Even as a child I was alone with my thoughts, having to work things out. I didn’t know about cerebral palsy or autism back then. I have always been alone with my thoughts, but I could never have known then what I now know with 10 years of blogging behind me. The CP Diary has become my lifeline.

My Blogs

Through my blogs, I write about life, as I continue to look for explanations through a lifetime of my own struggles. In difficult times when we have things that we need to think about and with a torrent of emotions, reflection and solitude is exactly what is needed.

My 'Go to Place'

As a child, solitude became my 'go to place' without realising or understanding why. It became a support like no other. As the adult, using my intuition as my guide in the midst of unfamiliar circumstances, reflection and solitude help me find my path. Through silence and solitude, I have got to know myself and both have encouraged spiritual deepening within me.

I Embrace 'Silence and Solitude'

Where some might feel uneasy around silence and solitude, I have chosen to embrace both. Without embracing silence or solitude, we cannot evolve, or step forward on to new paths. We should get to know ourselves and find new ways to emerge into the world.

Being alone with our thoughts allows for contemplation, and contemplation helps us grow. We need to step into our emotions once in a while, it is our emotions which help us find answers and which help us shape our world positively.

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.

Most people who read this blog

went on to read these blogs next
Date 31 October 2026
Author Ilana Estelle

Being Understood: Growing Up with a Disability

Childhood Experiences and Their Lasting Impact A child's experience of growing up is shaped by more than the care they receive. It is also shaped by how well the people around them understand their needs, recognise their ...
Read more
Date 29 October 2026
Author Ilana Estelle

Autism and the Hidden Challenges of Living Independently

When the familiar world changes, leaving you to navigate life and the overwhelm of autism on your own Thank goodness for this blog – a place to make sense of my experiences. It's been a challenging life. Growing up ...
Read more
Date 26 October 2026
Author Ilana Estelle

Healing Earth Side: Putting Mental Health First

Learning to Live Well With What I Cannot Change. I have come to understand that healing is not always about fixing what is wrong. As my experience shows, some things are beyond our control, and therefore healing ...
Read more
1 2 3 … 691

4 comments on “Silence and Solitude”

  1. Stopping to seriously consider our thoughts for a while puts a useful brake on the crazy roller coaster that the early 21st century has proved to be.

    I enjoy silence and solitude and I am very happy being alone with my own thoughts and this is something I need to make more time for.

    Perhaps as a step to practicing relaxation or mindfulness techniques to help cope with the everyday ugliness we are exposed to.

    1. Yes, I couldn't agree more. I have always understood and embraced silence and solitude, having always been stuck in my own head. I love the peace they both bring.

      It's good you enjoy your own solitude. If more of us practiced both, I know we would come in with a different approach on our lives and with each other.

      There is a lot going on in the world, it would be a good idea for us to put the brakes on and think about things.

  2. I never could think deeply on the fly. I need silence and solitude to drown out the noise, until every thought is pure and undisturbed.

    In fact, that's why I'm addicted to this site, it gives me food for thought, regularly.

  3. Thanks Tim. Yes, I can resonate and it's not surprising. Solitude and silence is also the reason I continue to write.

    Through my words, I give myself 'food for thought' on situations and circumstances that weren't or aren't mine, but that continues to affect me.

    It pleases me that you think of the site in this way. Your first paragraph is never truer. Silence and solitude is more of what we all need.

    I believe we would all be different people if we used it to navigate our lives more. The world would look and feel different too.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe to receive regular updates

Enter your details below to be the first to receive updates on new articles on my blog.