Speaker 1: Hey, welcome back. February, as they say, is the month of love, but often people focus on the love they receive from other people, like many of us on Valentine’s Day. But it’s essential to create it here to discuss the importance of self-love and healthy relationships. Is Dr. Erica Steele from Holistic Family Practice in Virginia Beach? Dr. Steele, this is something that I’m really passionate about. I’m excited to talk to you today, and thank you for joining the show.
Speaker 2: Of course. Thank you, guys, for having me so much. I always love coming on Coast Live,
Speaker 1: This is something that many people can relate to. I know I’ve definitely had one. Valentine’s days and years passed when I felt left outta the party. If I had more self-love, that wouldn’t be an issue. How can people like me and our viewers at home learn to love themselves more?
Speaker 2: Yeah, at first, it begins with self-concept. And self-concept is how you perceive yourself, right? So I’m lacking if I always look outside myself for love. Without a healthy self-concept, I won’t be able to receive the love I so desperately want. So that’s the reality; the first key is knowing a healthy self-concept. And that takes work, right? How you perceive yourself, affirming to yourself every single day, every single moment, all of the beautiful things you’re really, your self-talk is critical.
Speaker 1: How do you achieve that level? Self-awareness is where you can exist inside your own head and not be caught up in all the negative thoughts. Like me, I get caught up thinking about mistakes I’ve made in my past. Sometimes it’s like things I said throughout the day that I feel wrong about. I I, it becomes like a tornado of negativity. How do I get outta that?
Speaker 2: Yeah, so there are two sides to your brain. There’s your subconscious mind, which houses your experiences, perceptions of those experiences, beliefs, et cetera, from the past. And then your conscious mind, which is your logic, voice, reason, and decision-making, and they both have to agree, interestingly enough.
And so, really, it’s about releasing the past. In letting go, correct? If they can, if those two sides of your brain can agree like I did the best that I can, I’m working really, diligently on fixing this, I forgive myself. All of those affirmations of self-love are so important. If you continue to beat yourself up mentally over and over again, you’re really never going. So love yourself or move forward in your self-healing.
Speaker 1: We had a great graphic of five steps to self-love. Specifically, there was one listed, the mental diet. What does that mean?
Speaker 2: Yeah, that’s all that chatter, right? That’s the that’s all the things you like. I’ll give you an example. So I was at the gas station yesterday, and of course, gas prices are attractive right now.
And I go, immediately I said something negative about. Phrases, and immediately I caught myself. I said, No, we’re an abundant universe, right? Money flows all the time, right? And so keeping a mantle diet means that you’re present to what you’re telling yourself and what you’re affirming to yourself daily.
Every single moment, it does take work. So it’s not an instant tool that you can pick up. But you can develop deeper self-care through practice, time, and patience.
Speaker 1: Number three on that list, Affirming self-love. I have such a hard time with affirmations. I can never believe the things that I’m trying to tell myself. What advice would you have for somebody like me in my situation?
Speaker 2: So a state of kid, sleep is proper when you’re about to sleep, right? Saying that affirmation that you want because it goes into the subconscious mind. Also, playing it at low volume while you’re sleeping and then first thing when you wake up also creates that affirmation. So there are ways to reprogram and affirm that subconscious mind where you know it; it leads into your day, right? So you’re proving it right as you’re going to sleep, while you’re sleeping, precisely as you wake up. And then that way, it just naturally bleeds into the conscious mind and conscious awareness while you’re. Working
Speaker 1: Dr. Steele, Viewers wanna learn more about this. And by the way, thank you so much. I didn’t mean to turn this into a personal therapy session, but it’s okay. This is extremely helpful, and I hope it’s valuable for the folks watching at home. So where can I send everybody if they want to learn more and if they’re going to talk to you?
Speaker 2: Yes, we have a free webinar coming up where we go into this topic, much deeper self-care, self-love; it’s a free webinar. Also, to create self-love and self-care and to develop healthy relationships with others.
Speaker 1: Dr. Steele, thank you so much. There it is. All the information. 1213 Alaskan Road, Suite 1 0 8, Virginia Beach, Holistic family practice va.com. This has been such a valuable lesson for me. Thank you so much for coming to the show today.
Speaker 2: Awesome. Thank you.
What do you think?