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.
Something inspirational: “What I need is the dandelion in the spring. The bright yellow that means rebirth instead of destruction. The promise that life can go on, no matter how bad our losses. That it can be good again ...
Food for thought: “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” CARL ROGERS Acceptance doesn't mean we stop growing. It means understanding ourselves without judgement ...
Something inspirational: “No need to hurry. No need to sparkle. No need to be anybody but oneself.” VIRGINIA WOOLF Life isn't a race. There is no pressure to perform, compare or prove yourself. Just be 'you'. That's it.
I think CP has been my cage of sorts. It's a daily struggle to push myself, so I don't remain trapped in it. But because of CP I have a different perspective of life.
It has allowed me not to worry about frivolous things and focus on what's truly important. For example, on the people I care about and to be kind, empathic toward other people. It also taught me to be creative in doing things, when I am not able to do them in the same way like everyone else.
Overall, it has taught me to be appreciative of the simple things in life.
Thanks Maria. I agree and think you're right, having something like Cerebral Palsy helps us to see life through a different coloured lens, so that we focus on what's important.
But I am also aware that having something like Cerebral Palsy can make others bitter that they have something like that to deal with. Like you, I've always had this perspective on life.
Your response and confirmation of how you are re-affirms what I have always thought about me too and now I know.
I think CP has been my cage of sorts. It's a daily struggle to push myself, so I don't remain trapped in it. But because of CP I have a different perspective of life.
It has allowed me not to worry about frivolous things and focus on what's truly important. For example, on the people I care about and to be kind, empathic toward other people. It also taught me to be creative in doing things, when I am not able to do them in the same way like everyone else.
Overall, it has taught me to be appreciative of the simple things in life.
Thanks Maria. I agree and think you're right, having something like Cerebral Palsy helps us to see life through a different coloured lens, so that we focus on what's important.
But I am also aware that having something like Cerebral Palsy can make others bitter that they have something like that to deal with. Like you, I've always had this perspective on life.
Your response and confirmation of how you are re-affirms what I have always thought about me too and now I know.