The latest Sweet Collective Workout (for which I deeply apologize for being late in accomplishing) for #ENDURE asks the questions: How did others react when you began sharing your experience? What do you ENDURE that you feel you can easily share with and explain to others, or do you find it difficult to share your journey? How do you approach talking about commitments to change or improve your life? Do you feel others are accepting of your commitment to change, or find your ideas "crazy"? So without further adieu, here are my answers:
How did others react when you began sharing your experience? If we're talking about making the switch from conventional, padded, high-heeled shoes to minimalist shoes, most people were skeptical and baffled. Most people at the time didn't understand why I thought minimalist shoes were such a good idea for me. They were baffled at the appearance of shoes with toes for sure. (Although many people are still occasionally confounded with the look of VFFs.) There were many questions as to why, which I tried to answer with the best reasons that I had: Because they strengthen your feet. They're good for your posture. They make you walk/run better. Because my back no longer hurts when I walk while wearing them!
What do you ENDURE that you feel you can easily share with and explain to others, or do you find it difficult to share your journey? I do not find it difficult in the least to share my journey. I love to share my story. I lived with a lot of pain before I switched to minimalist footwear. My feet hurt with plantar fasciitis and my back hurt with every step when I walked in conventional shoes with a positive heel. When I switched to minimalist footwear, my feet got stronger and the PF finally had a chance to heal. My back stopped hurting with every step. Because my heels were level with my forefoot, my posture straightened out and my back wasn't carrying any unnecessary load. I thought they were miraculous!
How do you approach talking about commitments to change or improve your life? Very simply: conventional shoes hurt me, minimalist footwear does not. When the choice is living with pain or without it, it's a very simple choice for me.
Do you feel others are accepting of your commitment to change, or find your ideas "crazy"? Some people still find wearing minimalist footwear difficult to accept because they don't 'look' like regular shoes. Whether or not other people accept my choice doesn't really bother me. I know what works for me and realize that it may not work for everybody. Ultimately, it's my choice and I wholeheartedly believe it was one of the best things I have ever done to improve my life.
