“It turns out that exercise has a powerful impact on the brain's feeling centers. Exercise, including walking, causes the brain to release powerful neurotransmitters known as endorphins. These have been described as the brain's naturally occurring antidepressants. Endorphins brighten our mood and outlook, and improve our energy and sense of well-being.

Walking has the potential to make us happier — and not just because we like being outside or enjoy the company of our walking buddy. Today, the Rev. Dr. William Watson III talks about the neurological effects of walking. Plus, the Rev. Renée Miller offers some thoughts about the importance of establishing a practice in order to fully realize the physical and spiritual benefits of any activity.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“Walking is a weight-bearing exercise, and as such, it has a particular effect upon our bony skeleton, especially the bones in our back, hips and legs.”

Any activity, whether physical or spiritual, can make us stronger. Weight-bearing exercise such as walking increases bone strength, just as intentionally spending time attuned to God’s presence builds the strength of our spiritual self. Today, the Rev. Dr. William Watson III and the Rev. Renée Miller explore strength-building and the important role it plays in holistic health practices.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“Walking is a great way to begin getting physically fit, and it benefits us almost immediately. At the end of each walk, congratulate yourself for not only improving the muscles that enable you to walk, but your heart and lungs as well.”

As we walk, we increase our heart rate and speed up the flow of nourishing blood to our muscles and organs. Today, the Rev. Dr. William Watson III and the Rev. Renée Miller focus on movement: the flow of blood and breath through the body and the movement of God’s spirit in the soul.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“Muscles — we all know they help us move our bodies through space. But muscles also help move all sorts of things into, around, and out of the body.”

We all want strong bodies with lean muscles that allow us to bend, lift, stretch, and move. Today, the Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Cameron talks about our muscles, what they do for us and how we can best keep them healthy. The Rev. Renée Miller explores strengthening the soul, or what she calls our “divine muscle.”

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“We have the capacity to affect the wellness of ourselves and others simply by the way we interact with them emotionally.”

Our reflections for today explore pattern and paradox. Elizabeth McKay Moosbrugger suggests that establishing patterns of positive interpersonal interaction can have a significant impact on both our own and others’ well-being.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“You have probably heard by now that exercise is good for your brain. But there is a lot about your brain that is essential for exercise as well — or is at least essential to success in making lasting change.”

We all know the phrase, “You are what you eat.” But “We are what we think” is probably more often true. Our thoughts shape both our actions and our experiences. Today, the Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Cameron and the Rev. Renée Miller talk about how our brains affect our health, and how the messages we tell ourselves can be shaped to nurture our well-being.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“Many of us have tried eating something to improve our mood. But it turns out that the most reliable and quickest mood enhancer is a brisk ten-minute walk.”

What mood are you in today? If you need a boost, then a walk could be just the ticket. In today’s reflections, the Rev. Dr. William Watson III and the Rev. Renée Miller focus on moods, and what we can do to improve and even control how we are feeling.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“We need both parts of the breathing cycle: We need to inhale and we need to exhale. We need to take air in, and we need to let it go.”

Letting go of some things in life may be difficult, but we must release what proves to be unhealthy. That applies to our physical, psychological and spiritual health. Today, the Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Cameron and the Rev. Renee Miller talk about letting go and how it is key to our well-being.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“Walking requires our careful and complete attention to the world around us. Be careful as you walk. Be sure to look in all directions; be aware of your environment.”

Pay attention. We have heard it all our lives, in classrooms, on the road and now, while we are walking. Today, the Rev. Dr. William Watson III and the Rev. Renée Miller advise us to pay attention, both to what is all around us, and what we find on our inner landscape.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!

“Many people walk on sidewalks while others enjoy shopping malls where the weather is unvarying. If you walk outside, be careful of the sun exposure and be sure to use effective sun protection.”

We truly are resilient beings, but even so, we should take care to protect those precious parts of ourselves that can be damaged. Today, the Rev. Dr. William Watson III and the Rev. Renée Miller talk about how to guard against damage to our skin and our soul.

So lace up your shoes and start walking!