Now that Spring is upon us in the Northern hemisphere, it's time for me and many other people who like to feel a little bit more connected to the Earth in our modern lives. I walk barefoot as much as I can, so I'd like to share some advice with you in case you would like to try it for yourselves. It surely is a good way to reconnect to our humanity, I'd go as far as saying it is #solarpunk to design spaces to be barefoot-friendly.

Here's one thing I can not stress enough:
Walk on the balls of your feet, not the heel. That way, your weight gets distributed in a way that keeps your feet more flexible and your toes will spread out against the ground, providing a better grip.
Apart from that, it's just our natural way of walking and a lot better for your back, and you can train yourself to do it even when you're wearing shoes.
You can take this as far as pulling up your heels as you're striding, as though you were wearing high heels.

If the tendons in your knees are healthy, keep your knees very slightly bent. It is a human reflex to bend our knees if we step on something sharp, and while shoes discourage our legs from doing so, you can really avoid getting hurt if you do this while walking barefoot.

Use your toes to read the ground. Sense whether it is sloping up or down. This takes some training, but it prevents you from having to always check the terrain in front of you.

When descending stairs, you can use your toes to "grab" the edge of the stair for a better grip. Keep the soles of your feet close to the ground when running.

On difficult terrain, walk with your ankles close to each other, then push your feet outward and try to land on the outer edge. This will provide you with a more secure step.

Another thing you can do, for example when it's cold, is to clasp your toes together tightly. Don't walk in snow for extended periods of time or you will risk frost burn. Our feet are not made for this, nor are our legs. Instead, use "barefoot shoes" or kevlar socks if you can afford them.

Sand, stone, and asphalt are good. Lawn / grass is good, too, but watch out for twigs, thistles, stinging nettles, and insects like bees and wasps. If snakes or scorpions are an issue where you live, be aware that you are without protection. If you're standing in one spot for an extended period of time, be wary that ants and ticks will be more encouraged to climb up your legs than if you're wearing shoes.

Gravel is okay. Try to avoid grit and crushed stone. Be very careful on mud, because slipping can hurt your toes very badly and there's always a chance you might step on sharp objects if you sink in.

Walking barefoot in the summer rain feels great but keep in mind that your feet have slightly less grip on most urban terrain than shoes do. Be careful on moving ground like escalators or the bendy part of buses and trams.

Wash your feet when you get home, and lotion up the parts that have been in contact with the ground. That way, you will develop a healthy callus layer that will protect your feet while not looking ugly. Take care of your toenails as well.

It will take a few weeks but your feet will stop hurting after long walk, become a lot (!) stronger and more flexible / adaptable, and over time, even if you step on a glass shard, it will probably not pass through the callus layer of your skin.

If you've got something stuck to the sole of your foot and you don't know what it is, softly brush against the top of your other foot - the skin on top of your feet is very sensitive and you'll know whether you can just brush it off or have to sit down and pick it off using your fingers.

If you're bleeding, don't panic - our feet are well supplied with blood, which means that it will bleed a lot at first (cleaning out the wound) but in most cases the wound will close fast and you can just keep on walking, but be sure to properly clean and disinfect it once you get home.

Always carry a pair of socks and shoes in your bag if you're going on an extended trip.