By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

Separating ourselves from the normal and often demanding schedules of day-to-day often means participating in a fun event or hobby that refreshes us. We choose to be alone or with others, depending on our personalities and preferences. Our characters are the same.

A vacation is a time of relaxation and pleasure, usually spent away from home. No work responsibilities, lots of sleep, good food, and fun, or so they hope.

A journey has two definitions: the act of traveling from one place to another, usually long. It can mean a personal mental or spiritual change that involves hard work.

What determines the road we take, either filing our suitcase with vacation gear or embarking upon a journey that won’t necessarily be easy?

Look at the following two scenarios and choose what’s best for the person experiencing stress, tension, and even conflict in his/her daily life.

John worked six sometimes seven days a week as manager of a restaurant chain. He enjoyed his job and waned to one day own a restaurant. But the hours were long, exhausting, and he had no opportunity to socialize. One day led into another, and when he had a day off, all he could manage was sleep and laundry. Three months ago, he requested an assistant manager from his boss. 

Does John need a vacation or is he ready for a journey?

A vacation would allow him to rest and relax.

A journey would send him on a discovery path to determine if his work is a good fit.

Molly hated her job as a filing clerk, but she needed the income until college graduation. When she held her accounting degree in her hands, she’d quit. And she did exactly that. Her first job in a huge accounting firm was . . . a filing clerk with the assurance, she’d work her way up the corporate ladder. Is this what her degree meant? After working a year, she looked forward to one week’s vacation. She could hardly wait. 

Does Molly need a vacation or is she on a journey’s path?

A vacation would mean hours away from the dreaded files. She’d head to the 

beach and let the sound of waves soothe her.

A journey meant an examination of her life goals. Had she chosen the best 

career for her personality? Were her dreams of one day being the CEO of her own accounting firm worth the misery now? 

Vacation or journey? Which one would you recommend for John & Molly? Will their choice ease their tired bodies and give them inspiration? What about your story? Do you have exhausted characters?

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story, so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure?

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards, the Golden Scroll, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, an active member of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Mystery Writers of America, the Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. DiAnn continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Goodreads, BookBub, YouTube, LinkedIn. or her website: diannmills.com