Gentle Steps Forward: Finding Hope in the Journey of Healing from Lyme Disease
By Jenny Lelwica Buttaccio
With 2025 underway, many of us are reassessing our lives, taking stock of what worked last year and what we hope to improve upon this year, and constructing a well-intentioned plan to move forward in a fresh, new direction.
However, with Lyme disease and various coinfections in the mix, often our best-laid plans come to an abrupt halt. Many of us simply don’t have the strength and stamina to exert ourselves so intensely, which tends to leave us feeling frustrated, disheartened, or left behind.
If this describes you, plan to go easy on yourself this year. Make 2025 exceptional by honoring your body exactly where it’s at and showing up for yourself with gentle consistency. Somedays, you may have 80% to give, and other days, only 10%. But by committing to small, manageable actions each day, you’ll build a solid foundation for progress.
Here are some ways you can show up for yourself this year with gentle consistency and still move closer to your health goals.
Discover What Restores Your
I learned a valuable lesson about a year into my Lyme treatment when I realized nothing felt therapeutic to my body. My muscles held an abundance of tension, and my mind was fearful regularly. From herbs and supplements to medications, it didn’t matter what I put into my body—treatments felt harsh, and my body reacted accordingly.
Realizing I needed to balance grueling treatments with something more mild, I began to research other tools I could incorporate that would be restorative to my body. A quick Yelp search led me to an acupuncturist named Tina, who had treated other people with Lyme. After speaking with me, she kindly agreed to see me the same day.
I was so weak at that particular point in my illness that my husband carried me up the steps to her office and laid me down on the table. Tina and I agreed a gentle treatment plan utilizing massage and acupuncture to relax my nervous system would be our best course of action.
Upon completion of our first session, I already felt different, lighter. It was as if years of tension had melted away. This experience underscored the importance of ensuring that some aspect of my treatment helped to restore me physically and mentally. It was a piece of the puzzle that had been missing, and one that I incorporated to repeatedly over the years.
Discover What Makes You Happy
Most of us believe our happiness is dependent upon our circumstances—we’ll feel happy if we are well, if we have enough money, if we are around nicer people. If, if, if.
I hear these “if” statements often, and I’ve noticed that when we place our joy in future pursuits that may or may not ever happen, we end up denying ourselves the ability to experience happiness now.
In 2025, let’s consider a different approach. Practice releasing yourself from the thought that you can’t be happy until your life looks a certain way. Instead, notice the little gifts, glimmers, and sweet surprises that each day brings. While it’s true this won’t end your hardships, it can stir up some hope and boost your spirit as you continue on the road to recovery.
Discover What Progress Looks Like for Your
There is no easy answer as to why some people get well, and others continue to be ill. What I can tell you is this: Your journey through this illness is uniquely yours. You will repeatedly hear about someone who got well seeing a specific doctor, using a particular treatment, trying an out-of-the-box therapy, or taking a special supplement. While it’s good to stay informed of your treatment options, it’s important to remember there is no surefire way to recovery.
No matter what treatment option you choose to pursue, your body tolerates what it can, and it heals at its own rate. Healing will always be unique to you and your body and different from anyone else’s. Ultimately, comparing your progress to how others are doing can be depressing and discouraging.
If possible, try instead to focus your attention on how far you’ve come. I’m willing to bet that you’ve already made it a heck of a long way, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.
As you navigate the ups and downs of 2025, remember that healing is not a race but a deeply personal journey. By embracing gentle consistency, celebrating small victories, and finding joy in the present, you can foster hope and resilience even in the face of ongoing challenges. Trust in your ability to move forward, one meaningful step at a time.
