Although I am continually being put to the test, the last few weeks have been even more testing. A couple of days ago was the worst day, resulting in me getting ill.

Yesterday felt better, I was working on resting for the day, with two phone call consultations made in the afternoon that both went well. For those of us who learn our lessons, perhaps it’s not always us being put to the test, but for those we're in contact with, who aren't learning theirs.

It's fair to say that the last few weeks have been testing times, but I’m determined that these testing times will pass.

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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8 comments on “Testing times”

  1. You're absolutely right. Testing times will pass, we make it through and they become a memory. I'm going through a few right now myself, but I'm determined not to let them get the best of me.

    1. Thanks Lisa. I hope you turn the corner on what you're going through. Like you I am also determined to not let things get the better of me.

  2. Yes they can be so very hard, especially when you feel you've been tested your whole life!

    It's the reason why I don't get worked up over a lot of things, but internally things are churning so badly I do get physically ill too. People don't very often get it and wonder why I'm not showing much of a reaction at times, but obviously things don't phase you.

    I've always had to stop and think about my response so I don't usually react right away like most people. My life has seemed to have been a procession of testing times every day for most of my life, so having a normal day is actually something I don't know what to do with!

  3. I'm in a determinist mood today so I guess you could look on the hard times as life's lessons, without which we would not otherwise grow.

    Testing times are really hard and they do lead to us asking 'why' but isn't that what's life is all about?

    1. I believe so. Testing times become life's lessons, without which we would not otherwise grow. Life will always give us times where we're emotionally being tested.

      It's how we deal with and get through those testing times, which will make a difference.

  4. You're smiling; smiling in the face of challenging times and drawing strength from your distress. You know what you're made of, it's in the smile.

    What a powerful illustration of your determination to weather the storms of your life.

    1. Thanks Tim. I try. I try to look at the bigger picture of the issue I'm dealing with to see if I can find an answer. If it's something I don't need to worry about or can't influence, then I let it go.

      If it's something I need to deal with, I then find the best way to do it. The problem is when it all happens at once and there's no respite. That's when things get sticky. Sometimes the best thing we can do is smile, because if we didn't we'd probably panic or probably cry.

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