Debbie Gibson's decision to join Dancing With the Stars is admirable.
The '80s pop icon caught up with ET on Wednesday after the season 25 cast was announced on Good Morning America, where she opened up about battling Lyme disease and getting back on stage.
"I want do this show now because over the past four years I've been dealing with health challenges," Gibson, 47, told ET. "In particular Lyme disease, and I've not been friends with my body. And it's time to make friends with my body again and get the joy back and performing consistently because I've been kind of [been] home resting, and resting, and resting. Which is helpful but it's time to get moving and it's time to overcome this thing once and for all.
"This is kind of the big, bold way to do it and I feel like if I don't do that I could get stuck," she continued. "And so, I'm ready to get unstuck and I think this is the way. It's the way to do it."
The "Only in My Dreams" songstress, who is paired up this season with newcomer Alan Bersten, understands how difficult it can be for people to motivate themselves after battling health issues. In her case, she's taking it day by day.
"I feel like so many people are sitting [at] home dealing with something that is making them feel stuck or sidelined in their own life," Gibson expressed. "And I looked at my itinerary yesterday and I just looked at the accomplishment of what I did in one week. I go, 'Wow, I did this, this, this.' I used to look at my career and my life as this giant picture and now I'm like moment-to-moment, day-to-day."
"I don't know what's going to happen next and all I can do is show up and bring my best," she shared. "And this guy is helping me do that. He's been so supportive thus far. Alan is young and hungry and just diligently putting together awesome choreography. We kind of have a very similar energy, which is why I think we were paired together. It's going to be a lot of fun. It has been already!"
So will Bersten be incorporating some of Gibson's '80s moves to their choreography?
"Not yet," laughed Gibson, with Bersten adding, "I did my research. We'll get into them."
Dancing With the Stars returns to ABC on Monday, Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET. Watch the video below to hear more on what to expect from season 25!