Hate Going Barefoot? 27 Fresh, Alternative Ways To Get You Outside Grounding This Spring

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We just passed the spring equinox here in the northern hemisphere, which means our days are now longer than our nights… woot!

Spring weather usually means folks are more likely to get outside, get active, go on walks, resume hiking and biking and jogging, plant springtime gardens, catch up on yard work, take food outside to eat on picnics… you name it. Getting outside in that fresh air is so very good for you.

And you know what is even better for you than that?

If you can be grounded while doing all of your favorite springtime activities.  And you can be, even without going barefoot.

Grounding has to be the absolutely easiest way to add therapeutic healing to your daily routine: no cost, no stress, no effort, and completely painless… enjoyable, actually!  As  this medical study, published in May 2020 finds — grounding is “a simple, profound lifestyle addition, requiring no effort” yet offers amazing health benefits.

And not only can you literally go outside and get grounded freely any time, but you can also use that time to multitask, adding a an additional healing element to whatever therapeutic daily practices you already have in place to support your health.

Activities like physical therapy, yoga, meditation, exercise, eating, reading, and even just spending time with loved ones, all can be exponentially boosted by doing them outside, grounded.

And even activities that you do daily that are not directly for your health but still must be done, like returning phone calls, working on your lap top, weeding through emails, filling out your weekly planner, scheduling work tasks, even your next zoom meeting can be done outside grounded so that even non-healing activities can actually become healing, therapeutic ones.

So today I wanted to review some ideas of indoor activities that you you are probably already doing that you can take outside — that way you are not adding one single thing to your to-do list, but you are adding immense health benefits from getting grounded!

Pick just one or two of these activities every single day over this week to move outside and I am absolutely certain you will notice the health benefits before this coming weekend.

And rest assured, you can wear shoes, sandals and flip flops this spring and summer and still be powerfully grounded to the earth outside.  I’ve thoroughly tested all of these ideas all for you — confirming with my grounding test meter that even the footware I share with you in this article truly works to ground you.

Let’s get started!

Indoor Activities You Should Take Outside Today

(No Bare Feet Required):

 


 

 

 

1. Do Your Physical Therapy Routine Outside:

 

If your physical therapist has a set of stretches for you to do daily at home, do them outside. Moving your muscles and bones and ligaments and joints while grounded to the earth outside will increase restorative blood flow, bring a boosted oxygen levels to your tissues, and reduce soreness after exertion.

You don’t have to be barefoot — if any stretches require you to place hands or back or knees on the ground, you’ll be grounded through any bare skin — or you can simply hold onto a tree with your hands if your stretch requires standing and you’ll be grounded from head to toe right through your hands.

You can read more about why grounding is so supportive of your muscles and joints in this blog post I wrote for you:


 

 

2. Try This 3 Breath Meditation Outside

 

This meditation is so simple, and it’s perfect to do while you are grounding because it relaxes you into the healing state of connecting to the earth. Especially during times when you feel uncentered, anxious, stressed or in a health struggle with your body… drop the resistance and find your grounded center in just a few breaths.  I know in it I am barefoot, but if you kept shoes on and just allowed your calf or knee to touch the earth in any way (or placed a fingertip on the ground beside you) you would be every bit as grounded as if you were barefoot.

Follow along with me here to reset your body, mind and spirit through this grounded meditation. It’s super simple, it’s just placing a hand on your heart, a hand on your abdomen, dropping your awareness down into your body by closing your eyes, and repeating: “I am at home in my body.”

Three breaths is enough to make a difference in your heart rate, muscle tension, blood pressure, mood and more.

If you want to do this meditation inside, grounded on the organic grounding mat I show you in the video, you can find that here: Organic Grounding Mat


 

 

 

3. Walk A Labyrinth Grounded:

 

In the video I walk this barefoot, but you can also do this with a grounded shoe sticker or grounded footwear on as well!

In this video I take you into my favorite labyrinth and walk you through how powerful it is to ground during this special type of walking meditation.

I’ll also give you different ways to use a labyrinth as well as different ways to create your own — they can be incredibly simple and can be made anywhere just using a piece of chalk! Literally drawing a spiral with a piece of chalk on a sidewalk square, or simply walking up and down a line on your driveway, or using tape to create a line or spiral in your garage, all of these ideas can create a grounded walking meditation path that will literally transform your day.

  • Any cement, sidewalk, concrete surface outside is grounded, so anywhere you can kick your shoes off and walk a line or a spiral on a sidewalk or concrete will get you grounded without ever getting your feet dirty! For example. Walk up and down a sidewalk slowly. Walk back and forth across your driveway slowly. Draw a chalk spiral on your cement basement garage or basement floor to walk on. Or get fancy and use tape to create a labyrinth in your garage or basement on the concrete floor that you can use forevermore! This video shows how you can create a labyrinth out of masking tape, in just minutes.
  • Of course, any dirt path outside would make a fabulous grounded meditation path, just slowly walk it up and back.
  • And if you are lucky enough to have your own yard, you can even spray paint a little spiral on your grass to use it for several days in a row. If you love it you may be inspired to create your very own labyrinth path by laying stones or brick to create a personal labyrinth in your yard or garden. I know this is on my bucket list to do one day!

If you can take ten minutes to do this walking meditation daily — grounded — I believe with my whole heart it can change your perspective on your entire life, fill you with a sense of hope and fresh positivity, and help you feel physically better too.

Watch me walk the labyrinth grounded here.


 

 

4. Start Your Spring Garden:

 

Many folks who embrace grounding are passionate gardeners, and understandably so… because being grounded while working a garden bed outside boosts your health instantly and you can literally feel it.  Gardening is the easiest way I know to ground through your hands and keep your shoes or goulashes safely on your feet, protected and clean!

And even beyond the healing boost of being grounded, it’s actually healing just to be around plants of any kind, even while ungrounded… for example, just seeing a plant through a window or adding a potted plant to a workspace gives documented health benefits!

Read through this article I wrote for you, listing the top 9 perks of gardening and see if it doesn’t inspire even those of us who are non-gardeners to dive into this wonderful activity. From a windowsill garden to a flower bed to a large plot of farmland, gardening is more than a way to grow flowers and food… it’s a lifestyle that can help ensure longevity and health:


 

 

5. Go Bird Watching:

 

More evidence that Mother Nature can boost your happiness like nothing else can… a new study suggests that bird diversity is as important to life satisfaction as an income is. This study found that not only is happiness correlated with local bird diversity, but a 10% boost in bird diversity actually increases happiness to a similar magnitude as a 10% boost in income does!

We’ve known for a while that animals improve our mood, health, and even boost longevity (I’ve blogged about how pets can do all of this and more for you right here) and that plants do much the same (see idea #15, above…) decreasing depression rates, anxiety rates, and dramatically reducing stress.

But even knowing all of that, I still think if you ask most people if they would rather see a couple extra birds today or earn a slightly higher paycheck, most would assume that money would provide more satisfaction.

But this actually isn’t true — click the link below to hop over to a free article I wrote for you telling you the details of this study and how to increase the amount of birds you see and hear:


 

 

6. Take Your Journaling Outside:

 

If your therapist wants you to do journal writing daily, do it outside. If you like to write in a diary, do it outside. If you like to set intentions, or are working on a manuscript, or filling out a dream journal — do all of your writing outside. In fact, anything creative or expressive can be taken up to new levels of releasing and healing when they are done grounded — that’s why plein air painting is so cool!

Drawing, sketching, photography, journaling, writing, even boring tasks like filling out your daily, weekly or monthly planner or grocery list can all be done outside, grounded.

Here is are some blog posts I wrote for you that goes into detail on why grounding allows your soul creativity to soar and any soul wounds to release:


 

 

7. Sip Your Next Glass of Water Outside:

 

If your massage therapist or nutritionist or physician or personal trainer suggests hydrating more, take every single glass of water you drink outside to drink it grounded.

Grounding boosts circulation and will get that beautiful fresh clean water into your body and into your organ systems more quickly, allowing you to rehydrate your beautiful body immediately. As a bonus, hydrating while being grounded outside actually boosts your conductivity too, so it’s win-win!

Here is a video I made for you on how to use the conductive power of water to get grounded:


 

 

8. Exercise Outside:

 

If your 2024 goal is to get more movement and exercise into your life, you can bring almost every exercise outside and get double the benefits.

Not only is excerise great for protecting your lifespan, but doing your next yoga session, or HIIRT round, or next run, outside grounded will add all of the health benefits of grounding to your exercise routine. You can even swim outside grounded and feel amazingly rebooted from head to toe, inside and out, as most in ground pools (as well as the cement surrounding the pool) is grounded.

Here are some articles on why exercising grounded helps you get more bang for your buck:


 

 

 

9. Eat Your Next Meal Outside:

 

We all need to eat to put the nutrients our earth offers us into our body to boost our health… but if you can take your next meal outside and eat it grounded, you just added a therapeutic, anti-inflammatory benefit to time spent enjoying your food.

Grounding helps boost vagal tone and digestive function, decreases inflammation in the gut, increases digestion, peristalsis, absorption and even boosts the circulation of those nutrients all throughout your entire body, so eating grounded is the most natural way to bring nutrition into alignment with your body’s health. Any diet plan can be taken outside to eat in a natural way, grounded.

Here is a free article I wrote for you on the benefit of eating grounded outside:


 

 

 

10. Blow Bubbles Outside:

 

Even more crucial than eating, we all need to breathe the beautiful air that the earth provides. Many of us also find added benefit from intentional breathing practices like meditation. Taking intentional, deep breaths is a wonderful way to decrease stress and increase resiliency to the demands of your day.

Even if you don’t have the time to do the full mediation with me above (in tip #2) just take one or two deep breaths outside.  Even if you don’t meditate, you can still reap the benefits of a few deep breaths taken while grounding outside.

Being grounded supports lung function and boosts oxygenation, so combining grounding with intentional breath work is another one of those win-win relationships that grounding brings to just about everything we do. (Bonus points if you blow bubbles as part of your breath work!)

For more on how breathing supports your health, hop over to read this article I wrote for you with several great ideas on developing an intentional breathing practice that you can do outside, grounded:


 

 

11. Meet Up With Your Friends Outside:

 

If your friend wants to spend time with you, take the initiative and suggest hanging out together outside. Having friends you can connect with is one of the best things you can do to boost happiness and protect your longevity, and connecting with them outside is the best combination of all.

Moving your time spent together outside allows you to get grounded while connecting on a deeper level with your loved ones, and really almost anything you can think of to do inside can be done outside.

From playing a card game, to having a cup of coffee, to sharing a potluck meal, to talking while watching clouds roll by or stars twinkle overhead, to going on a walk together, to sharing a picnic meal… anything you want to do with your friend is better grounded outside.

Medical studies like these show that your mood is boosted by time spent outdoors, so grounding outside while spending time with friends is sure to help that time be even more fun:


 

 

12. Go On An Outdoor Date:

 

If your partner wants a date with you, make sure some component of that date is outside, grounded. Hold hands and both partners will be grounded, or even ground through a kiss! Being outside, especially in the daytime, can even boost libido as it helps balance and regulate hormones.

Here is a recent article I’ve written for you about the power of grounding to enhance your relationship:


 

 

13. Play Outside With Your Kids Today:

 

Carving out time to play with your child in activities that interest them is absolutely crucial to bonding with kids. Play time is important healing time, and you can dramatically boost the healing value of play by taking that activity outside to do it grounded.

From arts and crafts, to sports and activities, to simply having a snack and talking, or reading a bedtime book under the wonder of the nighttime sky. You’ll worry less about any messes you guys make, and you’ll be getting a health boost the entire time. And of course, this includes your fur babies as well, so spend time outdoors with your pets too!

Even something as simple as playing a game of tic-tac-toe with chalk on the sidewalk will ground you and your children through your hands while you are doing it!

Here are some articles I’ve written for you on the power of grounding to enhance your children’s health:

I also have written and published three children books for you so far… you can find these on my website here (or of course on Amazon and anywhere books are sold):

Lastly for more parenting support I have a totally free Parenting eBook for you right here. It has 17 chapters and 159 pages of ideas, concepts, games, suggestions, medical information, intuitive problem solving and uplifting parenting advice that help address health and life in a positive and re-affirming manner for children, including how I inspired my own children to reach for health, even during illness... filling them with the confidence that health is their natural state of being:

Enjoy the precious time you have while your kids are still little enough to want to play with you… soak it in!


 

 

 

14. Take Your Laptop Outside:

 

I challenge you to think of at least one activity you do for work that can actually be done outside.

First of all, anything you get done on your phone for work, from research, reading, posting on social media platforms, marketing, weeding through emails, returning phone calls, returning texts and even your next zoom meeting can all be done outside.

If any part of your work is done on a laptop, all of that can be moved outside as well. In addition, any reading or writing that you do, plus planning or scheduling that you do, can all be done outside.

I make it a point to attend any online  medical conferences outside, so that I’m learning the latest medical advancements while allowing my body time to get grounded. If your boss has catch up work for you to do and you’ll be up late tonight on your laptop, take it outside and at least make this time your body gets to be grounded.

Here are some additional articles on the power of grounding to reduce work stress:


 

 

15. Ground Through Your Hands: Grounding Hiking Stick

 

Keep your feet protected inside your hiking boots, sneakers, favorite orthotics, etc… and simply ground directly through your hands while using this gorgeous, solid wood, artisan hand crafted walking stick.

Touch copper button on top of handle or any part of the copper wrap at the top of the handle with even one fingertip and your body is instantly grounded from head to toe — every single part of you!  Hand made by a Master Carpenter right here in the USA, using all natural materials, solid wood, even recycled copper — no two are the same and each are a work of art!

A great way to be able to wear protective walking or hiking shoes — even orthotics — and still be grounded, as well as those who are avid outdoor explores that like to carry a hiking stick. It’s also the best solution for those that want to be grounded on long car rides — pull over and walk or sit with the grounding stick every hour or two on your journey to release stress and boost circulation.

Simply use stick to touch the earth near you and get grounded from head to toe right through your hands.

Snag your grounded custom hand made walking stick right here to set yourself up for a summer full of easy grounding. 


 

16.  Ground Through A Grounding Cane

 

New item!   Those who have mobility issues and can’t go barefoot are often those of us are the ones that need to be grounded most of all.  If you like the support of a cane and want to be grounded at the same time, you can keep your comfy shoes or orthotics on, even stay seated in a wheelchair and simply by holding onto the cane, your body is instantly grounded from head to toe — every single part of you!

Hand made by an artisan in Ireland, this grounding cane is perfect for anyone who likes to use a cane to walk, to stand, and even  for those in a wheelchair or scooter (which keeps them up off the earth, ungrounded.)  Simply stay seated and use the grounding cane to touch the ground when you are stable on an earth’s surface outside — effortlessly putting your body into a healing state through your hands instead of your feet.

Cane is extremely lightweight and easy to carry.

Find yours right here.


 

 

17. Create Your Own Walking Stick: DIY Grounding Kit

 

To easily ground right through your hands as you are outside exploring Mother Earth, you can simply hold onto a conductive walking stick and it’s every bit as good as going barefoot — maybe even better as it definitely is a safer way to ground.

I have grounding hiking sticks and grounding canes (shown above) but f you prefer to make your own, or you already have a favorite cane or hiking stick you would like to convert into a grounding one, you can grab a DIY kit to transform any cane, stick — heck even a broom handle — into a conductive walking stick that will ground you from head to toe without you ever needing to touch the earth directly.

Keep your feet well protected in their hiking shoes and think hands instead!

Grab your DIY kit here.


 

 

 

18. Ground Any Shoe: Grounding Shoe Stickers

 

I can’t think of much more eco-friendly option than to simply continue to use shoes you already own.

And if you love them, and they support your foot function best, why not convert your favorite pair of sneakers, running shoes, hiking shoes, or even sports cleats into grounding shoes? A grounding sticker is the way to go.

Grounding shoe stickers even work on flip flops and sandals!!!  Easy as putting on a sticker, because that is literally what it is, but made with a special adhesive to stay securely on your shoe (or flip flop) permanently.

The sticker is fully conductive and runs the grounding energy from the earth beneath you up and around your shoe and into the sole of your shoe where your feet are. By touching the sticker, you bypass the rubber sole entirely and are basically standing barefoot on the ground, conductively speaking.

I can’t even feel these stickers on my shoes.

Find them here.


 

 

 

19.  Add Shoe Grounders To Shoes You Already Have:

 

I love the grounding shoe stickers featured above, but there are times when you don’t want a sticker applied to your shoe, or you want to be able to transfer your shoe grounder to other shoes, or you have a work boot or other style shoe that a grounding shoe sticker would not work with.

Here is your solution.  Works with any shoe you already own.

Just slip on the shoe grounder over the sole of the shoe and slide the grounding ribbon into the footbed –now you are ready to conduct the grounding energy from the earth beneath you up and around your shoe, into the sole of your shoe where your feet are.

It’s as if you bypassed the rubber sole entirely and are standing barefoot on the ground.

Perfect for use during outdoor activities such as walking, hiking, running, jogging, tai chi, yoga, playing outdoor sports, strength training and more, as grounding enhances recovery after intensive exercise and decreases wear and tear on the body.

Find  your reusable, adjustable shoe grounders here.


 

Me wearing my Groundz sandals

 

20. Wear grounding sandals: Groundz

 

I’m so impressed with Groundz and wanted to showcase their gorgeous sandal style shoes. These sandals are my warm weather staple — so soft and comfortable that these are my go to every day shoes.

Wearing open toed shoes whenever possible is extremely important for your foot alignment (and subesquently, for the health of your knees, hips and back over a lifetime!) so I typically reach for sandals or flip flops instead of a closed toe shoe whenever weather permits.

Groundz uses sustainably sourced and eco-friendly leather and goatskin throughout the sandals, chrome-free, water based and nontoxic vegetable dyes (very impressive) and a copper plug that is so comfortable I literally can not feel it. It’s so comfortable I had to check and double check that I was actually grounded in them — and yep, I am, every time!

They are also so beautiful I would want to wear them every single day even if they were not grounding me! And because I am a physician nerd, the cute little Copper Element tag on the top of my sandals make me smile every single time I slip them on.

Find your grounded sandals here.


 

 

21. Wear grounded slip on shoes: Raum

 

Ethically made, individually hand crafted leather shoes that are minimalist in design and come in closed toe slip on designs in tons of colors, for both men and women.

Raum shoes have a zero-drop sole made from a porous water buffalo leather. The sole is made extra conductive by absorbing the earth’s moisture and your perspiration. In addition, a copper metal grommet located behind the ball of your foot at the KD 1 pressure point provides maximum conductivity to ground your body.

I particularly appreciate that these shoes are hand sewn, because most shoes on the market are simply glued or cemented together, not hand stitched. So your feet mold into the leather over time to create an amazing level of comfort that brings you back into alignment with how your foot feels and functions best.

If you are looking for a slip on shoe that is minimalist in design (read: a non-cushioned footbed that allows feet to stay in their natural alignment) in a large selection of colors, then you want Raum shoes.

Find your grounded loafers here.


 

 

22. Wear grounding runners: Bahe

 

Bahe is one of the newest grounded sneaker system to hit the market, fully vegan shoes that use recycled and plant-based materials for high performance and low environmental impact. They prioritize plant-based solutions that deliver optimum performance — read: cushioned comfort for your foot while still grounding you.

The outsole is made from 65% natural rubber from the hevea brasiliensis tree to reduce micro-plastic shedding, combined with a EVA midsole infused with 5% sugarcane. The footbed is 72% corn-based foam. To further reduce plastic use, the laces are made from organic cotton. The upper and lining both feature 30% recycled polyester, providing light weight, breathable performance.

Find your grounding sneakers right here.


 

 

23. Wear grounding socks:

 

If you wear a grounding shoe sticker or any of the grounding shoes above, you’ll be grounded the moment you slip your bare foot into the shoe and stand outside on the earth.

But what if you like to wear socks?

Almost every sock manufactured on this planet will block the grounding flow from the grounded shoe because almost all socks have synthetic, non-conductive fibers or are too thick to allow grounding contact.

But it’s truly no problem to wear a sock with a grounding shoe or grounding shoe sticker, you just have to make sure it is a conductive sock.  Luckily there are tons of beautiful socks made with conductive materials that will ground you instantly.

I’ve got three styles for you to consider:

Each sock utilizes silver fibers throughout every inch of the sock, so the entire sock is conductive from top to bottom.  By wearing a conductive sock with your grounding footwear, your entire sock will instantly encase your entire foot and ankle immediately in grounding energy, which will then powerfully ground your entire body from head to toe.

Silver fibers also provide shielding benefits by encasing your ankles and feet in a Faraday Cage — an exciting additional protective element if you tend to suffer with foot or ankle issues that won’t heal!


 

 

24. Improve your foot alignment with toe alignment socks:

 

My feet instantly relax with these socks on, and as a bonus not only will the improve the health and alignment of your feet but they will also allow you to ground at the same time, thanks to the fact that your toes are still bare and ready to connect with the earth outside or a grounding mat while grounding indoors.

I slip these on and stand on my front sidewalk when my feet have been cramped inside of shoes all day at work and feel instant relief. At the end of a long day, these are almost as good as a nice foot massage from a loved one.

Almost.

I always smile when I pack up an order that someone has placed for these toe alignment socks and some magnesium lotion to go along with them — it’s just the sweetest little duo and I always imagine how good the recipient is going to feel after working some magnesium lotion onto their feet and slipping into these socks.


 

 

25. Prep your body for better conductivity:

 

I’m asked all the time: Is there anything I can do to enhance grounding?

And the answer is YES! There are several things you can do to make your body even more conductive and ready to ground:

  • stay well hydrated
  • correct any mineral deficiencies
  • remove dead skin from your body
  • and have well moisturized skin.

In the human body, conductivity requires two things: water and electrolytes. This creates an electrolytic solution that can pass the flow of an electric potential from cell to cell to cell, spreading instantly throughout your entire body.

If you are dehydrated or mineral depleted, you decrease your body’s conductivity.

So, to help you enhance your body’s natural conductivity and get you as connected as possible to the earth outside, I’ve pulled together 6 of my favorite products that will have your grounding sessions more powerfully healing than ever before.  A dry brush, foot file, mineral lotion, toe alignment socks, physical sun protective travel powder, and all natural non-toxic cedar oil bug spray — and there you have it… everything you need to make grounding outdoors the most wonderfully powerful, connected, conductive, safe and healing experience possible.

Even if you have been grounding faithfully for a lifetime, this collection of items I have personally curated for you will give anyone’s grounding practice a wonderful boost.

Grab your summer kit before they sell out here. 


 

 

26. Keep more ideas right at your fingertips:

 

For more awesome year round grounding tips, you’ll want to grab the ultimate guide to grounding outside, no matter where you live or what the temperature is.

I’ve filled this book with my very best ideas to get you inspired to head outside in the hottest and coldest seasons, no matter if you live in a city or have any green spaces around you or not… you can get grounded naturally to the earth and I’ll be right there with you, showing you how:

The Earth Prescription

 

I have signed copies waiting for you right here… or find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, New Harbinger, and anywhere books are sold!


 

 

 

27. Need more motivation?

 

Grab a pen and paper to test your foot health:  A Quick Way To Know If You Are Going Barefoot Enough

  • Want to know if you are getting enough barefoot time?
  • If your feet are properly aligned?
  • If the alignment of your foot is giving you knee, hip and back pain?
  • If the shoes you are wearing causing foot issues?
  • And how can you reverse damage shoes have caused your feet?

With the two very simple tests that I demonstrate for you in the video above, you can test your own feet right now and you’ll know the answer to all of these questions!

This exercise is extremely eye opening, and you can do it in less than 2 minutes, so I highly encourage you to give it a try right now.

Watch the video right now to find out.


You get the picture!

 

Add your own ideas to this list — include all your hobbies too!

  • Play an instrument? Take it outside.
  • Like to play chess? Do it outside.
  • Have a pet? Play with them outside.
  • Like embroidery? Take it outside.
  • Doing something boring like meal planning for the week? Do it outside.
  • Love to read? Do it outside.
  • Perfecting a handstand? Do it outside.
  • Love listening to music? Listen to it outside.

Run through your entire day from start to finish and decide what can be taken outside. Even if it is simply to start and end each day drinking a big glass of water outside — oh my goodness that’s PERFECT.

Almost anything you can think of to do — from fun and games, to connecting with friends and family, to eating and hydrating, to exercising and physical therapy, to yoga and meditation, to journaling and creating, to getting work done…

…you can do it all while in the healing state of grounding. Let’s do this!

xoxox,

Laura Koniver, MD

 

PS — is it turning colder instead of warmer where you live?

Read my winter grounding guide, filled with winter shoes and other cold weather grounding tips, right here: Grounding Outside In The Cold