Steph Cabrera Will Elevate Your Vibe

Words like intuition, self-care, self-love, and wellness can be confusing to some – intimidating even. Steph Cabrera is here to simplify it for you. As a health and wellness coach, her practice integrates movement, breathwork, and plant medicine into people’s daily routines. But most importantly, Cabrera demystifies a better way of living. We met in London to get her tips on mindful practices and tuning into the body’s wisdom. Get her outlook on creating your good vibes below.

How can people strengthen their intuition or cultivate a better connection with their bodies and themselves?

To strengthen your intuition, you must make time to sit in silence and stillness. And listen. Not all thoughts that pass through your mind define who you are. They’re just thoughts created throughout the day because of your environment and life. Listening to your intuition is also about making peace with your ego. Don’t suppress the voice that’s like you’re this or that because suppressing creates a ticking time bomb. At some point, you’re going to explode. You have the choice of which voice you’ll listen to. I think that becoming aware of your “flaws” is a beautiful thing. You understand yourself more and if anything’s problematic, becoming aware allows for solutions. That’s why I’m so passionate about teaching people to make that connection between the mind and the body. Becoming in tune with your body as a woman or a menstruator means learning about the different cycles. I love following my menstrual cycle because then, when I’m ovulating, I feel like Beyoncé. It’s like the Beyoncé hormones come through! For example, that’s the best time to be more active, whereas when you’re PMSing, you might want to opt for yin yoga and tea rather than going out and interacting with people. The more you become in tune with your body, you know what your body needs. And you can provide that for yourself.

What is your approach to self-love?

Self-love goes beyond self-care. It goes beyond doing your mask or your nails. Those are beautiful and important parts of self-love. But self-love, in a simple way, is self-acceptance. One of the tools I use is very easy but powerful for me. Every day, when I look at myself in the mirror while getting ready, the moment I feel a negative thought coming through, I snap my fingers or tap my body to intercept that thought. And I change it into “I’m fucking beautiful.” (Laughs) And you laugh at yourself, but it’s repetition. We’re creatures of habit. These might seem woo-woo, but they actually work. It doesn’t have to be elaborate affirmations like “I am the powerful goddess of blah blah blah.” In my breathwork workshops to embody self-worth, we do an activity where we look at ourselves in the mirror and say what we like about ourselves. What do you like about yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally? I also think we never know what someone else is going through. So, if you can spare a kind comment, you can change a person’s perspective of the day, including yourself.

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What practical tips can people incorporate into their lives to feel better, even if they’re unmotivated or stuck in a rut?

You need to find a small, realistic step to help you break out of that vicious loop. Like, “Tomorrow, I’m going to go to bed early. I’m not going to try to eat healthily or work out. That’s it; that’s all I’m going to do this week.” Respect your rhythm, don’t disturb your body’s digestion process, and restore tissues during those hours, which will affect your entire mood. It works to say it out loud: “I’m going to bed early tonight, and then I’m going to get up, turn the TV off, and get my favorite tea and book for bed.”

If you don’t want to meditate or work out, start with a nutritious, healthy meal like a balanced breakfast. If you like walking, walk for 45 minutes. That’s enough for your cardiovascular system for the day. We have an overload of information, and people get confused. It’s not some secret that costs thousands of dollars; it’s the simple stuff.

Your environment, what you consume, from food to books and music… With news, stay informed, but don’t sit and watch hours of something that gives you anxiety. When you go to bed late, watch TV, or scroll on your phone mindlessly, you wake up feeling like you have a hangover. Just like any happy relationship, have a balance with your devices. Consciously designate a time limit to scroll (on your phone). Not everything you see on social media is true. Stop following or mute the people who might be triggering for you. Be mindful of who you spend your time with. The closest people to you are your biggest influences. When you judge and talk behind people’s backs, it will make you feel good for a second when you gossip. But when you walk away, you’re just bringing yourself down; to be honest, your vibe is lowered to the ground. And stop worrying so much about what other people will think or say. Raising your vibe is about being true to yourself and doing the things that spark joy in your heart.