Barefoot Walking-The book, the science, the fun!

Barefoot walking is contagious!

In their new book, Barefoot Walking, Michael Sandler andJessica Lee explain how a group of serous business people ditched their shoes just by seeing Michael walking barefoot on the sidewalks of New York, to serious business meetings no less!

Today, we start with this story, and it will be the first of many as we peruse the book over the next three weeks. We look forward to having you join us!

From Chapter 2 of Barefoot Walking: “Why Barefoot Is Best” (Don’t we know it!)

Monday, June 6, 2011. Our literary agent, Stephanie, had miraculously planned ten back-to back meetings in one day. To make each meeting on time, we’d have to walk at top speed from one corporate office to the next. But she’d mapped it out well and clocked each leg, so we were well prepared for the challenge

Tromping through Manhattan to our first meeting, however, Stephanie’s feet began to ache. She wasn’t wearing anything overstated or terribly disfiguring on her feet, no stilettos or pointy-toed shoes. Instead, she’d donned a tasteful, open-toed sandal, quite appropriate for late spring meetings with execs, though perhaps a tiny bit too narrow in the toe box.

But as we walked briskly down the city streets and Stephanie watched be go barefoot, she proudly declared: “Oh, what the heck!” and stripped off her shoes.

And her feet came back to life.

First, her feet took to springing, then bouncing, and finally even bounding at times. Fortunately, Stephanie had read our first book, Barefoot Running, and she was a burgeoning yogi, so she was already well practiced in barefoot movement. Even so, she was astounded by how much better her feet were feeling walking barefoot. We felt like kids, playing along the streets of New York. She was giddy with delight.

Into meeting after meeting, both Stephanie and I made our entrance barefoot. It became a topic of conversation among department VPs and senior editors, some of the nicest yet toughest individuals in the city. They were often no-nonsense New Yorkers with strong ideas, traditionally not quick to change. And yet when Stephanie showed up barefoot, they soon found themselves following suit and delightfully stripped off their shoes. It was contagious.

This book is a result of that day….on a day when her feet should have been killing her, Stephanie was delighted to to report, her feet had survived the streets of New York and felt better than ever.  “Why didn’t I think of this sooner?” she asked.