A Dog, a Rail Trail, and a Better Mood

I love walking.

I especially love walking with my son’s dog, Seamus, when he comes to visit. Part of that is

because I know there is no chance to talk myself out of it when there is a dog sitting with me

very clearly ready for his walk. He needs it, and honestly sometimes I need the pull too — literally and figuratively. Although, to be fair to Seamus, he has gotten much better and no longer pulls that much!

And I know I am also fortunate to live in an area with so many beautiful rail trails and places to walk right in my very own neighborhood.

But none of that is really why I wanted to talk about walking today.

I wanted to talk about walking because mental wellness matters all year long, and walking is one

of the simplest ways I know to support both your body and your mind at the same time.

Here is what I know to be true: Walking is a two-way street when it comes to our nervous

systems.

When life feels overwhelming, a walk can help calm and settle your system. The rhythm of

movement, fresh air, changing scenery, and simply getting yourself moving through space can

shift how you feel mentally and physically. There is something about walking that gives your

brain and body a chance to breathe a little differently.

And on the other side of it, when energy feels low and everything feels sluggish, a good walk can

wake you up in a way that feels surprisingly powerful. Sometimes movement creates energy.

Sometimes stepping outside for ten minutes changes the whole direction of a day.

One of the reasons I believe walking is such a great place to start is because it is approachable.

Most able-bodied humans need to walk to get from here to there anyway, and it does not require

expensive equipment, a gym membership, or a complicated plan.

• You can walk in your house.

• You can walk your neighborhood.

• You can walk a rail trail.

• You can walk through the grocery store with a little more intention and awareness.

It all counts.

And this time of year is such a beautiful time to begin. As we move toward summer, the weather invites us outside a little more, and there is something about late spring that naturally feels like

movement and momentum. Maybe it is connected to our school days and all those feelings of summer arriving, but this time of year carries a certain energy with it.

Walking also has a way of becoming something bigger over time.

I have friends who started walking together during the pandemic when gyms closed. Every night after dinner they went for a walk together. More than six years later, even after moving to a different state, they are still walking together regularly. What started as “something to do” became part of the rhythm of their lives.

That is one of the things I love most about walking. It grows with you. It’s doesn’t need to be a major fitness program.

A short walk after dinner.

One lap around the block.

A few minutes outside in the morning.

A walk with a friend.

A walk with a dog who keeps you accountable.

Small, steady actions really do shape how we feel in both our bodies and our minds.

And sometimes the everyday things we can do that end up helping the most.