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I was gifted a pair of Doc Martens for my birthday in 2019. given my propensity for not buying shoes, and wearing the few I have until they’re naught but crumbs of rubber and fabric, they immediately became the only shoes I wore (barring formal events) right up until this month, in 2024.
I was hesitant when I first put them on, recalling all the talk online about how annoying and painful it is to break in a pair of Docs. I’d watched a few videos in preparation, but when I put them on… they were fine. it really didn’t hurt all that bad. I was careful to wear thick socks each time I wore them, so no blisters or sore spots, and the leather really wasn’t as hard and inflexible as everyone was saying. so, I continued to wear them nearly every day of my life for 5 straight years. I had one or two other shoes for when I needed another option, but by and large, if I was putting shoes on, it was the Docs. I loved them. I still do! they're super sturdy, look great, and they never hurt my feet.
well, I got a job recently, one that requires me to walk a little bit. it's a 15-20ish minute walk depending on how spirited my stride is but because of my horribly out-of-shape body, going from walking 0 minutes a day to 30-40, and having to stand for 7 straight hours in between, my feet started to hurt terribly bad. as loathe as I was to do it, I had to go out and buy a pair of sneakers with cushioning and proper arch support.
poof! foot pain gone entirely! not only that, but the rest of my legs that were caught in the crossfire and often got sore by the end of the day also stopped hurting! suddenly that 15-20 minute walk became no big thing at all. standing at work is still mildly uncomfortable but way less so than before. I find myself wanting to walk more, and to go outside more, and my earlier propensity to sit around inside all day is replaced with a restless desire to go and stretch my legs sometimes.
a week or so ago I went out to run some errands with my roommate and, out of habit, put my Docs on instead of the sneakers. instantly, the discomfort and foot pain returned. we weren't even walking too far, but it was enough, I was nearly limping by the time we got back. it made me wonder... was I always in this much pain? was I just so used to the feeling that it didn't register as discomfort to me? it feels nearly unbearable now, yet I never even noticed it before.
anyway, I think there's a pretty blatant analogy in there for something. just thought it would be fun to write out.
I was hesitant when I first put them on, recalling all the talk online about how annoying and painful it is to break in a pair of Docs. I’d watched a few videos in preparation, but when I put them on… they were fine. it really didn’t hurt all that bad. I was careful to wear thick socks each time I wore them, so no blisters or sore spots, and the leather really wasn’t as hard and inflexible as everyone was saying. so, I continued to wear them nearly every day of my life for 5 straight years. I had one or two other shoes for when I needed another option, but by and large, if I was putting shoes on, it was the Docs. I loved them. I still do! they're super sturdy, look great, and they never hurt my feet.
well, I got a job recently, one that requires me to walk a little bit. it's a 15-20ish minute walk depending on how spirited my stride is but because of my horribly out-of-shape body, going from walking 0 minutes a day to 30-40, and having to stand for 7 straight hours in between, my feet started to hurt terribly bad. as loathe as I was to do it, I had to go out and buy a pair of sneakers with cushioning and proper arch support.
poof! foot pain gone entirely! not only that, but the rest of my legs that were caught in the crossfire and often got sore by the end of the day also stopped hurting! suddenly that 15-20 minute walk became no big thing at all. standing at work is still mildly uncomfortable but way less so than before. I find myself wanting to walk more, and to go outside more, and my earlier propensity to sit around inside all day is replaced with a restless desire to go and stretch my legs sometimes.
a week or so ago I went out to run some errands with my roommate and, out of habit, put my Docs on instead of the sneakers. instantly, the discomfort and foot pain returned. we weren't even walking too far, but it was enough, I was nearly limping by the time we got back. it made me wonder... was I always in this much pain? was I just so used to the feeling that it didn't register as discomfort to me? it feels nearly unbearable now, yet I never even noticed it before.
anyway, I think there's a pretty blatant analogy in there for something. just thought it would be fun to write out.
