Ever noticed how it’s easy to get stuck in a “holding pattern” of sorts — whether it’s with personal issues, family routines, the development of your kids, or with your own health?

And have you also noticed that at some point, you’re no longer coasting?  That plateau you’ve been on begins to feel more like a foothill — or a steep grade, even.  There’s turmoil, unrest, agitation.  It makes you wonder if the quiet period has all been a big farce.

And THEN, suddenly, it’s like a ski lift comes along and sweeps you up the mountain to a gorgeous peak!  You can look down at the plateau and see it for what it was:  a temporary lull between rises.  The view is gorgeous now, and you wonder why you were ever satisfied at that lower level.

I’m finding this right now in both my family life and my athletic life.  My kids both have made amazing developmental leaps in the past few weeks, and it’s absolute (temporary!) bliss.  They’re playing better together, doing more things independently, and learning tons.   Plus, I’m breaking through some training barriers that I thought were beyond my reach.

The kids get all the credit for their strides, but I’m happy to own the leaps in my training — and I’ll even tell you how to get there.

When you’re feeling the foothill — the unrest, the agitation — in your own performance, it’s time to shake things up.

Do something completely different, or simply vary your current program.   Up the intensity, take the weight up a notch.  Look for the hills.  Stretch your duration beyond what you think is possible.  Change what goes into your body.  Add intervals, and get crazy intense with it.  Try a whole new program, like a bootcamp or yoga or a dance class.  There are some good, concise ideas at Livestrong and FitDay, plus lots of others.

What works for you, when you’re feeling stagnant?