3 Signs of Subconscious Sabotage

How to overcome those January Blues and unlock your full potential in 2024

The beginning of a new year often brings with it a surge of energy, optimism, and a plethora of goals and resolutions. However, studies reveal that the third week of January is a critical juncture when many people find themselves struggling — studies show that significantly 43% of individuals abandon their New Year’s resolutions by the end of this month.

Why? There are many hypothesised reasons for the January blues, as it’s commonly known — the aftermath of holiday excitement, shorter days, and the challenges posed by seasonal affective disorder and adverse weather conditions to name a few. It’s no surprise that at the end of the year, only 9% of people manage to achieve the things they put on their New Year’s resolutions.

The statistics highlight the uphill battle many face in maintaining their commitment to personal goals — but this doesn’t mean that you should simply turn in the towel. In the northern hemisphere at least we can’t do anything about the lack of daylight and harsh weather conditions but we can work on our mindset and our internal motivations.

What are subconscious beliefs and how can we work with them to reach our goals?

Our motivation is affected by our subconscious beliefs about ourselves and the world around us. What is the subconscious? The subconscious mind encompasses thoughts, beliefs, and emotions that operate below the surface of our conscious awareness. It serves as the reservoir of our experiences, memories, and automatic responses, influencing our behaviour in ways we may not actively realise.

Beneath the surface, subconscious beliefs play a pivotal role in influencing our behaviour. While we consciously set ambitious goals for the year, subconscious beliefs and blockers often lead to self-sabotage, hindering our pursuit of better health, stronger connections, and overall well-being.

What are the signs that we might have subconscious beliefs that are blocking our success?

1. Procrastination

Procrastination is something many people struggle with, including about 90% of my clients, even those who are high achievers. It’s not about being lazy; it’s often tied to our inner thoughts and feelings. For some, there’s a strong dislike for certain tasks, while others fear they won’t succeed and would rather not start than face the sting of having to fail.

Surprisingly for many people procrastination comes from a fear of success, where they are worried that by being successful their life will change in ways that they won’t be able to control — changes it might bring to their relationships or their lifestyle that they fear that they won’t be able to cope with because they have adapted their lives to lack rather than abundance.

2. Perpetual busyness

Another common challenge I observe with my clients is the perpetual busyness that engulfs their lives. Many find themselves unable to prioritise fitness, start a meditation practice, engage in personal study, or pursue a side hustle due to jam-packed schedules. While I acknowledge the validity of being busy, especially for those juggling responsibilities like caring for young children or ageing parents, the belief that there’s no time for oneself isn’t entirely accurate.

The incessant busyness often stems from internalised beliefs that tie our worthiness to constant activity and achievement. The constant pursuit of the next task or social engagement becomes a habitual response, driven by the mind’s inclination towards pleasure and the temporary boost of self-esteem that we get from completing anything — without considering whether these actions are taking us towards our true goals or not.

3. Repeated patterns

It’s not uncommon for someone to leave a job where they felt disrespected or end a relationship that wasn’t meeting their needs, only to find themselves facing similar challenges in a new context a few months later. Repeated patterns are some of the most perplexing and challenging experiences for many of my clients and the biggest sign that there is something more going on beneath the surface. For instance, if you had an overbearing parent, consciously, you might never want to work with someone who belittles you. However, it’s not surprising that you might subconsciously choose to work with managers who micromanage, especially if you were constantly trying to please that parent and felt like you failed. These patterns are created through our subconscious actions and behaviors, as we inadvertently project our pain and insecurity onto others, creating a familiar yet challenging cycle in our lives.

To get something different it is important to get to root…

The common thread weaving through all these experiences is the story we’ve created about ourselves and our lives. It starts with our early experiences, shaping a narrative that continues to influence our lives today. This narrative might revolve around feeling incompetent, believing we must stay busy or keep others happy to feel worthy, whole, and safe in the world. These stories operate beneath our conscious awareness, leading us to behave in certain ways and sabotage our goals and dreams.

Real lasting change can only take place when we become aware of our narratives and decide that it is time to change them. Rapid Transformation Therapy (RTT) becomes a potent ally in the journey to untangle and reshape our formative narratives. In this therapeutic approach, individuals can reexperience those initial formative memories, the incidents that became the cornerstone of our identity in our youth.

By accessing and processing the emotions stored in the subconscious during these crucial moments, RTT provides a unique opportunity to delve into the heart of deep-seated issues. It allows individuals to revisit these memories with a fresh perspective, fostering a profound understanding and helping to reframe the way these incidents shaped their sense of self.

In the face of the January blues, it’s vital to confront subconscious beliefs and blockers. As you strive for success in 2024, consider leveraging the power of approaches like Rapid Transformation Therapy to unravel the complexities of your mind and pave the way for genuine personal growth, resilience, and lasting change. Let this be a year of transformation and triumph over the mental and physical processes working against you.