Rob Greenfield Instagram – Fall has set in and I am still barefoot.
With day time temperatures in the 50’s and nights in the 30’s and 40’s I’ve managed to be out barefoot both day and night. When my feet are too cold I wear wool socks and double them up if desired.
For the last decade it has become my new norm to be barefoot yet, I still remember the day when I began asking the question, “Can I walk barefoot?” One step at a time I broke free from shoes and deepened my connection with Earth and with my own body.
Today I share my top tips to strengthen your feet and go barefoot more often.
Start on easier surfaces – your house, lawns, public parks, sandy beaches, groomed trails and smooth sidewalks and roads.
Work up to more challenging terrain – bare Earth with lose rocks and sticks, beaches with pebbles, sidewalk and roads that are rougher.
Don’t push yourself beyond your limits – Do push your comfort zone but not your limits.
Walk a little further each week – first just a minute, then down the block, then a mile, a little more and a little more.
Wear socks instead of shoes for protection – no expensive barefoot shoes are needed. Thrift store socks will protect your feet. Layer up for more protection.
Put your feet on the heat – walking on hot surfaces builds soles.
Get out a little earlier in the spring to start building your strength back sooner.
Stay out a little later in the fall to keep the momentum going.
When testing your limits of cold, keep your feet dry
Know that some cuts and scratches are ok
Break free from societal norms – more than the sensitivity of your feet, you are likely to be held back by societal norms. Break free.
Give gratitude your feet – Be grateful for your feet. Love your feet. Your feet are not ugly.
Take care of your feet
Design your life around being barefoot
Build community around being barefoot
One step at a time it is possible to walk barefoot more and in doing so reconnect with Earth and reconnect with yourself. As with any skill, walking barefoot takes practice and effort.
To go deeper, read my new article:
www.robingreenfield.org/barefoottips
Love,
Robin
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Photo by Sarah Tew @sarahtewphotography | Posted on 20/Oct/2023 19:35:10
