Barefoot Shyness??

Hello everybody, I'm new around here, however I have been reading the forum for a while. My problem is that I have barefoot shyness, as you read it. I'm always shy yo be barefoot in public, and more if there are people that I know. This happends to me also with flip flops. I really want to become a barefooter, but I need to get over this shyness. What can you recommend to this willing barefooter?
Bye.

 

me too

I also have a real fear of stubbing toes and getting a nail ripped off..it happened once when I was small

 

I cant get my shoes on right now.. cant find them either..

 

i call it common fuckin sense

but hey
to each their own

 

hehe sometimes Im shy to shoes my fat pinky toes..lol!

 

who cares what people think about your feet..even when people look at them they probably won't be hating on you in their mind. they are feet, everyone has them. just chill

 

Barefooters can roughly be devided into two types, the ones who have been barefoot all their lives and the ones who have overcome foot shyness. I belong to the last group. I have still a tiny bit of foot shyness but that makes it more exciting for me.

 

This coming from a homosexual?? Jeez I know I'd rather be taking my shoes off!!

 

I'm of that kind, too... my inital fears were of the "oh god, what will the people think" kind... it helped me a great deal to be part of an alternative youth scene in the early 1980s, where many people went barefoot in summer, and therefore I wasn't alone doing so. That helped buidling my barefoot self-esteem when I was about 14 years old.

And from there on, I just did it, so to speak, and have grown into a sort of "in-your-face" barefooter, meaning, I don't hide my bare feet, I even amplify their looks by wearing anklets, toe rings and paint a few toe nails in glittery colors. People tend to stare at me anyways, so I just give them something more to look at.

If you have friends who like barefooting, too, best get together with them, and walk barefoot as a group of people. That helps a great deal. And make sure to come here often, since we certainly encourage barefooting and are happy and willing to share knowledge and help.

Wiggling happily bare toes, encouragingly,

~*Ganesha*~

 

Ha! My friends (and girlfriend) would rather jump off a building than walk barefoot in public so I'm on my own haha.

 

toes so free acorns so round
I plant my feet on the ground
my toes so wet in the dewy grass
wearing shoes, can kiss my ass
and if you cant get this poems point
im butt ass naked smoking a joint..

 

I'm one of those who stuggled with barefoot shyness for years. My guess is that I was uncomfortable social wise as a youth. I was quite jealous of those who did and acted like it didn't seem to bother them one bit. Being seen barefoot out in public would be drawing attention to myself, quite a challenge for me. Over the years, it got easier. Wearing flip flops made it much easier because your feet are just as exposed, the only thing one must do is kick them off. I found the final step to be an easier one.

 

your experience makes couple with my own one. once when a child i wanted to go around barefoot but i was so shy about that because of education that i simply couldn't help. i went green in the face with frustration watching the rare barefoot kids going around iin and out of dirt and puddles while i could not even dare to think about imitating them. i guess it takes a long time getting rid of social pressure and psychological conditioning that family, school and church nailed deep in your super ego when small .

 

So you think it is a matter of time so I can become a barefooter? I really wish to be barefoot around others and become one of you.

 

So you think it is a matter of time so I can become a barefooter? I really wish to be barefoot around others and become one of you.




I hope that I didn't misrepresent myself here, it's just that I am a lot more comfortable exposing my feet now instead of back when I was a teen. Sure I still prefer wearing flipflops instead of barefeet sometimes to avoid looks or stares. All that I can say is that my condidence level is greater because I was able to find a way to expose my feet to the world and at the same time, be shod.

 

It's a matter of time in combination with growing courage. Just waiting and letting time passing by won't help you very much! Build it up in small steps, start walking around in your neighborhood (with the dog for instance), try the park on a sunny day (more people will have bare feet or flip flops). It's a process, I've been there too! (belonging to the second group, having overcome shyness). And most important: enjoy being barefoot. Act confidently, and your confidence will grow!

 

I think overcoming shame was the key for me. I realize now that my parents used to try to make me feel ashamed that I wasn't wearing any shoes during the Summer, I remember having to get permission to go barefoot during my youth and I remember my father laying a guilt trip on me if I was barefoot. My advice to you is to give yourself permission to shed those shoes and go barefoot anywhere your heart desires and don't worry what people think. Just like with everything else, people will get used to seeing you with bare paws!

 

it takes a lot of personal will to get "out there" barefoot because of how we are all brought up + nobody does it anymore. Even the jump from flipflops to totally bare feet can be huge because, again, nobody does it and we are pack animals. All I can say is if the pleasure of going barefoot for you is more than the anxiet you just have to push yourself to do it and over time the fear does go down. Everybody is different and has different times for getting used to it. I enjoy being barefoot and you just have to forget about other people. Unless they open their mouths you're never know what they thinking anyway. What's it to you? You have as much right to live your life as "they' do. GO FOR IT

 

@willingbarefooter - hey man, start small. like walk out to the mailbox barefoot or to take the trash out, perhaps when it is dark so that way you'll still be barefoot but kinda "hidden" from peoples view. as you get more comfortable, try it during daylight. keep doing small things and before long you'll be barefooting without a second thought.peace and good luck,bob

 

Good advice TXbarefooter, that's exactly what I did.