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 ...
Yes, I can definitely attest to this. There were lots of dreams that I didn't fight for that have haunted me.
The one that haunts me the most, has been what I wanted to do for my daughter; but instead I allowed my feelings about her mother to cloud my judgement.
There were also others that I try not to think about. There are days when I dwell on those things, which serves to make me feel even worse about myself.
I know for me it's simply the matter that I could have done more in my life, but allowed my fears, doubts and insecurities to get in the way.
Realistically I know there are things that I can't do, but I can at least make an attempt to do what I can.
Thanks Randy. Yes, I think the majority of us will attest to this quote too and as you say there are things realistically you can't do, but you know the things you can do now, to change what's past.
We're not born knowing, but we are given one crack at life. In my own case, where it started to become clear that around my disability, I had been written off, I was unconsciously choosing to carve out a different path for myself.
It has taken me many years to get to this point. We can all change our lives in one way or another, no matter the starting point.
The slate will never be wiped clean for others who abuse, but where things are fated and we can't change those, we can dream and change certain aspects of our life, and come through stronger.
Yes, you can make an attempt to do what you can now. Don't let your past stand in your way.
Thanks Tim. If like me you believe things happen for a reason, you will know your experiences and your life well enough to know things don't happen by chance.
Our lives are mapped out for even before conception day. The problem is we don't always understand or connect with our lives until something happens then we may start to question.
I think that as we continue to live, there are times when we outwardly may think about our lives, particularly when we're struggling, and wish those times were different.
It is in those times that we have control to change our thinking and destiny. Dreams take us away from ourselves and in cases of abuse can make our lives more palatable. It's a form of escapism.
Thanks. Yes, not everyone will get to live out their dream. Circumstances often dictate an outcome that we don't always have control over.
A different dream is still a dream, even if the original dream isn't fulfilled and sometimes they work out better. As you say there are lessons in our experiences, it is important we look for the lessons and understand.
I didn't dare dream as a child, but as 'my story' shows, things can change and we can get to live a dream.
Yes, I can definitely attest to this. There were lots of dreams that I didn't fight for that have haunted me.
The one that haunts me the most, has been what I wanted to do for my daughter; but instead I allowed my feelings about her mother to cloud my judgement.
There were also others that I try not to think about. There are days when I dwell on those things, which serves to make me feel even worse about myself.
I know for me it's simply the matter that I could have done more in my life, but allowed my fears, doubts and insecurities to get in the way.
Realistically I know there are things that I can't do, but I can at least make an attempt to do what I can.
Thanks Randy. Yes, I think the majority of us will attest to this quote too and as you say there are things realistically you can't do, but you know the things you can do now, to change what's past.
We're not born knowing, but we are given one crack at life. In my own case, where it started to become clear that around my disability, I had been written off, I was unconsciously choosing to carve out a different path for myself.
It has taken me many years to get to this point. We can all change our lives in one way or another, no matter the starting point.
The slate will never be wiped clean for others who abuse, but where things are fated and we can't change those, we can dream and change certain aspects of our life, and come through stronger.
Yes, you can make an attempt to do what you can now. Don't let your past stand in your way.
I'm super glad that some of my dreams didn't come true, as my mind knows itself but it doesn't always know me.
But I couldn't live this life without my dreams, I sincerely doubt if anyone could.
Thanks Tim. If like me you believe things happen for a reason, you will know your experiences and your life well enough to know things don't happen by chance.
Our lives are mapped out for even before conception day. The problem is we don't always understand or connect with our lives until something happens then we may start to question.
I think that as we continue to live, there are times when we outwardly may think about our lives, particularly when we're struggling, and wish those times were different.
It is in those times that we have control to change our thinking and destiny. Dreams take us away from ourselves and in cases of abuse can make our lives more palatable. It's a form of escapism.
How true is this? There is much to be gained by a lesson learned and looking to the future and achieving a different dream.
Thanks. Yes, not everyone will get to live out their dream. Circumstances often dictate an outcome that we don't always have control over.
A different dream is still a dream, even if the original dream isn't fulfilled and sometimes they work out better. As you say there are lessons in our experiences, it is important we look for the lessons and understand.
I didn't dare dream as a child, but as 'my story' shows, things can change and we can get to live a dream.