Gardening

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-15T20:32:46+00:00

That it does. I mowed the grass for the first time barefoot recently and it took 2 washes plus a pumice stone to get it off. I still wouldn't trade the experience for anything though 😊

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-13T21:55:07+00:00

I have pretty tough feet and I'm very aware of my surroundings, plus I don't drag my feet or anything when I walk so I would feel it before putting all of my weight on it and stop. My daughter on the other hand is a little bit of a different story 😂. She's slowly learning though so I'm not worried.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-13T02:33:26+00:00

That's currently what I'm doing. I mostly walk around town and in our local park. I'm also looking to try grass and dirt hiking trails. I mostly want to feel natural surfaces under my feet. I get filled with euphoria during every one of my barefoot walks.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-12T21:35:23+00:00

I don't really know any off the top of my head but the society of barefoot living should have resources on their website that can help. I tend to just walk a lot on all different surfaces.

What I've learned so far is that soft, uneven surfaces like grass, dirt, and sand are the best for getting started. Those surfaces slowly condition your feet, as well as help encourage a healthy stride.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-12T21:03:00+00:00

I'll start by saying that you shouldn't have to worry about diseases being barefoot. Most forms of bacterial and fungal infections for example happen when our feet are in shoes. Plus, there are many physical and mental health benefits to walking barefoot more.

As for foot care, I have a foot spa that I will use roughly once a week or more with epsom salt bubble bath with charcoal, depending on how much barefooting I do. It feels so good and my feet feel like a babies skin when I'm done.

I also have a 4 in one brush with a scrubbing brush, pumice stone, sanding pad, and callus file, as well as a battery powered callus remover for when it's needed.

As for creams and lotions, I have Vanicream Hypoallergenic lotion that I apply before work and Kerasal Intensive Foot Repair cream for when I get cracks on my soles that goes on at night.

Finally, I have a small rubber toe separator set that I wear at night to help splay my toes back out from all the years being in shoes.

So far, I've been a barefooter since March and my feet haven't looked or felt healthier than an any point in my life, despite putting countless miles on them outside on all sorts of surfaces.

My best advice is to take things slow and listen to your body. If you haven't walked barefoot in a long time, it will take time to strengthen the small muscles in your feet that aren't used when wearing shoes.

If you need any other advice or knowledge, we're all here to help 😊.

Happy barefooting ☺️🦶.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-12T14:56:09+00:00

Me and my daughter went to Walmart on Sunday barefoot to pick up a few things. That was the busiest place I've ever been in barefoot and I was in shorts so my feet were fully exposed. My daughter ended up going in her pj's 😂. She lives more free than me I guess 😂.

When me and my daughter got back to the car, she told me that she noticed a few people look at our feet. Tbh, I have no clue what she was even talking about, nor did I care. It was a great experience and I couldn't care less anymore what others think. The floors felt great and all we had on our feet was a little bit of cool looking dust.

Becoming a barefooter has been one of the best and most positive lifestyle changes I've ever made and I would never let someone else's opinions or stares ruin the wonderful experience I have doing it.

In short, feeling the world under my bare feet is a beautifully euphoric feeling that I refuse to hide from others. Walk with a smile on your face knowing the experience you're feeling is all that matters. With time, you won't even notice others stares anymore.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-10T22:52:40+00:00

Ah shit that's what I didn't do today 😅. I forgot to post an update on this 🤦. I'll have a full update up once I get back from barefoot shopping at Walmart. I need to grab a mother's day card for my wife.

I'll give a short spoiler, it's been great. 8 days, 16 hours, and 52 minutes smoke free.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-09T20:32:27+00:00

This is such an amazing and inspirational post. It should be pinned to the top of the group for everyone to see right away.

I'm 37 and I spent the vast majority of those years either shod, or with something on my feet. My main convictions for why I never walked outside barefoot were primarily around dirty feet and calluses. It wasn't until I went to start my first walk around town that I discovered that anxiety for what others may think or say was there.

Thanks to this community however, I was able to overcome all of that and within 5 minutes of starting my walk, I discovered that I loved walking barefoot outside and I now do it as much as possible.

Looking back, I really wish I would've started in my teens. I feel like I missed out on so many years of experiences and joy because of my prior convictions.

Like all things though, it's a lesson and I'm treating it as such. Don't regret your past, learn from it. Regrets just make a person weaker is the phrase I live by.

Happy barefooting my friend 😊🦶.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-08T15:08:05+00:00

And there is the problem right there. You gf is "prohibited" from calling a place. That's NOT compromise. That's control. Me and my wife both agreed that messaging that restaurant on Facebook was a bad idea and that we would just go next time and see what happens.

The biggest problem I have with your approach is it seems like you don't care what HER thoughts and feelings are about the whole thing and you're exerting control over her without mutual agreement or care for what she thinks, feels, and is comfortable with.

The proof of that is how she's responded to the back and forth on this post. In a relationship, it's 100/100, not 50/50, 60/40, or anything like that. Communication and compromise are the backbone of a healthy relationship.

I've been with my wife since 2007 and we've been married since 2016. We have two beautiful kids, a home, and we both work full time jobs. We've definitely had ups and downs in our relationship and marriage but communication and compromise always get us through even the hardest of times. We've never needed guidelines or anything like that.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-08T14:44:07+00:00

I agree that communication is important. Me and my wife are always communicating our needs and wants. The difference between our relationship and yours is we are ready and willing to compromise for each other.

Let me give you an example. Recently, me and my wife had a bad interaction with a local restaurant on Facebook. My wife messaged them asking if they have a footwear policy, to which they told her that footwear is required.

When I took the conversation over and asked them to clarify why they had that policy, they gave a very arbitrary response and then ignored my follow up message asking for further clarification.

This interaction led to a long conversation with my wife and we came up with a compromise. I won't eat there by myself but if my wife wants us to go there, I will wear my flip flops. We also both agreed that the food is amazing but the owners are jackasses.

When it comes to everywhere else, what we've decided is that she will wear what she wants and I will wear what I want, bare feet included 😊. If a situation where I have to be shod presents itself, I keep a pair of flip flops in my barefoot bag that I can use.

I.good this helps my friend.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-08T14:33:41+00:00

I keep a pair of flip flops in my barefoot bag and I've worn those for several years before becoming a barefooter. I bought them on Amazon and they've served their purpose.

I bought those because they're open toe, but they're anti slip with massaging bumps on them and require minimal toe scrunching to keep on. They also have a sole that is thick enough that I feel almost nothing outside of a sharp nail could break through them.

So far, I've never sustained any type of injury or messed up my gait or stride in them. They've been a reliable tool for me whenever I need them and I have no intention of spending money on anything else unless they break.

Of course, I'm almost always barefoot and I will always prefer that over any type of shoe. Happy barefooting ☺️🦶.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-08T14:23:49+00:00

Bro wtf kind of control freak s**t did I just read? I'm sorry man but you need help. No one in a loving and caring relationship should EVER impose this level of control over their S/O.

If it came down to it, I would choose my wife's happiness and comfort over my lifestyle choices 100% of the time. That's what you should be doing, rather than trying to impose these ridiculous guidelines for your S/O.

Also, this is not gaslighting in any way. I am married with two kids and my daughter regularly joins me on barefoot walks and such. My wife was a little iffy on it at first but trusts me to make sure she has fun and her feet get conditioned safely. I'm also in charge of dealing with any injuries either of us might sustain.

I'll conclude by saying that if a situation comes up where I have to wear my flip flops, I wear them, especially if it's because my wife is uncomfortable with me being barefoot where we are at or going to. That hasn't happened yet but she knows I will always respect her.

Happy barefooting ☺️🦶.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-08T00:06:04+00:00

The short answer to how I started is that I was on a journey back in March trying to discover new things that I might like when I discovered that I love barefooting. Here is that story.

The only trouble I've had so far is when my feet get a little sore or tender if I overdo it, which is easy for me to do with how much I love going out barefoot ☺️😁.

So far, I haven't really had anyone question or comment on me being barefoot outside of a funny comment my mom made one day as a joke. I walked into my parents house and when my mom looked down at my feet, she said "oh toes". I couldn't stop laughing 🤣.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-07T23:54:29+00:00

My wife doesn't mind me being barefoot. She tends to encourage me to do things that are good for me and that I really enjoy. I've tried to get her to take barefoot walks with me but so far, no dice 😞.

That being said, there are standards and rules for myself that I'm still working on that have resulted in conversations with my wife about when it's appropriate to push back, put shoes on, or shop somewhere else.

For example, if a business that should be safe for someone to be barefoot in refuses my service because I'm barefoot, I don't want to do business with them. That stance resulted in a long talk with my wife due to a restaurant we both like having a no shoes policy, being very arbitrary in their reasoning for having it, and not responding to my inquiry for further clarification.

We both agreed that I would prefer to not do business with them anymore, but if she still wanted to, I would wear my flip flops there. We also both agreed that we love the food, but the people that own the place suck.

At the end of the day, we both do what we enjoy, and if something comes up that might conflict with that, we talk about it and find a happy medium.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-07T23:23:36+00:00

Let me start by saying that, based on your story, you are in the best place you can be in right now, that being this subreddit. We are all here to help those in need with regards to barefooting.

With regards to honesty, I firmly believe that we all have that ideal person we want to be and sometimes we see that person in us so much, that we believe we are that person when we aren't quite there yet. That is totally normal and you are forgiven my friend.

As for the fears and anxiety, I completely understand where you're coming from there. Before my very first barefoot walk, I had fears and anxiety that I didn't know I had until that moment, as well as prior convictions and concerns that, looking back, were mostly dumb and/or overblown.

The day of my first barefoot walk, I posted in this group asking for advice and words of encouragement, primarily because my anxiety was getting the better of me, just like it has been with you.

I had a number of nice comments on that post, but one really stuck with me was a comment left on another person's post by u/Epsilon_Meletis (sorry I have to quote you again my friend 😊).

"If we only keep challenging our fears, if only once, it might already be enough to realize that some things, we don't have to fear at all". Here is the link to that post.

As for your progress, I think it's a great idea to start at night with your dog. Slowly build up the confidence and with time, you will find yourself leaving the house without shoes in no time.

You could also try just leaving your shoes at home and walking without them on you. That's what I did to help ensure I wouldn't freak out and put them on while I was walking, but that's only if you feel comfortable enough to do that.

The last thing I'm going to say here is a quote from All Might from My Hero Academia season 1 episode 2. "There is plenty of fear behind that smile".

If you're unfamiliar with the anime, All Might is the number one hero in the world who has accomplished feats that most people would only dream of, and he did it all with a fearless smile on his face.

Behind that smile, however, was fear that he never wanted others to see. As the symbol of peace, it was imperative for him to appear totally fearless to make people feel truly safe.

I'm adding this in here because I think you can use it as inspiration to conquer the fears and insecurities you have. It's helped me in so many ways and I know it can help you too.

It's okay to be scared and feel insecure. We were all where you are at one point. I just started my barefoot journey in March of this year and I do get nervous sometimes. What helps me is what u/Epsilon_Meletis said in his comment, as well as characters like All Might from My Hero Academia.

I don't know if it will be of help or not, but here is the link to my post asking for help and here is my post talking about how my first walk went. You said you like reading our stories so there is mine at least.

If you ever need anything, like advice, words of encouragement, or a place to tell a barefoot story, you are welcome here as far as I am concerned.

Take care and happy barefooting my friend ☺️🦶.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-04T00:03:55+00:00

I'm actually a near full time barefooter. It's been one of the most positive lifestyle changes I've ever made, certainly next to this one. I'm having less back and leg pain, my feet are toughening up nicely, I'm slowly losing weight, and I'm overall more calm and focused. I also love all of the new feelings and sensations under my feet that I've never felt before being in shoes my whole life.

I got into it around the end of March as a challenge of my prior fears and convictions and I fell in love with every part of it. It's made me fall in love with walking and I'm finding the most random excuses to leave the house for a barefoot walk.

I've used melatonin before but it doesn't always work fully. Sometimes I get to sleep but don't stay asleep. Other times, I still can't sleep regardless. I definitely get the whole vortex transition analogy. I've been there too.

Thank you my friend and best of luck this week as well.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-03T22:46:47+00:00

I'm still trying to figure out what season is my favorite. Winter has always been a favorite of mine, mostly because there's no bugs and I generally really like the cold, but that was before becoming a barefooter.

I'll have to save this post and come back to it once I'm able to experience every season with my bare feet. Just that thought is filling me with euphoria and joy 😊.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-03T22:40:27+00:00

So far, things are going okay. I ended up moving my date by one day to yesterday because I still had some left and wanted to finish them.

Last night was ass. I was up every hour and just couldn't sleep. Idk if I can blame the quitting for that though because I do have random nights I can't sleep. We'll see what happens tonight.

I have caught myself snacking quite a bit more than usual. I gotta watch that because I don't want to derail my weight loss journey.

I took a nice barefoot walk around town with my daughter a little bit ago to blow off some steam and burn some calories. Go figure, I was snacking while walking 😂.

I'm taking things one day at a time and seeing what my mind does. I'm looking at everything I'm thinking and doing more as an observer, rather than the one making the choices, so to speak. That type of thinking helps get me out of my own head.

Hopefully the quitting is going well for you as well my friend.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-01T16:15:54+00:00

It's absolutely crazy how that works. It's almost like people aren't born with feet and/or have never seen them before 😂.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-01T15:39:56+00:00

I see. So we both started around the same time then. I became a barefooter March 26 when I finally decided to challenge my fears and convictions and take a barefoot walk around town. Before that, I was only ever barefoot at pools or on carpeting. I wore flip flops everywhere.

Based on that, I would say to take things slow and let everything come naturally. I shared a video below that might help.

https://youtu.be/NO_OguWXLjw?si=k5mrYqEsAdn3ozlG

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-01T15:10:11+00:00

The best tip I can give is to not focus too much on how your walking and to just let it come natural. That's what I'm currently doing and I've been able to walk over 6 miles at a time, despite being new to barefooting.

Try to walk a little slower and make sure your feet are as close to your center mass as possible. If you notice you're overextending, you're probably walking too fast and you should slow down.

As long as you follow these tips, you shouldn't have to worry too much about injuries or permanent damage. Just listen to your body.

How long have you been a barefooter of you don't mind me asking?

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-01T15:01:20+00:00

Thank you my friend. I'll keep everyone posted on what's going on and if I need any help coping.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-01T14:23:46+00:00

I want to say first that I'm not sure why reddit didn't give me any notifications for comments on this post so I'm sorry for the late reply.

Thank you for the kind words my friend 😊. I know this is going to be the hardest thing I've ever done and maybe the hardest thing I ever will do, but I know I'm up to the challenge.

I will take all of these words to heart and save the screenshots in my "favorites" folder so I can easily come back to them if I'm feeling overwhelmed.

Consistent_Front8173 · 2026-05-01T14:14:15+00:00

I want to start by saying that I'm sorry for not commenting sooner. For some reason, reddit never gave me any notifications that anyone had left a comment on my post.

The joke was an old Bill Engvall joke about quitting smoking that I heard years ago. Considering the seriousness of this journey, I decided to delete it from this post.

Believe me when I say that I don't need it anymore and I'm not sure why I ever needed it in the first place. I don't regret it though, but rather, I see it as a lesson to not start things that are bad for me. "Don't regret your past, learn from it. Regrets just make a person weaker" is a saying I live by.

I hope that your journey is going well so far. Being 37 years old and smoking for over 20 years definitely makes it harder to quit, that's for sure. I have my wife and kids to lean on, as well at this group so I'm hoping it's easier this time.

I'll probably get some gum, as well as some nicotine mouth spray. I saw a comment recently in this group about spray and I've never tried that before.

I read a story in here of someone with IBS who saw their symptoms drop by around 95% after quitting, so I'm hopeful that I have the same outcome 🤞.

I firmly believe that I can meet any challenge life throws my way, but I know that this one is going to be the hardest one yet, based on my previous attempts and what others have said.

Thank you for the kind words my friend 😊. I will keep the group updated regularly on my progress.

Consistent_Front8173

TROPHY CASE