Polly and CapandGown -- I know this for sure: now that I am an adult and way over 30 I DEEPLY regret not spending my entire childhood and teen years completely barefoot as much as humanly possible, even if it meant arguing with my parents (who would have objected). Do not waste another day. Decide now that if epeople think you're odd, ok; then people think you're odd. No one cares! Please yourself and get rid of those shoes and socks. If you dont, you will regret it later, as I do. ::: wink :::
I feel many of you are still misunderstanding. I don't want to be a 24/7 barefooter, I like to wear socks, I like to wear shoes. I was just seeking advice so that I didn't HAVE to wear shoes and socks 24/7. Like when I'm at home with my family around, I would like to be barefoot like the rest of them.
well capandgown, if you just want to be able to go around the house barefoot, with family around, you must have the internal fortitude to do it, if you do not have that then no amount of encourgement from this forum will help. how about after you shower/bathe or getting ready for bed, do you say goodnight to the parents barefoot? how about when you are awakened for school or do you sleep in socks?
ok, so you are finally settling down to normal over this issue of bare feet. your point is not discarding shoes full-time but just staying barefoot in situations and places where it is perfectly common being such, good, so please grasp this fundamental truth: virtually NO-ONE-CARES-ABOUT-YOUR-FEET. NORMAL DECENT PEOPLE IS BUSY ABOUT HIS OWN BUSINESS AND WON'T INTRUDE IN YOUR PERSONAL SPACE AND CHOICES. this is true most of the times even for hardcore BFers, i mean people traveling barefoot, riding motor cyles barefoot or barefooting on snow. MOST PEOPLE WONT GIVE A DAMN. only a very tiny percentage of population will really notice or give you a hard time, and usually they are screwballs of the worst kind or little children, or both. also, the public is accustomed to seeing some really weird shit like invasive tattoos , piercings by the bucketful, questionable hairdresses and so on, and take all this without a second glance, so go figure who is gonna care in your family or among the public, if you are bf around home or in a place of general looseness like concerts, camps , gatherings or the like. add to this another consideration: under every circumstance, it is strictly YOUR. *******. BUSINESS. it is not that others have the power of making you feel awkward if you are not 'properly' dressed. the one who decides how to feel is, well, you. if you think you re an exhibitionist, then you are. if you think you're not doing this in order to attract attention and you only want to be left alone, then it is perfectly out of place worrying about. but, again, you have control over your mind status, not others. this said ...
I think I understand your issues being barefoot at home. It seems that you feel naked while being barefoot. And nobody wants to be naked with family around. For your family (and most people), bare feet have nothing to do with nudity. Keep that in mind if you want to have the freedom to walk barefoot in youur own garden.
Again, some of you are misunderstanding and some missed out on a large portion of the original post and/or my posts following it. First of all, I know the world doesn't care about my barefeet. I know my family doesn't "care" about my barefeet, but they KNOW that I am not normally barefoot and they have mentioned my lack of being barefoot before so if I CHANGE they will notice it and say something, making a hard thing even harder. I can easily be barefoot on a beach IF my family isn't there. Also, telling me to try to say goodnight to my parents barefoot isn't helping when I ALREADY tried that and ALREADY posted about doing it.
I think you're the one that is missing the point. You're making a huge deal out of literally nothing. Just do it. They probably dont care enough to even notice much less think twice about it.
C&G......you are pretty normal in looks. Do what makes you feel comfortable. Be kind to yourself and don't force yourself to do something that stresses you out. Go bare with people that know and respect your heart and care less about your looks.
I see this... one day I just woke up and it was quite warm, and I thought my feet feel so sweaty in these socks, so I took them off, and left them off. All day! Something I have never done. Try wearing shoes without socks that is what I did, then get yourself some flip flops, I did and I wear them at home alone and at uni. Then I go for a walk, wearing shoes then take my shoes, and possibly socks off if I was not brave enough to go without them and put on my flip flops. Or just take your socks off, and go without socks. Then force yourself, put the socks in a bin, flush them in a toilet or just generally destroy them and u then have to go without socks at least. That is how I am doing it and it is working. Let me know what you think.
Wise words - I couldn't agree more. I didn't start going barefoot until my 30's, and sooo regret not doing it in my earlier years. If I had my time again, I'd do it differently....just go for it. I've been a barefooter for about 8 years and had hardly any negative comments in that time - people really don't care! Just go for it. Good luck Rob
I see a lot of other UK barefooters saying the same thing, and feel incredibly jealous, as I get LOADS of negative comments. To be fair, less so when I have been in cities, than in my home town, so perhaps my home town is just particularly full of unpleasant people?! I get neutral/pleasant comments too, but more often it's chavs shouting "weirdo" or whatever. Not that it has, or ever will, stop me.
I actually read the whole thread before posting (well skimmed some of it as it goes on somewhat) - just agreeing with another poster to try and help you out from my own experiences of being barefoot shy when I was a kid. Folks around here are only trying to help you and give their kind advice with the best of intentions - perhaps you should be thanking people? Am I the only one here who is actually thinking that this is all a massive fuss over nothing, and actually a bit pathetic?? Sorry to be to the point. :argue:
Oh, that's too bad - I really feel for you! I think us Brits are quite reserved and quite laid back. People just don't seem bothered by it.
No, you are not the only one, I feel the same way. All of the positive and meaningful advice is just met up with some form of resistance. With that mindset, change will never happen, and they will continue to spin in circles. :beatdeadhorse5::banghead:
No, I agree with both you and barefoot boy. Theres too many you don't understands and vague re-explainations. I think this is just a way to have a conversation where the people who are trying to positively help are being blown off. Sorry, I have just gotten to that point.