Welcome to 2025, everyone! Did you have a good holiday season? Yes, I really do want to know, as this can be a very difficult time of the year for many. When I was at my worst I remember it being downright awful so instead of sharing something about our nutritional health like I usually do, I want to reach out to our souls, our spirits, and the emotions we experience as a result of whatever we’re going through that we might feel in this this new year.

I want to start by saying something you might not hear often enough, if at all: You are not invisible. I see you. I see your struggle, and I know your pain, the resilience, and the strength it takes just to show up, especially on a day like this when the rest of the world seems to be celebrating. For those living with Lyme, cancer, or any sort of chronic illness, it can feel like the world doesn’t know what to do with you.

Medicine doesn’t always have the answers, friends don’t always know what to say and society moves so fast it forgets about those of us who can’t keep up, but you’re here … and that’s what matters the most.

You’re probably already hearing the words of hope and encouragement, so instead, I want to give you something practical, something you can carry into the New Year even if it feels like the world hasn’t caught up to you yet.

Micro Wins: Small Steps to Big Progress

Here’s what I know. When you’re living with a chronic illness, even the smallest tasks can be overwhelming. Sometimes, it’s hard to see progress because it’s so gradual, maybe not even noticeable at all. But that’s the thing: healing happens in those small, deliberate moments, what I like to call “micro wins”.

For example, tomorrow, choose one thing to focus on. It could be something as simple as drinking a glass of water before your tea, stretching for 30 seconds, or saying “no” to something that drains you. At the end of the day, take a moment to acknowledge it.

Write it down in a notebook or on your phone, or say it out loud. Better yet, write it on a little note and put it in a jar at the end of every day. Next year, when you open that jar on New Year’s Eve, you’ll see how amazing you really are because, over time, these micro wins add up. They remind you that, yes, you ARE moving forward, even when progress feels invisible.

Grounding Moments for Emotional Resilience

Let’s talk about those moments when it feels like too much. You know the ones I’m talking about: when fear or frustration takes over, and it feels like the walls are closing in. Here’s a grounding ritual you can try. It’s simple, but it works.

Hold something warm: your tea, a heating pad, or even just your hands pressed together. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose. Hold it for four seconds, and then slowly exhale through your mouth for four seconds. Hold for another four. Rinse and repeat. This is called “Box Breathing.”

As you breathe, silently say to yourself: “I am here. I am safe. This moment is mine.” Repeat it until the storm inside you starts to calm. It’s a small thing, but it can bring you back to the present and remind you that you’re in control, no matter what the day has thrown at you.

Navigating Loneliness with Strength

I want to address something else we don’t talk about enough: loneliness. For so many of you, this journey has been marked by neglect and abandonment. Maybe a doctor dismissed your symptoms. Maybe your friends drifted away when your illness didn’t go away. Maybe your family doesn’t understand why you can’t just push through. It HURTS!, and it’s not fair. But I want you to hear this: their inability to show up for you is not your fault.

Chronic illness is hard for people to wrap their heads around. It forces them to confront their own fears and limitations, and some just can’t handle that. That says everything about them and nothing about you. You ARE worthy of care. You are worthy of being SEEN. And until the world catches up, you are part of a community – this community – that gets it.

Closing with Connection

Let’s close with a moment of connection. Take your tea and hold it close. Imagine it as a symbol of everything you deserve: warmth, nourishment, love, and care. Now, as you take a sip, I want you to hear me when I say this: You’re not alone. You are seen. You are valued.

Together, we’re moving forward; one micro win, one grounding moment, one day at a time. If you’d like to learn more micro-tips on how to achieve micro wins, please join my free online wellness site where my secrets and more are there for you, my private facebook discovery group, or check out my YouTube channel, and last but not least, my blog.

Happy New Year, everyone. May we all start this year remembering and appreciating our highlights and blessings.

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