A surprising hobby brought the stress relief Debra needed
After becoming a full-time caregiver for her sister, Debra Blackburn became so overwhelmed and exhausted that it took a heavy toll on her health…until an unassuming gift became her soothing salvation!
Debra Blackburn opened her favorite romance novel at the end of a busy day, hoping to unwind, but no matter how hard she tried, the Cashiers, North Carolina, 54-year-old couldn’t concentrate—her mind was buzzing with concerns.
Life had thrown Debra for a loop when, in July of 2016, her sister, Janet, fell and broke her elbow and femur, and Debra had stepped in as her caregiver. Soon, a once-simple trip to the store or to church became completely exhausting as Debra loaded her wheelchair-bound sister in and out of the car. She also prepared Janet’s meals, helped her dress and assisted her to the bathroom, often in the middle of the night.
Debra loved her sister dearly, but having to be on call 24/7 had begun to affect her health. Debra felt constantly run-down— even walking to the mailbox left her out of breath—and she began to worry that
something was wrong with her heart, which only added to her chronic stress. Her anxiety level climbed even higher when new owners took over the chiropractic office she man
aged. I can’t go on like this! she thought.
A colorful cure
Then at the holidays, a friend gifted Debra a grown-up coloring book with rainbow-hued pencils. She knew coloring had become popular with adults as a way to relieve stress, but Debra was skeptical. How will I find the time? she thought. It’s just one more thing I have to do. But, touched by her friend’s thoughtfulness, Debra decided to give it a try. So, one night, she flipped through the pages until a pattern caught her eye, and she started scribbling her favorite shades of blue onto the page. Wow, I really like this, Debra marveled, as she felt her busy mind unwinding and her tension beginning to drain away for the first time in months. Amazed, Debra blocked off a little time to color each evening. And as she lost herself in the motion and vibrant design, all of her worries faded.
One day, while buying a new coloring book, the store clerk smiled and confided, “My daughter suffers from seizures. But if she starts coloring when she feels one coming on, it goes away—it’s amazing.” After hearing that, Debra was even more convinced she’d found a powerful, natural way to ease her stress and lift her mood.
As months passed and she filled more books, Debra was less anxious, had more energy and felt healthier mentally and physically. And today the 57-year-old feels better than ever. “I feel like myself again,” says Debra, who even convinced her sister to use coloring to strengthen her arm after surgery. “Coloring is much more than just stress relief—it is pure joy!” —Lisa Maxbauer
“Repetitive motion positively changes brain chemistry like a medication can!” — Kelly Lambert, PH.D.