"As a child, every thought and spoken word you’re given, shapes you and your future. In my own case, couple that with a disability I didn't know I had, and it's taken me decades to work out and to change my future.

For us to come to terms with our lives, our 'house must be put in order' and this is what my blog, The CP Diary does. I write about my experiences and although it doesn't always make for comfortable reading, it's absolutely become necessary.

It should never have been my job to have to work through my experiences in the way I have. What child doesn't know he or she deals with a disability. It became my job. I needed to know what I had. I also needed to understand what my symptoms were and why I presented the way I did.

Through my writing, I am able to piece my life and experiences together. It is all of our jobs to find acceptance and for us to shape our future. We should make sure we’re living our lives exactly how we want to."

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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4 comments on “We Shape our own Future”

  1. I may not be living my life exactly like I want to, but at a sideways glance it looks pretty good. I could have easily gone in the wrong direction at almost anytime.

    So yes, I shaped my future to some degree, although something faithful and mighty had regard for me.

    1. Thanks Tim. The sad reality for us is that we don't get our lives or what we want to get from our lives.

      We also don't get the spiritual element of our lives, why we're here and what our lives mean. When we understand the spiritual element we bring ourselves into the moment and being in the moment means we are able to focus on our lives better.

      We also know what we want to get out of life and won't settle for anyone or anything that doesn't add to our peace and wellbeing. We tend to get swept along most of the time.

      Yes we shape our futures, but we must understand so much more before we get to that point. The more we understand, the better decisions we will make moving forward.

  2. I remember watching an inspirational speech made by Barack Obama years ago to school kids, when he told them that we write our own destiny and make our own future.

    It kind of makes me wonder what those kids are doing now. They will all be in their 20's possibly struggling with the social and economic problems in the US.

    Yes, we do shape our own future but often that future is shaped for us. The world has changed but we must all still have our own drive, determination and direction to shape it the best we can, for it is our future.

    1. Your response coincides with today's blog about dreams. Yes, we shape our future, but as we're seeing, outside influences far beyond our control are shaping our future for us.

      Decisions are being taken by certain governments that are impacting not only our future, but our children's future also. We're seeing that in the UK now. The pandemic also isn't helping.

      What it's showing us, and if we are to have a future moving forward, is that now more than ever, we must all work together for the greater good, for the good of mankind and the natural world.

      We're fighting for our future.

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