So many of us are caretakers in or way or another. We take care of family, friends, coworkers, pets, acquaintances, and others. But what about us? Who takes care of us? Who spoils us? Usually, no one. So we need to take matters into our own hands and do it ourselves. Buy a little something that makes us feel special. That’s where Clarks Latin Cha Cha thongs come in. They lend a spark to any outfit and put a smile on your face every time you look down at your feet.

She knew she had written down the right address, but after 3 trips around the block she also knew something was wrong. This number did not exist. There was no there there. The sun was going down, the air was heavy and warm, people pushed by and seemed to growl. She wanted this to end. She tried another street, reversed the numbers, anything she could think of to make this end. The day had been long and difficult and she was tired. She started to hyper ventilate. Her hair had come loose and was starting to frizz. Her make-up was long gone and her clothes were sticking to her clammy skin. But her feet…her feet felt great. She looked down at her MBT Habaris and smiled.

Sometimes I want to be someone else. I want to forget who I am, ditch the persona that everyone is familiar with, reject my history. To recreate myself seems a daunting task, but maybe just starting with one small change…something like a pair of shoes that your original self would never consider in a million years. Orthheel’s Seatrek sandal are those shoes. They make me feel like a woman I don’t even know. Smart, confident, relaxed, beautiful, open to anything that comes her way.

Olukai’s motto is “the ocean is what grounds us.”  This manufacturer draws from the ocean to create high quality footwear for those who live in and around the water.  They also are very committed to respecting the environment around them, including the people that they work with.  This comes from their background being in the Polynesian culture, which they strive to preserve and give back to.

Merrell says they make “quality performance footwear” but I think that’s an understatement. The Merrell brand is addictive. Their entire line of shoes answers so many needs it’s scary. They’re great-looking, comfortable, and can take a beating. I’ve never been much of a shoe fiend, but was known to occasionally buy and wear some stupid shoes. Phases? Maybe. But whatever you want to call them, my feet suffered. Soon enough I learned that good looks were not worth the pain associated. Until I discovered my first pair of Merrells, I thought cute, practical, and comfortable couldn’t coexist. But they do. And quite happily, I may add.

If choosing walking shoes is a chore for you, then you're in need of a footwear intervention.  Well, you've lucked out, because that's exactly what you're going to get with this article: pure, unfiltered advice for finding walking shoes that express both "taste" and "comfort" without shouting them.

First, we have to consider what goes into choosing walking shoes that actually deliver the goods.  Here's a quick checklist:

When it comes right down to it, I want to be comfortable. If I’m going to be on my feet, forgetting about my feet is the best gift in the world, No pain, no pinching, no callous, no fatigue. That’s the cake. Make a pair of shoes that does all that and looks good? Looking good is the frosting. Well made? That’s your scoop of double chocolate fudge chunk ice cream. Reasonably priced? Sure, I’d love a cherry. Does such a shoe exist? Yes, it does. Clarks Patty Anne are so comfortable that you forget you’re wearing shoes until you look down at the ground and notice these adorable sandals on your feet. I mean, come on, how can you suppress a smile when you see those stitched flowers looking up at you?

A few years ago, I decided I was going to start walking every day for exercise.  And any doctor will tell you that walking 2-3 miles a day is like eating an apple a day...it keeps the doctor away.

After a couple of days of walking, something stopped me dead in my tracks.  Shin Splints.