Indefinite. This word has really resonated with me lately. The word indefinite leaves a huge unknown at the end of every sentence, and I know it has really made me take a step back and think about the way I do things everyday.

Although my business is blessed to have a steady inventory of horses in training, my family has not been exempt from the financial, mental, and emotional struggle that comes with the changes that are taking place in the world right now.

Although portions of our lives have slowed down significantly, that doesn’t mean our progress has to stop. From a horsemanship perspective, now is the time to get to work. Now is the time to get prepared. Now is the time to show up for yourself everyday, no matter what. We have been given a unique window of opportunity to progress ourselves and our horses, even in the midst of chaos.

I know some of you may be thinking, “I’ve got much bigger things to worry about right now,” and I understand that. I do, too. But, idle time is the devil’s workshop. In this time, if we sit still and stay stagnant for too long, we can throw ourselves into a pitfall of failure and depression.

By no means is this an easy time, but this is not an impossible time, either. There is a way to get through this, and we are fully capable of figuring out what that way is. If we keep moving and get our minds thinking in the right direction, the payoff a few months or years from now will, without a doubt, be well worth our struggle.

This is a time to be proactive, not reactive. We have to focus on the things that we can control and make those things the best they can possibly be. Once we come out on the other side of this, I am confident that there will be tons of opportunities for the people that continue to put one foot in front of the other and use this time to move forward.

Right now, you have an opportunity to separate yourself from the pack later on down the road. The actions you take today are the things that will pay off six months from now. Get away from that mindset of “there is no sense doing anything today because we don’t know what tomorrow brings.” Tomorrow brings the opportunities that you create for yourself today.

Perspective is the most important thing you can hang onto during this time. Reevaluate your priorities and analyze what you can do to make yourself better right now. Eventually, there is going to be a new normal. There is no doubt about that. So, use this time to get ready for that new normal. Look for opportunities. Always, look for opportunities. Your mind is in a different state when you’re searching for opportunities rather than dwelling on the things that are happening around you. I talk a lot about the thinking vs. reacting side of a horse’s brain—well, now is the time for us to use the thinking side of our brains. Now more than ever, it is time for you to be your best.