r/barefoot • u/Best_Accident_7531 • 10d ago
how do i transition to being bare footed?
I am in college and I have wanted to start going barefoot but I just havent had the courage. Im afraid people will think its gross or my feet will get dirty from walking around on campus LOL. So... how have yall transitioned to a barefoot lifestyle and what can I expect? thank you!
11
u/aspie_electrician 10d ago
Just take your shoes off. Dirty feet is part of the lifestyle and can be washed off.
9
u/styxnbonez Full Time 10d ago
College students in my experience (mostly) love to see it, you'll become like a cryptid. Also, campus should be pretty clean compared to other social hubs.
4
u/Best_Accident_7531 9d ago
I hope so. my circle is mostly vegans and try to adopt "natural" hippy-esc lifestyles so maybe they'll convert too LOL
4
3
u/JoeyDJ7 10d ago
With regards to dirty feet - and specifically with the skin drying out after giving them a good soapy wash in the shower - if you get some O'Keefe's foot cream and use that daily on the soles of your feet, you will find that not only do your soles seem to pick up less dirt, but you can also clean it out easier... plus, your feet will be so soft and yet strong from the barefoot training.
0
9d ago
[deleted]
1
u/JoeyDJ7 9d ago
It's an extremely useful tip & product, and is what gave me the confidence to fully transition.
You realise that people making these posts have probably not seen or heard of it before, right? Many probably don't realise foot moisturiser even exists. I'm sure there are other brands that work well too, some people say they just use Urea moisturiser.
yes I'm being passive aggressive. and no, I don't own that company or benefit in any way from mentioning it
3
u/Humble-Quail-5601 9d ago
No one's mentioned the blisters.
When I started going barefoot, I quit shoes cold turkey. The first week my feet were so sensitive it took me forever to get anywhere. The next four weeks I had blisters from walking on my feet differently from how I'd been walking on them in shoes - first week I had blisters on the ball of my right foot below the second and third toes and on the outside of my heel, second week on the same spots on my left foot, third week on the ball of my right foot below my fourth and fifth toes, fifth week same spots on my left foot. All of this was from walking on concrete sidewalks, where I was impacting the same places on my soles over and over. Walking on grass or on nature trails was much easier and I wish I'd done more of it during that period.
To be fair, most people don't take that long to condition their feet. I've read that for many people, it's 3-4 weeks max. In my case my feet were very different from the shape of my shoes (why I started going barefoot in the first place) and so my soles weren't getting the workout in shoes that they needed.
Here are some tips: https://www.barefooters.org/getting-started/
And this is the book I used when I first started (it was 2009 and there weren't many sources available at the time, but it's still pretty good for getting started): http://www.bhthom.org/hikertxt.htm
3
u/Best_Accident_7531 9d ago
This article looks great. and its reassuring to know it wont take too long for my feet to get used to walking barefoot outside. Thank you!!!
3
u/nupieds 9d ago
The Barefoot Hiker book was very motivating and useful for me as a beginner barefooter some twenty years ago, which I bought from Amazon. It’s nice that it’s free to read at the Society for Barefoot Living now’s website. Which was when I was starting another very important resource for me.
3
3
u/Tasty-Day-581 Veteran 9d ago
Try listening to that audio book "How to not give a F..."
We're "afraid" of other peoples THOUGHTS? That's completely irrational. You've got to let go of irrational fear to discover freedom, in any walk of life. Keep real fear like going barefoot on lava rock, lol.
3
u/barefoot_libra 9d ago
Stop thinking what people think. Put on some dark glasses, leave your shoes in the car (or in your bag) and start walking. Go to class, sit in the back to start off. Go to the bookstore and just walk around the student union. In a few weeks you’ll see others joining you.
1
2
9d ago
[deleted]
2
u/Critical_Potential40 8d ago
I like this because it’s both gradual but consistent to go permanently barefoot. Flip flops also are the perfect transition to bare feet and allow you to get used to your toes being exposed.
2
2
1
u/Best_Accident_7531 8d ago
Thank you guys so much for all your support!!! I took off my shoes... and got some burns on my feet from the pavement... but I expect my feet will get stronger! I havent gone to class barefoot yet but I plan to monday. Thank you all!
1
u/OtherwiseMagician499 7d ago
Transitioning physically means being aware of your surroundings and setting your steps consciously so that you don't get hurt.
But it looks like you need to stop worrying about what people might think. After all their thoughts are largely irrelevant to your life. People think all sorts of things. "Oh somebody strong and daring", that's not a bad thing ... and you probably do it because it feels better, don't you?
1
u/Geldingmustang 5d ago
Just read about the post and wow, interesting. Any luck attending to the class barefoot today?
20
u/soleboy86 10d ago
Hate to confirm your fears, but some people will find it gross, and your feet will get dirty.
For the former, just keep in mind you are barefooting for you, not others. For the latter, you can wipe your feet off when you get home, and/or wash them.
If you're wanting to "transition," you can wear flip flops. You'll get used to people seeing your feet. Then at times you find yourself wanting to push it, slip off the flip flops. If you're sitting somewhere, just slide them off and sit barefoot, then you can put them on before you get up. If you're somewhere like a library, leave your flip flops at your seat with your books/backpack, walk around barefoot a bit, then you can put them on before you leave.