Hello, My name is David Johnson. I am a 58 year old Englishman, married and living in Maui, Hawaii. Although Hawaii is home, my heart will always be in the UK, particularly in one corner of South Wales where I lived for almost twenty years.
My life’s path has been a route that has taken me through the early days of computer programming, traveling, living in a Buddhist community, building an ecological house, obtaining a Masters degree in Ecopsychology, marrying and moving to America, participating in community based environmental work, becoming involved with a men’s group, and offering mentoring to the inmates in a local jail. In one way or another each one of these stops along the way represent a passion of mine which together make up a significant part of who I am.
Through all of this I have carried two personality traits that I was unaware of for a good part of my life: I am an introvert and a highly sensitive person. Maybe there are traits in you that you have not yet discovered? Having said that, I do not like to define people by traits. I feel that it is too easy to pigeon hole individuals in ways that are not the whole truth of who they are. Personality traits can inform how we act in and experience the world, but they are also just one aspect of our larger personality, skills and abilities.
Challenges
When we live a life unaware, or that does not embrace an intrinsic aspect of ourselves, traits that could be developed and built upon in a positive way might feel to us as though they are a hindrance. We might feel that there is something wrong with us, when actually we are doing just fine. The result is we often push ourselves to live in ways that don’t work for us, but that we feel we must ‘ought to’ in order to fit in. So it has been for me.
Values
I value being able to live a life that embraces my values and who I am. Of living a life on my terms (while respecting the needs of those around me), which means embracing being courageous and vulnerable. It means stepping into who I am, and accepting what comes my way in doing that - the praise and the criticism.
I value silence, quiet, time to reflect, time to write. I am not a fan of big social occasions, whether they be parties or big professional events (for all my love of Buddhism and its continued importance in my life, living in a Buddhist community was not always easy with the constant flow of visitors).
This website
This website represents an exploration of living a life according to my values. That has been a challenge at times, and continues to be. Where mistakes have been made along the way, I look to learn from them. Successes allow me to step into my power.
If anything here sparks your interest, please do get in touch. My contact details are below.