I came across an article Prince Harry wrote for one of the newspapers which resonated greatly. From an early age, I was cast into a role I didn't ask for, before I even had a chance to find myself. I was the angry twin, the difficult one; the one with the hidden disability that changed my ability to have a normal connection, a normal life, in normal relationships. And as a twin, I was never just me – I was always part of a pair, compared, contrasted, and labelled – an angry child with a physical, mental and emotional disability I knew nothing about.

My Anger was 'my shadow'

The anger they saw became my shadow, following me everywhere. Every frustration, Every emotional outburst, every struggle was proof to others that I was exactly who they thought I was. No matter how hard I tried, it was impossible to escape the labels. It was as if my story had been written for me, and I was stuck playing a part I never asked, or wanted.

The Labels Still Follows Me

Even to this day, and even though I have changed, through my writing, my website, my books, I am still the other half of a twin – and the labels still follow me. I am still seen through the lens of who they decided I was all those years ago. But I have learned to see myself differently, and that’s what matters. Like Prince Harry, I have found my place in the world, a place where I don’t need to fight the narrative others created for me. I can live with who I am—with me.

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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