June Goal: 30 Days of Earthing

Another thirty day challenge is behind me, or should I say beneath me? June marked my sixth consecutive month of completing (or attempting to complete…last months workout challenge missed the mark by four days) a different thirty day challenge (February got a deal with twenty-eight days).

A quick re-cap—

January Challenge: 30 different Hikes in 30 days

February Challenge: 28 days of Yoga practice

March Challenge: 30 different Beaches in 30 days

April Challenge: 30 days of Breathwork and Meditation (not documented on the Blog yet)

May Challenge: 30 days of Working Out (also not documented on the Blog yet)

The first half of 2023 has been Mountain, Mat, Marine, Mindful, and Muscle. June caps it off with Mother Earth…

June Challenge? 30 Days of Earthing or Grounding. This was a concept that was new to me in terms of realizing there were benefits, not new in terms of realizing this was how I spent the first half of my life. I was coming back to an old friend, an old habit and way of life that I had forgotten about. So, if like I was, you are unsure what the official definition of Earthing is, please check out Earthing

I knew what the feeling of Earthing (well, we didn’t call it that when I was a kid) meant to me. But I didn’t know all the science-y, smarty pants research and theories, and medicinal health stuff. After this past month, I’m a little more science-y (only a little) and even more on the feelings.

Basically I was barefoot all June, which is the perfect way to kick start summer. This month took me back to childhood. I was always barefoot. How about you? Even though I lived in a place with seasons when I was growing up, no shoes seemed to be the norm. How else could you run faster, grow callouses on the bottom of your feet, and really experience the carefree sensations of being a kid? There’s absolutely nothing that can compare to the feeling of blades of grass between your toes, climbing barefoot onto the swings or monkey bars. Or what about going down that hot metal slide at the height of summer with no layer of protection between your skin and the humid Georgia baked layers of warmth on your favorite slide at your favorite park. Baked Barefeet was the life of this Georgia raised kid. Somehow, I hadn’t thought about how much of my childhood was spent without shoes until I started this thirty day Earthing Challenge.

I didn’t do any sliding on slides and call it Earthing, but I was barefoot more than usual this month and I did walk, and sit, and relax, and rest with my feet connected to the soil, sand, grass, dirt, and leaves around my neighborhood, parks, and favorite beaches.

So why barefoot? And why is this a challenge? Well, as I was doing my Meditation and Breathwork Challenge in April, I became aware of another way people are finding balance and harmony in their body. I watched a movie called The Earthing Movie and this got me thinking about giving it a try for a future thirty day challenge. And anything you practice with consistency, is challenging in this modern world.

Earthing, as I understand it, is a way of recalibrating your energy. The Earth is like a giant battery and people can get re-charged from the Earth. I think I have overly simplified it, but good things are in the Earth and we can absorb those good things when we practice Earthing. Put those bare feet, hands, legs, bodies on the surface of the Earth and good things will happen. Simple. Free. Fun. Beneficial.

Did it work? Yes.

During the course of the month, I found myself sleeping better. I felt calmer and more relaxed on days that I spent more time Earthing. I didn’t take any scientific measurements. The folks that I read about in the Earthing book by Clint Ober did all the science stuff. I stuck to feet on, field work. Meaning, I don’t know if I lowered my risk for disease, boosted my immunity, or cured any unknown ailments…but I felt better and that is something.

I definitely felt best when I practiced Earthing while walking barefoot down some of the gorgeous beaches of O’ahu. You don’t have to convince me that there is something magical in the sand and ocean here. I’m sure of it. It’s why surfers can’t get enough of surfing. Why sun worshipers can spend hours on end soaking up those rays with their toes in the sand. The more time I spent re-connecting myself to the ground, it all made sense. These days people typically spend so much time indoors, in tall buildings, in cars…basically anywhere except where our toes can be free in the sand or where our feet can run free through the grass. Those perks generally only come to those who are lucky enough to have jobs like a Life Guard or Gardner. Or the job of eternal kid in the summer. That’s the job I’m preparing my resume for.

Making time in my day to be barefoot outside was a joy and a gift. It was great to feel like a kid…with my kid. We rolled down grassy hills. We went sledding on cardboard boxes. We swam. We played at the beach. We walked. We ran. We skipped. We danced. We laughed. Barefoot became our new normal and Earthing was what started it.

Barefoot and free.

This June Earthing Challenge was not physically taxing like my May Workout Challenge was, but it brought me to a headspace I needed to be in after a crazy past year of surgery, homeschooling, home renovations, moving…and I’m sure more to come (that’s life right?). It was nice to have thirty days (and let’s keep it going past that) of being barefoot and free in the summer in Hawaii. What a way to be. I’m so lucky. This was the perfect challenge to prepare for my next thirty day challenge…you (and I both) will be DELIGHTED to see what July has to offer…