Dieters get stuck on plateaus. Writers get stuck thinking of ideas. Cars and trucks get stuck in the mud.

People of every stripe get stuck in their routines, their ways of thinking, and in their pursuit of happiness.

Maybe you are stuck. The economy is tough, you are concerned about downsizing, layoffs or mortgage issues. Being between a rock and a hard place can make us feel paralyzed, frozen in place. Its a real and serious problem.

Is there a solution to this dilemma?

It might be that you need to change things up a bit. Lets assume that you have a job but you are concerned about keeping it. Here is something for you to consider: Take an hour first thing in the morning and spend time just thinking.

Arrange your life so as to rise early and spend time alone. No TV news, no music on the radio, no people chattering in your home. Just spend some quiet time, thinking about your job. Think about what you can do to make yourself irreplaceable. Meditate about how you can offer more value to your employer.

Enumerate in your mind ways you can be more efficient, more helpful, more involved.

After think time, what follows?

Then, after you have spent your hour alone, just thinking, contemplating and considering your work life, revamp your schedule. Tweak it ever so slightly. Drive to work using a different route. Park in a different place; maybe you can walk a ways and reduce stress in the process.

If you take a lunch, replace your usual sandwich with fresh fruit and fresh veggies. Skip the coffee in lieu of water. If you buy your lunch, make every effort to switch to brown bagging it. Or simply order soup or salad for a whole week and watch for subtle changes. Do you feel less sleepy after lunch? Are you saving a few bucks?

Change is hard; must I make more changes?

Since change is difficult for everyone, it is wise to make changes incrementally. After you have spent a week rising early, spending time in thought and rearranging your lunchtime routine, it might be good to make changes in the way you spend the end of your day.

You are dog tired when you get home. All you want to do is wind down, have your evening meal and go through your usual routine.

How about switching things up at your house? Why not try having your dessert first? You are an adult. You are allowed to eat dessert before dinner. Honestly. The Food Police will not come and arrest you. Be moderate, though; dont have a triple-triple banana split every night or well be talking about changing your dietary habits again!

Here is another suggestion for changing your evening routine: Gather the family, give everyone a pad and pencil-better yet, tape a large sheet of paper to the wall or the fridge. Have everyone name a couple of things for that day that they are feeling gratitude. Having a long list of items for which you are grateful can be an effective panacea for fear and anxiety. This activity will enhance your family life and give everyone cherished memories. It might even grow into a tradition for generations to come.

Heres hoping youve taken some ideas from this to become unstuck from your own business. You are now free to soar like an eagle and live life with passion, purpose and a sense of well being!