On Exeter's high streets, spontaneous street portraits often reveal deeply transformative personal journeys. In this feature, we connect with Isabella to talk about literature, sudden life shifts, and what brings her genuine joy and resilience.
For Isabella, starting fresh book series provides a powerful space for perspective and reflection:
"Starting a new book series... I read the series called 'Boys of Tommen'... and a self-help book called 'Everything I Know About Love' by Dolly Alderton. I think everyone in their 20s who is navigating their 20s... it just completely changed my life, like how you look at friendship, love especially. The dating pool at the moment is ridiculous, but that helped me look at it in a different way."
Opening up about a life-altering challenge, Isabella shares her journey after suddenly losing her hearing at age 16:
"I lost my hearing when I was 16... just being normal and then waking up with a disability overnight, which changed my life completely. It definitely affected the way that I told people, so everyone would treat me differently... some people are not that nice towards deaf people, like lose their patience."
Reflecting on how she reclaimed her confidence and healed over time, Isabella emphasises the impact of therapy:
"I've been in therapy for like a year, that saved my life completely. I really recommend if anyone wants to heal or grow in any way possible... becoming more confident in my own skin. When I lost that confidence at 16, my whole life changed completely, but I'm quite confident in myself now."
Closing our conversation, Isabella shares a grounding message on self-acceptance:
"Don't compare yourself to anyone... you're literally born to be you, you're not born to be anyone else. Just be yourself, at the end of the day that's all that matters."
