Yesterday, I shared a review of a self-help book that seeks to explain the values and healing benefits of living a spiritual life. Spirituality, Healing and Me by Ilana Estelle. Today, I have an earlier book from Ilana to share! This one is more of a memoir blended with a self help book that tells the story of her Cerebral Palsy diagnosis and life. Check out my thoughts on Cerebral Palsy--A Story Finding the Calm After the Storm, learn about the author and her latest book--and be sure to enter for a chance to win a prize in the book tour giveaway at the end of this post.
Author: Ilana Estelle
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 288 pages
Genre: memoir
Publisher: RedDoor Press
Release date: Feb 1, 2020
Format available for review: ebook (mobi for kindle)
Tour dates: Sept 20 to Oct 8
Content Rating: G.
Born the second of premature twins, from a young age Ilana knew she was different, but for all the wrong reasons. A child of the 60s, Ilana experienced first-hand the way that disability was so often brushed under the carpet and not spoken about. Her constant physical and mental struggles made her feel isolated, alone, frustrated, and misunderstood… it took 46 years for her to find out why.
Part memoir, part motivational guide, Cerebral Palsy: A Story is Ilana’s open and honest journey from an angry, confused child, knowing something was wrong, but not knowing what, to the ‘real’ her – a courageous woman using her experiences and lessons to create inspiring messages about mental and physical health, positivity, resilience and change.
Author Shares Her Challenging Story. The author writes much of this book as a memoir to share her experiences with an adult diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy. Having said that, she turns more of the book into an inspirational guide that has moved her journey toward healing and emotional recovery from the long-term impacts of the masking and hiding of her disabilities during her early years. Readers will find a touching story as the author shares reflections on her anger, confusion, depression, feelings of failure, and loss, along with her efforts to find the positives and motivations from various sources to direct her future better.
Ilana's Story is Not Just for Cerebral Palsy Patients and Families. Readers will find much advice, guidance, and inspiration in following the author from a very challenged child to an adult finding her path to success. Of course, the author's story could have been different had she had early support in treating her disabilities rather than ignoring and hiding them. Learning to adapt and summoning inspiration and inner strength led the author to and through her childhood and adulthood. She reached a point that allowed her to share her journey with others. Whether facing Cerebral Palsy, Autism, or other health or life conditions, many of us will be inspired and encouraged by Ilana's story.
Would I Recommend Cerebral Palsy A Story Finding the Calm After the Storm by Ilana Estelle? I enjoy memoirs--especially those chronicling the life of one facing and overcoming challenges and setbacks. I didn't find this book as personal as some memoirs in that the author spoke of pieces of her past and present, but she didn't tell the whole story. Instead, she seemed to focus more on moving forward and finding her "calm" path to the future. Readers may not find many new motivational or inspirational ideas offered--but will learn ways she was able to apply such ideas to her own life and story. I would recommend reading this book to learn Ilana's story and follow it with Spirituality, Healing and Me for more insights and self-help inspiration.
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Author: Ilana Estelle
Category: Adult Non-Fiction, 288 pages
Genre: Self-Help
Publisher: RedDoor Press
Release date: Sept 16, 2021
Content Rating: G.
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Everyday life has never been more challenging and it’s easy to lose sight of who we are and who we want to be. In Spirituality, Healing and Me, Ilana Estelle draws on her experiences of emotional, mental and physical disability to show how tuning into our spiritual side can improve well-being, heal our minds and set us firmly back on track.
Ilana shows how focusing on values such as understanding, empathy, compassion, tolerance, kindness, creativity and acceptance can help us find our inner calm.
Packed with inspiring messages and real-life vignettes, Ilana’s book shows how spirituality can help us navigate even the roughest waters.
•Improve emotional balance and wellness
•Boost confidence and self-esteem
•Stay self-aware, grounded and patient
•Appreciate life and each other
•Accept changing circumstances
•Enhance positive emotions and personal healing
Ilana was born with a disability she didn’t know she had until the age of 46, when through her medical notes she discovered she had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of 2.
That discovery turned out to be a unique and life-changing experience that has forced Ilana to stand back and look at her life experiences differently. On her late diagnosis, Ilana set up her website The CP Diary and uses her experiences to explore her emotional and physical health, with an inspiring message advocating resilience and change.
Ilana likes to spend her days writing and blogging about anything that contributes to her health and well being. She is an animal advocate and is passionate about environmental issues. When she is not writing to tending to her blog, Ilana enjoys days out exploring the Yorkshire countryside. Ilana lives with her husband and their much-loved cat, in Yorkshire. Her grown up son and daughter both live in London.
Connect with the author: website ~ twitter ~ facebook ~ pinterest ~ goodreads
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