I never understood what my husband did to the path toward the tool shed in our garden. Because the path was rather soggy after a period of rain, he decided to use (large pieces of) broken rooftiles to make it easier to use that path.

Did I say easy? Indeed, very easy to sprain you ankle while walking there…

But then I started walking barefoot a few weeks ago.

I have to admit, the first time I used this path, it really did hurt. But yesterday, I surprised myself when I passed there again barefoot!
Of course I did feel the unevenness of the substrate, but where that unevenness always made it difficult to keep my balance when walking there shod, I hadn’t any problem barefoot.

Indeed, where I first thought that the most important aspect of ‘transitioning’ would be toughening my soles, I now realize it's something different:

When I walked on this path unshod on that first day of transition to barefoot running, I was very tense, and only used a small part of my feet to walk on. I was more tiptoeing over that path than walking. But yesterday I just relaxed, let my soles mold over the pieces of tile, and thus I spread my weight over a larger surface. Walking wasn’t painful anymore like it was on that first day, but it also was much easier to keep my balance, unlike while walking there shod 

I am impressed you've adapted so quickly. You're a quick learner.

Thanks for sharing the story. I still remember the first time i walked unshod over gravel (and that looks even rougher) and thought it incredibly painful. It really does get better, folks weren't lying!