Winter has arrived, but the snow, so far, has been minimal. Should the day come when you catch yourself whining about the weather, crabbing about cabin fever, or getting grumpy over the lack of color in the local landscape, get ahead of the gloom by getting down, as in—nearer to the ground.

With so many things—at eye level and upward—tugging at our senses, it’s easy to lose track of the ground beneath us, and all the wonders we can encounter there. With a new year freshly here, set a goal to get to know what’s going on down in the zone where your feet usually hang out.

Make your next walk a wakeup to heightened awareness by intentionally pausing every 20 steps or so and looking down. Turn your attention to whatever falls within a circle spanning roughly five feet around you. Then bend down, kneel, squat or sit, and take a closer look at the world underneath your feet.

Give yourself time to see what’s there to be revealed. Rise, resume your ramble and repeat. Take along a camera, pen and pocket journal to capture the magic. You will find your mood delightfully improved, your sense of wonder fully restored and your temporary blues banished. Happy New Year!