Truth has always sat with me, even when those truths have been hard to hear and face. The CP Diary is a collection of my personal truths and universal truths, both coming from deep within me. Through my writing, and so that I am able to keep my mental health strong, I share what I’ve come to understand about myself and the world.

My writing allows me to piece my life together. Everything you read in my personal blogs are my experiences, my thoughts and feelings to those experiences, on how I am able to live my life. And while the truth may not sit comfortably because they may serve as gentle reminders, it's my truth and I need to continue to write the truth, no matter how uncomfortable that is for me and for those who read the blog.

Personal Truths

I believe there’s something undeniably powerful about sharing personal truths with others. When we speak honestly from our own experiences, unfiltered, we invite others to do the same – they see our struggles and see us as we are. Personal truths might not always be comfortable to read or share, but they hold a raw authenticity that resonates with others also.

My Personal Stories

When I share my personal stories – whether they’re moments of vulnerability, growth, failure, or success – I’m not just putting words on a page. I’m inviting others to find reflections on their struggles, or to find success in my words. Our stories don’t have to be identical for us to understand each other; it’s the emotions behind them that resonate. The pain of loss, the weight of self-doubt, and the excitement through our accomplishments – all these feelings are universal, even if the experiences are different and are unique.

Personal Truths can Feel Uncomfortable

And while sharing personal truths can feel uncomfortable, it’s this discomfort that leads to personal growth. When I reveal a piece of myself, I’m risking judgment, but I’m also giving others permission to be honest with themselves, even if that makes them vulnerable. There’s something profoundly healing about knowing that our deepest insecurities, fears and joys aren’t isolated. By laying bare our truths, we create spaces where others feel safe enough to do the same.

Personal Truths vs Universal Truths

Single, universal truths are complex. Personal truths are deeply subjective: they’re truths that are both real and valid for us because we have experienced them. Our truths are moments, insights and lessons that shape us, but they might not resonate with everyone. For example, a personal truth might be how you experienced a life-changing lesson in resilience after a particular hardship, while someone else might have a completely different take on your experience, particularly if it's a shared experience. They may not be able see your experiences through their own lens and that’s okay, it’s not their lens or experience.

Universal truths are truths that hold value and relevance across different lives, cultures and backgrounds, even if people express or interpret them in varied ways. Universal truths tend to be broader – ideas that tap into the human experience itself.

My Writing

The beauty of my writing lies in the connection between my personal truths and universal truths. My personal truths give my writing heart felt realism; they’re what make my stories relatable and real. Universal truths, however, give these stories weight and resonance, allowing them to reach beyond individual experience and connect with something broader. By combining both, I hope to create narratives that feel unique and relatable, speaking to not only my experiences, but the reader’s also, while tapping into the common threads that continue to bind us.

Facing My Discomfort Through Writing

There’s no denying that writing about personal truths can be uncomfortable, painful. Putting words to our most profound vulnerabilities often feels like we're re-living them. But there is no doubt an undeniable power. When I confront uncomfortable truths, I’m forced to examine them up close. There is no escaping them – on occasions the process feels transformative. When I write about uncomfortable truths, I’m actively engaging with them, working through the emotions they stir up rather than letting them fester in my subconscious. It’s not easy, and sometimes it feels like I’m exposing wounds that haven’t fully healed. But each time I do, I feel a little lighter and a little more at peace.

Writing about 'my struggles'

And the benefits aren’t only for me. I hope my readers will find something cathartic in reading about my journey through such difficult times. When I write about my struggles, I’m not offering solutions or pretending to have all the answers. Instead, I’m showing that it’s okay if you struggle, just don't stay there, that discomfort is a part of growth, and that facing our truths, however painful, is a necessary step on the path to healing.

The more I write about my uncomfortable truths, the more I know I’m not alone – and neither are my readers. Facing the discomfort together, even through the pages of a blog post, fosters a sense of solidarity, connection. It reminds us that at our core, we’re all wrestling with similar challenges, trying to make sense of our own stories, of the world. In each of my shared experiences lies empowerment – empowerment that comes from embracing the truth and choosing to move forward despite the discomfort.

Conclusion

In a world that continues to ignore truths, there is something revolutionary about sharing the messy, raw, and real parts of ourselves, whether that's through personal truths that reveal our unique experiences, or universal truths that tap into our shared humanity – honesty fosters connection. And while writing about my truths is challenging, on another level I do find getting my thoughts out onto a page incredibly freeing.

Ilana Estelle is a mental health and wellbeing advocate who combines educational insight with her personal experience of living with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. She holds diplomas in Counselling, Diet and Nutrition, Nutritional Therapy, Psychotherapy and Counselling, and Stress Management. Through her writing, Ilana supports others in navigating their emotional, mental, and physical health challenges. In addition to writing for The CP Diary, her work has appeared in healthy lifestyle magazines. Ilana is also the author of three books: Cerebral Palsy: A Story – Finding the Calm After the Storm, Spirituality, Healing and Me, and Survival: The Covid Years – Time for Change.

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