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: “Think wrongly, if you please, but in all cases think for yourself.” DORIS LESSING Thinking for yourself means more than having your own opinions. It means owning your words, your choices, and ...
Something inspirational: "We are not what happened to us. We are what we choose to become.” JAMES HOLLIS "I am drawn to James Hollis's words: 'We are not what happened to us. We are what we choose ...
Something inspirational: "Healing begins when we can hold our own experience with compassion." TARA BRACH Brach's quote reminds us that healing begins when we meet our pain with kindness instead of judgement ...
It has taken me a very long time to learn the difference between 'humility' and 'humiliation.'
I grew up in a world where humiliation was one of the daily constants, so I never really had a chance to learn the difference.
My recovery program teaches me a lot of being humble, as in not being too full of myself; but also trying to make sure that I don't allow myself to be too small, as in not taking care of my own needs, which I have had a hard time dealing with.
I'm having to fight for what it is that I need for myself now, seeing as I have always allowed others to dictate what they thought I needed, which just isn't right.
It was what was forced upon me as a child, but I'm definitely not a child anymore and I need to remember that it's okay to live my own life now.
Thank you. Where you say, 'I need to remember that it’s okay to live my own life now.' It absolutely is Randy. Your life is yours to live, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
But it's still important we remember to live humble lives. Being humble allows us to identify with ourselves first and foremost, with our own needs and then identify with other people and their needs.
Being humble makes us more receptive to other people's struggles. You've always had that in the bucket loads Randy.
Life has a funny way of repeating messages to us. Being humble is a good one to learn and needs to be learned on a daily basis. Its a good quality to have and a memorable one.
It has taken me a very long time to learn the difference between 'humility' and 'humiliation.'
I grew up in a world where humiliation was one of the daily constants, so I never really had a chance to learn the difference.
My recovery program teaches me a lot of being humble, as in not being too full of myself; but also trying to make sure that I don't allow myself to be too small, as in not taking care of my own needs, which I have had a hard time dealing with.
I'm having to fight for what it is that I need for myself now, seeing as I have always allowed others to dictate what they thought I needed, which just isn't right.
It was what was forced upon me as a child, but I'm definitely not a child anymore and I need to remember that it's okay to live my own life now.
Thank you. Where you say, 'I need to remember that it’s okay to live my own life now.' It absolutely is Randy. Your life is yours to live, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
But it's still important we remember to live humble lives. Being humble allows us to identify with ourselves first and foremost, with our own needs and then identify with other people and their needs.
Being humble makes us more receptive to other people's struggles. You've always had that in the bucket loads Randy.
Life has a funny way of repeating messages to us. Being humble is a good one to learn and needs to be learned on a daily basis. Its a good quality to have and a memorable one.
Thanks Maria. It absolutely does Maria and when we least expect it. If we all had humility we'd be living in a different world.
I believe that once we have learned how to have humility, it's not something you forget. You're absolutely right about humility being memorable.
We will always remember those who have humility long after they're gone and for all the right reasons.
Humility makes my life a little calmer, one deep humble breath at a time. It also frames my world in a mindful, more compassionate way.
So if someone lacks humility, I want to be as far away from that person as possible.
Thanks Tim. Yes, I feel the same way completely. Sadly, when it comes to family it's not always feasible, but it is possible.
When it comes to family moving away always has its repercussions. Not everyone will understand our reasoning, but perhaps they need to know why.
To save face and arguments, we tend to leave that one out.
To save face and argument stand back and let obnoxious family members do their thing. There's no reason to live a life peppered with tension.
Trust me, I'm dealing with that right now.
Thanks Tim. I feel for you. I've been there so many times before. It's just sad when families choose to behave in this way.
So many families seem separate. It's just not necessary. We should all be working together for the greater good.
Life is indeed a lesson in humility, but so many people are too self absorbed to attend the class.
Well said. Yes, indeed. How sad that sounds. There's a lesson in there for us all.