I believe we need to be cognisant of our past. We can't ignore that it happened, but must come to understand and find a way to accept that it did and be okay with it so that we can move on.

Ignoring past experiences will only escalate into more bad experiences. Unfortunately, when we fail to take stock and come to terms with experiences of our past, our past will always seep into our present and interrupt our future.

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 “Being cognisant of our past”

  1. That is a great food for thought. The past is hugely important, and what we make of it, defines who we are now and how we will be in the future.

  2. Every so often, I find myself actually looking for the past or at least a silhouette of it anyway. I want to reach out to it, taste it, understand it and possibly mend some fences while I'm there.

    I'm very aware of my past, it may be the only thing that keeps me civil.

    1. Thanks Tim. I have come to believe that we either look for or live in our past when there's something about our past that stops us from living in the present. I know that because that was my life for many years until I dealt with various issues that belonged to my past.

      We tend to want to seek understanding but need understanding, because without an understanding of our past we will find it difficult to live successfully in our present.

      Where you say, 'I am aware of my past, it may be the only think that keeps me civil.' I know that when we're embroiled in certain aspects of our past, which we're struggling to come to terms with, it can make us anything but civil. That is to be commended.

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