I've tested this with a voltmeter.
You can ONLY ground yourself when walking barefoot on grass or
sticking a metal rod in the ground and connecting to it.
You CANNOT ground barefoot on sand, dirt, concrete or asphalt.
You CAN ground yourself WITH shoes on by touching or holding to a plant, branch, or tree.
Might be a dumb question but would being in the Ocean have a similar effect?
Electricity flows better in wet ground than dry, and salty ocean conducts electricity especially well. That's why everyone gets out of water when thunderstorms are getting close. Better than walking barefoot on grass is morning dew on grass or after the rain, but even better is to go swimming or surfing. Salty water conducts better than fresh water. You've got a great lifestyle! Hours of grounding at a time when surfing.
Makes sense! Thanks for explaining so well.