s quite funny how the idea for this article came to be actually. You see I tend to be a huge fan of self-sabotage for some unruly reason, something or someone new comes my way and I just scope out any reason that things could or will go wrong. As I was thinking about my self-destructive abilities, I started to remember a character from one of my favorite cartoons.
Anyone else ever watch "Phineas and Ferb"? If yes, which I’m hoping it is, you may remember the “evil” villain know as Heinz Doofenshmirtz. For those that haven’t started reminiscing about the eccentric character, Dr. Doofenshmirtz was an evil scientist who created ridiculous inventions he deemed would help him to take over the tri-state area and get back at his successful brother. Anyways, hopefully, you get the point and here's to mine. Doofenshmirtz creates these inventions in hopes to succeed, but they are always sabotaged in the end by a literal self-destruct button. As he builds his various designs, he knowingly incorporates a self-destruct button to ruin whatever success he could have gained!
In an attempt to relate this to my life, or maybe you can relate this to yours, in some way I feel as though I carry around a self-destruct button when I get into certain situations. It is as if I can’t allow myself to be happy, or whatever the feeling maybe. I psych myself out after building something new and get too nervous or weird or find something wrong that I just implode and set to self-destruct mode. It took me quite some time before realizing and understanding what exactly this behavior was or why I do it, and in all honesty, I’m still not sure why it happens. But I have been trying to learn how to cope and identify factors with this behavior and how I can stop them from ruining any chances or opportunities. If you have ever been in the kind of situation I am referring too, it is a bit heavy.
Here is a scenario: you are in a newly developed relationship. Everything is going so well, almost a little too well. You start to freak out, there is absolutely nothing wrong but you just can’t help but feel it coming to an end. A mix of emotions, self-sabotage is quite unfair in my opinion, it isn’t like I don’t want to be happy or excited or whatever it may be. I want nothing more to just enjoy whatever life has to offer. I guess it will take some time, patience and a bit of work. I know that self-sabotage is a mixture of emotions and now you do, too. At the end of the day, it can be hard, it is definitely easier said than done.
Self-destructive behavior can sometimes be done unconsciously. In the chance that it is recognized earlier enough, go ahead and smash that button, don’t set it off, but smash it so you don’t have a chance of imploding. Consider what it is that you are inevitably overthinking, maybe it is just that. You are overthinking. Again easier said than done but try to look at the big picture, don’t worry so much and come on don’t put that button even near your invention, don’t be Dr. Doofenshmirtz.
