We’re keeping it simple this week, friends. You know the name of this column? Well, let’s break that down for a second. Let’s “step outside,” literally. 

When was the last time you stepped outside? Took a breath of fresh air and just appreciated that moment in  time? I don’t mean, “Went outside to get the mail,” or went “from here to the car,” or “to the woodshed.” I also don’t mean, “I stepped outside for a smoke,” or whatever other vice or chore brought you outside. 

I mean, when was the last time you were inside, doing your everyday life routine, and decided, “I am going to take a step outside,” almost as if it were divine intervention? 

I challenge you this week to take that moment. Motivate yourself to throw on a winter hat and jacket, and take a step outside, even if just for one minute—but five or more is best.

Once you get outside, look up. If it’s daytime, use your imagination while looking at the clouds. Find a funny image up there, or an animal-shaped cloud. Clouds are fun to look at, even if just to give their names the respect they deserve. Cirrus. Stratus. Cumulonimbus. Cumulus Lenticularis. Or a common winter one—cumulus congestus. I sort of mean that last one jokingly, as if it were congested like many of us are during winter. 

My preferred moment of stepping outside usually takes place under the stars on cold, crisp evenings. I like to take deep breaths and observe our solar system. When you step outside at night, look at the stars to see the Orion constellation shooting his bow into the next galaxy. Or the sun’s light reflecting off the moon and into your retina. Try to find Polaris, the North Star, by way of the Big Dipper or Ursa Major. 

You may see satellites orbiting our planet—Starlink or one of the other pieces of “space junk” littering our night sky.  The possibility of seeing a UFO is always there too.

While outside, be sure to observe the surrounding nature; the flora and fauna that live purely outside during these cold winters are amazing. Whether it’s a dormant plant or an active chickadee, remember they were created to withstand this environment. Be thankful for your warm house and the comforts of being human and having access to simple luxuries. Like walking inside when you start to feel cold. 

This simple practice is sure to rejuvenate you if you’re feeling depressed, lazy, rundown or even sick. Fresh air can be a mood changer and usually for the better. Looking up is also a mood enhancer and can help power yourself through the next part of your day. 

So now that you’re almost completely done reading the newspaper, it’s probably a good time to stand up, put on some warm clothes, and take a “step outside.”