Sunday, February 10, 2019

Plotting Life's Turning Points by @SatinRussell #RomanceGems

three-way junction road splitting in two directions
Which direction will you choose?
Have you ever been at a crossroads in your life where you knew that whatever you decided would chart your course going forward?

I think those points in life are something a lot of us have experienced. That was the theme of my own life when I decided to embark on this new career and was writing my first book.

However, there are other instances in my past that I can reference, as well. Those moments tend to be harbingers of great change and transition.

Sometimes, our choices can feel really clear. It seems obvious that going one direction will lead to better things, like choosing to continue your education after high school. Or not driving a car after you’ve been drinking.

Other times, both options may seem equally viable and can be harder to navigate. Say, you receive job offers from two different companies after interviewing with them.

For me, one such example was when my husband and I were living in Maui for a year. He’s in construction and was contracted to remodel the Kapalua Resort Villa condos there.

At the end of our one-year contract, we had a decision to make. Move back to Seattle where our community of friends were, or move to Massachusetts to be closer to my sister.

It just so happened that my sister got engaged that same year and I was her Matron of Honor. Not only were we looking at the cost of moving off “the rock,” but I was also going to have to pay for a round-trip ticket to go to her bachelorette party and bridal shower, plus two more round-trip tickets for my husband and I to attend the actual wedding. Yikes! That was a lot of money.

OR…

We could just move to Massachusetts and only have to pay for two one-way tickets plus moving expenses.

Long story short, that’s how we wound up living on the East Coast. Crazy, huh? The thing is, as we were making our decision, we knew it would affect the trajectory for our entire future. We even acknowledged that it was probably a ridiculous reason to move clear across the country, but it still felt like the right choice at the time.

As long as we were weighing our options, and taking steps with eyes wide open, we decided to have faith that we could make it work.

Oftentimes, we aren’t given a choice which direction our life takes. That’s the case for Olivia Harper, the protagonist in my first book, Secret Hunger.

Secret Hunger by Satin Russell Romantic Suspense
Secret Hunger (The Harper Sisters #1)
When Olivia Harper graduated high school, she went off to culinary school with dreams of becoming a “top chef.” Then, her parents die in a car accident and she has to go home to raise her two younger sisters.

The story picks up a few years later. Her sisters have each graduated high school and moved out of the house and Olivia finds herself at a crossroads in her life.

Should she go back and follow the dream she had to give up?

Or should she stay on the path that life has given her?

Maybe that’s a question you can relate to. What are some of the major turning points in your life and how have you navigated them? Did you know their significance at the time they were happening?

PS: If you’re curious what Olivia decides, you can find my book on Amazon. It’s even available for FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

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Satin

31 comments:

  1. I like this, Satin. You’re right, life is a winding road, and when unexpected opportunities are presented, we make a choice, choose a path. The wonderful thing about that is that we make the choice! We own the path. And I’m glad you moved east, because it gave me a chance to meet you.
    Great post.

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    1. Thank you, Martha! I'm thankful we've had a chance to meet, too.

      I think that sometimes we forget that we have the power to choose which path our lives take. It can be easy to fall into the habit of reacting to what life gives us, if we're not careful.

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  2. Excellent post with many great insights. I'm glad you settled on the East Coast. It's beautiful here. Even in the winter.

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    1. I agree, Nancy. I know people tend to complain about the winters here, but I enjoy a big snowstorm!

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  3. Most thought-provoking. I had to get a job after my divorce and my writing career, which was just getting going, took a back seat. But the opportunies from the job, the travel, the friendships, the memories.... I'm writing full time again after a 22 year detour. I don't know if there is a 'wrong' decision. Just a different road to get you where you're ultimately meant to be.

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    1. I love the idea that there is no "wrong" decision. So happy you've been able to come back to writing full time!

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  4. My turning point has been very recent. I decided the teaching job I had loved for so long was bringing me more stress than happiness. So I retired early, sold the house we'd lived in for most of our married life, jumped in an RV with my husband and took off to see the East Coast. I also poured more energy into my new writing career. It's scary knowing I don't have that steady paycheck, but I think my happiness and health is far more important.

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    1. What a wonderful way to take full advantage of this opportunity, Kari! Judging by the pictures, I think you've been living your retirement to the fullest!

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  5. Satin, nice post. We decided to move across country too. Just because we could. When I think back it was an amazing thing to do. Worked out fine. :)

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    1. I've noticed that people here on the East Coast seem less likely to make a cross-country move and tend to stick close to their region. I don't know if that's the case on a grand scale, but anecdotally, I've met more people who live near their parents and siblings here in New England than I ever did in Colorado or Washington.

      I come from a family of travelers and vagabonds, so it didn't seem so far-fetched to move that far.

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  6. Back in the day, when I was in group therapy, I learned this (among many other things): Everything is a trap. Making a choice mans you don’t get to have it all.

    That's another way of saying what you're saying, Satin. We have to learn to be happy with the choices we make.

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    1. "We have to learn to be happy with the choices we make." I couldn't have said it better myself! Perspective and attitude make such a big difference in how we experience anything - particularly change.

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  7. Love this, Satin. Our path winds and changes by our choices. It's often a leap of faith. What a compelling story, too. Added to my list! Oh, and Maui...WOW!

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    1. Maui was wonderful...for a year. However, I'll admit that I missed having the four seasons.

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  8. Yes, I can think of several choices right off the bat when I read your blog. The first was when I moved out my parents' house to live on my own for the first time. I had 2 weeks to find an apartment, pack and move. With the choices I made everything fell right into place and was all done in the time frame. It all felt so right I knew it was all the right thing to do.

    crossnstitch2 at aol dot com.

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    1. Wow! Sounds like you knew even then to listen to your instinct and go with the flow. It's amazing what we can get done in a short period of time when we put our mind to it!

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  9. Thank you for a thought-provoking post, Satin. In the end, our lives are what they are because of the choices we make. Even minor insignificant choices we make each day have long-range consequences.

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    1. I agree, Joan! Sometimes I think those seemingly insignificant choices hold more consequences, because we don't always see them coming.

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  10. Changing professions come to mind. I was certainly of two minds and then something happened that made it all very clear.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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    1. I completely relate to this! Changing professions or big moves seem to be the catalyst for a lot of changes in life.

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  11. My sister moved to Seattle two years ago. Can't say she's thrilled with all the snow now (everything is closed!).

    On the other hand, Massachusetts is beautiful! I'd have chosen Massachusetts too.

    I added Secret Hunger to my TBR list, thank you.


    My contact info: adissidente at Gmail dot com

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    1. I lived in Seattle for eight years before my hubby and I moved to Maui and I loved every minute of it. The constant cloud cover and rain can get to a lot of people, but after awhile, it felt comforting. Seattle will always hold a warm place in my heart.

      That being said, there's something beautiful about New England and Massachusetts in particular. I think every region holds some type of allure. It's just a matter of finding it and appreciating it.

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  12. This sounds like a very intriguing book! Can't wait to read it.

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  13. Hi Satin, funny how we make choices in our lives. Some seem so reasonable and others when we look back made sense at the time only to ourselves. Thanks for the post.

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    1. That's true, Nora. I can't say all of my major life decisions seem to make sense in retrospect. You just have to take the moments as they come and do the best you can with them!

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  14. There are several times in my life where I had a choice to make. Both choices were viable but it's only when I followed my heart that life shifted in the right direction. 15 years ago today (Monday 2/11), I chose to leave my life behind and move 3,000 miles to be with the man I loved. We got engaged three days later and this summer, we'll be celebrating our 15th wedding anniversary. Was it scary leaving everything behind, including family and friends? Sure, but the new life I built with MR N has been so incredibly fulfilling, I wouldn't go back for all the money in the world.

    Loved your post, Satin, and it's a pleasure to meet you.

    MRS N

    nnlight at nnlightsbookheaven dot come

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    1. Wow, Mrs. N! Sounds like quite a story! I think listening to your heart is so crucial and can be one of the most difficult things to do. Especially if you have conflicting familial or societal messages surrounding you. Kudos to you. And congratulations on fifteen years! My husband and I will be celebrating our fifteenth this December, as well.

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  15. Great share, Satin! Crossroads are amazing things. Choices, and more choices, some big, some small. Every day. And all those life experiences, friends, and memories you collect along the way. :)

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    1. I think it's easy to forget about all the smaller choices that comprise our day-to-day lives. The big decisions tend to get all the attention, but it's the smaller minutiae that adds up.

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  16. Now there are more turning points than ever! Hope all is well.

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