Becoming – and remaining – well involves an element you might not have consciously noticed. But if you start reading stories of those who got well after a serious illness, you’ll find it. Every time.

The needed ingredient is a dose of re-empowering yourself. In effect, making the effort to get knowledgable about what you need and strong enough to believe that’s important, no matter what the opinion of others. Your own knowing is most true for you.

Here are a few suggestions to start building your wellness power:

• What do you want regarding your health? What area matters most for you? Don’t go down one path because someone else suggests it. Take back your power – your knowing – and pursue what feels most important to you.
• What works for you? What doesn’t? As you try various avenues, keep notes so you have a base to work from. It doesn’t matter a bit if I’ve had great success with it – or your best friend Sally. It only matters if it helps you.
• In both of the above, what counts is listening to your intuition. What is that nudge you get to do something or check something out? What catches your eye? What did you think of doing but too quickly set aside as nonsense?
• Do you have to visit the doctor? Do a little homework first. Know something about what you are going to discuss. Have an idea of what choices you may want to make and what you don’t.
• When you visit a health care professional or take part in anything health related, remember who is in charge. You. Yes, you. You are an adult; you get to make whatever decision you want. Take back your power as a consumer instead of releasing it and serving as victim. Remember, this is one hugely important “purchase.” You don’t go into a store and allow the clerks to load up your basket and force you to check out, do you? Don’t do it anywhere else, either. If it’s not an emergency, slow down, get some extra info and really see what makes sense to you.