focus – Page 4 – Allan Johnson, PhD

Psychologist Carl Rogers’ Three-Step Formula to Finding Joy Every Day

Posted on June 2, 2024July 20, 2024 by Allan Johnson in wellbeing

What does it mean to live the ‘good life’? Is it about having a big house, the right job, the freedom of time and the energy to pursue your own goals? Our culture gives us many misleading messages about how to find happiness. More often than not, the things we think will make us happy once we get them that turn out to be false promises. We tend to subconsciously believe that happiness is only something that is possible in the future: we can only be happy when we’ve got that promotion, when we’ve gone on holiday, when we’ve completed that creative project. However, the influential American psychologist Carl Rogers encourages us to look at the good life in a slightly different way.

Rogers was a pioneering American psychologist and one of the founders of humanistic psychology, a school of thought that emerged in the mid-20th century. Humanistic psychology emphasises people’s inherent striving for self-actualization and creativity. Born in 1902, Rogers developed his theories at a time when behaviourism and psychoanalysis were the predominant paradigms in psychology. He believed that these approaches were too deterministic and didn’t take into account the subjective experience of the individual.

Rogers’ most important contribution is the development of client-centred therapy, also known as person-centred therapy. This approach is based on the idea that individuals have extensive resources at their disposal to understand themselves and change their self-concepts, attitudes, and behaviours. The role of the therapist is to create a supportive environment in which the client can discover these resources. Rogers set out his views on what constitutes the good life in his influential book On Becoming a Person. In it, he identifies three indicators of a good life, or more specifically, three steps in a process of how to achieve a good life.

An increasing openness to experience

The first step Rogers describes in finding the good life is cultivating an increasing openness to experience. As we explore new opportunities and possibilities, learn new things and create new projects, we realise how limiting and static vision of the future had been. It’s not that future plans are inherently bad; rather, our future plans tend to create a single monolithic vision of what happiness can look like for us. This singular focus can blind us to the myriad ways we can experience joy and fulfilment in the present moment.

Openness to experience means allowing the full range of our thoughts and feelings without denying or distorting them. It means being receptive to new experiences and perspectives and being willing to change and grow. This openness allows us to recognise the subtlety of sensations and feelings that arise in different contexts. By becoming more open, we begin to realise that the good life isn’t a destination, but a journey that requires constant learning and adaptation.

Increasingly existential living

The second step on the journey to the good life that Rogers points out is the increasing awareness of the existential nature of our lives. This concept may seem abstract, but it essentially means that we become more aware of the nature of our experiences. It’s about recognising how our inner emotional world interacts with our outer environment and understanding that we play a role in shaping both.

Existentialisation refers to the process of becoming more attuned to our existence and taking more responsibility for our lives. This involves recognising our freedom of choice and the responsibility that comes with it. It’s about understanding that we aren’t passive recipients of our circumstances, but active creators of our experiences. By expanding our awareness and taking responsibility for our actions, we begin to live more authentically and meaningfully.

Increasing trust in our own body

The third and final indicator of a good life, according to Rogers, is a growing trust in our own bodies. This doesn’t only mean our physical body, which is of course an important part, but also all functions and aspects of the body, such as our gut feeling, intuitive insights, and the feeling of physical affirmation.

Rogers emphasises how important it is to listen to our bodies and trust the signals it sends us. This includes recognising whether we’re rejecting something because it’s unfamiliar to us or whether we’re rejecting it because it’s really bad for us. It also means recognising the subtle difference between knowledge and belief, intellect and wisdom, and faith and blind trust. By trusting our bodies, we become more sensitive to our needs and desires and can make choices that are in alignment with our true selves.

These three characteristics of the good life — openness to experience, expansion and existentialisation, and trust in our bodies— have no final end point or destination. They are an expression of a continuous process that unfolds over time. The more open we become to experience, the more aware we become of our existence and the more trust we have in our bodies, the more we embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth.

Spiritual practises such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and ritual can be incredibly important tools on this journey. Working with therapists, coaches, and spiritual teachers can also provide valuable support and guidance. The good life is not about accumulating material possessions or achieving external success. Instead, it is an alchemical state of being, a dynamic process in which we learn to shape our experience of the world so that it is authentic and fulfilling.

Rogers’ perspective on the good life challenges us to look beyond societal expectations and external achievements. By increasing our openness to experience, expanding our awareness of our existence and trusting our own bodies, we can cultivate a richer, more meaningful life. The good life is not a static destination, but an ongoing journey of self-discovery and growth guided by our inner wisdom and supported by our outer practises.

In The Path of Mindful Living: A 21-Day Mindfulness Companion, I lead you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and show you how to bring mindfulness into your daily life.

Readers of Integrative Creativity can download the workbook and pullout charts for only £6.

How I’m Reading 100 Books in 2024

Posted on January 3, 2024 by Allan Johnson in creativity, habits, intention, Observations

Reading has always been more than just a pastime for me — it’s my passion and my whole world. To misquote Barbie‘s Ken: my job is books. But perhaps somewhat surprisingly, in the hustle and bustle of my day job as an English literature academic, the sheer joy of reading for pleasure has fallen by the wayside. In order to get back to the joys of simply reading for pleasure I have set myself a challenge to read 100 books in 2024.

I read a lot as it is, but as there is so much more out there that I want to consume and enjoy I am challenging myself to read a lot this year. Nearly twice as much as I read last year. And, just to be clear, the 100 books are those that I am reading for pleasure–not the many more books that I will also be reading just for work.

I’m feeling pretty confident that I can meet this challenge because I already have a lot of strategies that have always helped me read a huge amount for my job. While these tips and tricks have been helpful to me as an English academic over the years, this year I am repurposing them for my own benefit to make sure that I am reading the stuff that I want to read for pleasure this year.

Here are some tips on how you can read 100 books (or 52, or 25, or 12, or whatever!) in 2024:

Keeping a TBR List: In order to navigate all the fantastic books that you have in store for you, keeping track of your To-Be-Read (TBR) list is paramount. My strategy is to use Goodreads as a comprehensive tool to keep track of the books I want to read, am currently immersed in, and have completed. This not only simplifies the reading process, but also provides a rewarding visualisation of progress and turns the literary journey into a tangible adventure.
Multitasking the reading experience: The key to an enriching reading experience lies in variety and having several books on the go at once ensures flexibility: if I don’t like one book, there’s another waiting for me. As I take a cross-platform approach, I juggle between a printed book, a Kindle and an audiobook. This ensures that, whatever the mood or situation, I always have a literary companion at hand to transport me to other worlds.
Notes as a ritual of immersion: For a devoted bibliophile, reading goes beyond the act itself. It becomes an immersive ritual where you internalise the essence of each book. My simple note-taking system consists of underlining or highlighting key passages and then summarising the book in my Goodreads reviews to create a tangible connection with the material. It’s a practise that goes beyond just finishing a book; it’s about creating a record of what you’ve completed
Giving up the unappealing: One of the liberating facets of my reading challenge is that I allow myself the freedom to give up on a book after the first 50 pages if it doesn’t captivate me. Life is too short to force yourself through something that you don’t vibe with. This ensures that each book contributes to the pleasure of reading rather than becoming a chore.
Visibility and accountability: When you resolve to read a hundred books in a year, visibility becomes a powerful accountability tool. Platforms like Goodreads are no longer just personal logbooks, but become public statements of commitment. This visibility acts as a subtle motivator, a gentle reminder that the literary journey is shared and that milestones should be celebrated together.

For me the challenge of reading 100 books in one year is not just about sheer quantity, but about rediscovering the joy of reading for pleasure. You can track my progress and share your own reading adventures on Goodreads — a virtual place where fellow literature lovers come together to celebrate the magic of books!

In The Path of Mindful Living: A 21-Day Mindfulness Companion, I lead you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and show you how to bring mindfulness into your daily life. Readers of my blog can download the workbook and pullout charts for only £6.

5 Steps to Develop a Daily Meditation Practice: Tips from an Integrative Coach and Meditation Teacher

Posted on March 7, 2023March 7, 2023 by Allan Johnson in meditation, mindfulness

Meditation has been practised for thousands of years and is becoming increasingly popular in today’s society as a means of reducing stress, increasing concentration and improving general well-being. However, establishing a consistent meditation practise can be challenging, especially for beginners. As an integrative coach and meditation teacher, I have worked with many people to develop a daily meditation practise, and I have found that there are five essential steps to successfully building this habit.

Step 1: Set an Intention

The first step in developing a daily meditation practise is to set an intention. This involves identifying the reason for your meditation and setting a clear, specific goal for your practise. Without a clear intention, it can be difficult to stay motivated and focused on your meditation practise.

To set an intention, take some time to think about why you want to meditate. Do you want to reduce stress? Improve concentration? Increase self-awareness? Once you have found your reason for meditating, set a clear, specific goal for your practise. For example, you might decide to meditate for 10 minutes every morning before you start your day.

Setting an intention can also mean creating a ritual or ceremony around your meditation practise. For example, you could light a candle or burn incense before you meditate to signal the start of your practise. This can help create a sense of sacredness and importance around your practise, making it easier to maintain over time.

Step 2: Choose a Time and Place

The second step in developing a daily meditation practise is to choose a set time and place for your practise. This helps to develop a routine and makes it easier to maintain the practise over a longer period of time.

When choosing a time for your practise, consider your schedule and choose a time that works best for you. Some people prefer to meditate first thing in the morning, while others find it helpful to meditate during their lunch break or in the evening before going to bed. The key is to choose a time that is realistic and sustainable for you.

When choosing a place for your practise, pick a quiet, comfortable space that is suitable for meditation. This could be a spare room in your home, a quiet corner in your office or a park bench in a nearby park. Whatever place you choose, make sure it is one where you feel calm and relaxed.

Step 3: Start Small and Build Consistency

The third step in developing a daily meditation practise is to start small and develop consistency over time. It is better to meditate for a few minutes every day than for an hour once a week.

Start with a realistic goal, such as five minutes of meditation a day, and increase the duration of your practise over time. This encourages consistency and makes it easier to stick with the practise in the long term.

To encourage consistency, set reminders or use a meditation app to track your progress. You could also consider keeping a diary to reflect on your experience and document your progress over time.

Step 4: Experiment with Different Techniques

The fourth step in developing a daily meditation practise is to experiment with different techniques. There are many different meditation techniques and it is important to find one that suits you.

Some popular meditation techniques are mindfulness meditation, loving kindness meditation and body scan meditation. Each of these techniques requires you to focus your attention in a different way, and it is important to experiment to find the technique that suits you best.

Try different techniques and see how they feel. You may find that you enjoy one technique more than others, or you may find that different techniques work better at different times of the day or in different situations.

Step 5: Seek Support and Accountability

The fifth and final step in developing a daily meditation practise is to seek support and accountability. Meditation can be a solitary practise, but it is important to seek support and accountability to stay motivated and consistent.

One way to seek support is to join an online meditation community or attend a local meditation group. These communities provide a space where you can connect with others who are also meditating, share your experiences and receive guidance and support.

Another way to find support is to find an accountability partner. This can be a friend, family member or colleague who is also interested in developing a daily meditation practise. You can regularly update each other, share your progress and encourage and support each other.

There are also many meditation apps that offer guided meditations, progress tracking and other features to help you stay on track with your practise. Some of the most popular apps include Headspace, Calm and Insight Timer.

In summary, developing a daily meditation practise requires intention, consistency and support. By setting a clear intention, choosing a consistent time and place, starting small and building consistency, experimenting with different techniques, and seeking support and accountability, you can develop a regular meditation habit that will promote your overall well-being. Remember that developing a daily meditation practise is a journey, and it is important to be patient and compassionate with yourself along the way. There may be days when your practise feels difficult or uncomfortable, and that is okay. What matters is that you stay true to your intention and continue to show up for your practise every day. Meditation is an effective way to reduce stress, increase concentration and improve your overall well-being. By following these five steps, you can develop a daily meditation practise that will benefit your physical, mental and emotional health.

What Causes Imposter Syndrome and How Do You Get Through It?

Posted on August 22, 2022August 20, 2022 by Allan Johnson in wellbeing

Imposter syndrome refers to the belief that a person is not as intelligent or successful as they are perceived to be by others. Imposter syndrome often affects people who are very successful or high achievers in their field of work. People who have high levels of internalised imposter feelings may feel that they have cheated in some way to get where they are in lifeor that they are only considered competent in a job or relationship because of luck or external factors. These feelings can lead to anxiety, an overwhelming desire to please others, and a constant fear of being found out.

The term was first coined by Suzanne Imes and Pauline Clance 50 years ago, but seems to have become more widespread in recent years. A person suffering from imposter syndrome is usually unable to internalise their achievements and feels that they are actually just a ‘fraud’ or ‘imposter’ and do not deserve their success. Although people with imposter syndrome know they are intelligent and capable, they feel they are a fraud and do not deserve their success.

There seems to be an evolutionary explanation for imposter syndrome. To the human mind, a social risk such as shame or embarrassment is perceived in the same way as a physical risk, because for our earliest ancestors, exclusion from the tribe was tantamount to death. So humans have an innate tendency to be alert to social judgements and threats of shame, and, in many ways, the imposter syndrome is a form of self-protection.

However, this does not mean that we have to be guided by mental models developed for the hunter-gatherer age. Imposter syndrome makes us more cautious, less willing to take risks, and more inclined to stay in our comfort zone. This is good to a certain extent, but in many cases imposter syndrome can become a limiting belief that prevents us from doing things that might challenge us and help us grow. It becomes problematic when our self-protective mechanisms become so extreme that they actually put us at risk of failure and self-sabotage.

Instead of resisting the experience of imposter syndrome, we need to learn to accept it. When we experience imposter syndrome, we can mitigate our experience by recognising that it is part of a larger process, that we are vulnerable, and that as human beings we are particularly vulnerable to anxiety. When we suffer from imposter syndrome, we need to expand to a larger reality by accessing the inner strength and resources we can draw from to feel more confident, manage our fears and expand our comfort zone. As human beings, we need to be able to make mistakes and be imperfect because that is the only way we can learn and grow. When we are able to remember our humanity and our ability to bounce back, we can begin to take responsibility for our experiences.

To break the cycle of imposter syndrome, we need to introduce new beliefs and new ways of thinking. It is important to recognise that imposter syndrome is a perception, a story and a belief we tell ourselves about the world. Imposter syndrome is an illusion, a drive triggered by fear and self-doubt, and it is temporary. When we experience imposter syndrome, we need to take a step back, take a breath, reflect and engage with our bodies. We do not have to believe our thoughts and stories unquestioningly. Instead, we can explore the nature of our mind and realise that the moment we question our automatic reactions, we make space for something else. Once we recognise imposter syndrome for what it is, we can begin to let go of our negative relationship to it.

The key to being less vulnerable to imposter syndrome is to become aware of the beliefs and stories we tell ourselves about ourselves and our world. Part of the illusion that imposter syndrome creates is that we downplay all the smaller achievements we make every day. When we suffer from imposter syndrome, we do not allow ourselves to acknowledge our own achievements because we simply do not believe them. We ignore the small acts of courage and strength we perform every day and fail to recognise the extent to which we help others. It is not always the big, obvious achievements that matter most. Very often it is the small, everyday successes that show us that we are constantly growing and developing. We can begin to break the cycle of imposter syndrome by looking for evidence of our competence and intelligence, even in the smallest things. When imposter syndrome sets in, acknowledge the invisible accomplishments that others do not see.

Imposter syndrome is a self-protective mechanism, but we can change it. When we expand to a greater reality of our own achievements, we have the opportunity to replace the imposter story with new stories that empower us. We can use the power of these new stories to support, protect and nurture us. We can encourage ourselves with stories of our courage, resilience, kindness and authenticity. These are the stories that help us cultivate the self-compassion, self-confidence and courage we need to overcome imposter syndrome.

Download your free 21-day course in The Path of Mindfulness. In this life-changing 21-day mindfulness journey, Dr Allan Kilner-Johnson guides you through a series of self-guided mindfulness exercises and shows you how and when to bring mindfulness into your daily life.

How to Accept Yourself Without Losing Yourself in the Process

Posted on June 23, 2022August 20, 2022 by Allan Johnson in compassion, wellbeing

For many of us, it can be difficult to accept the parts of ourselves that we do not like. We are often at war with ourselves, constantly fighting with the voices in our head. Maybe we struggle with the way we look, maybe we struggle with the way we act, maybe we struggle with the way we think.

Issues around self-acceptance are complex. They arise from our own experiences, our judgements of ourselves and the way we compare ourselves to other people. If we have been wounded, suffered trauma, or been treated badly, we easily get stuck in the past or judge ourselves harshly. This can lead to an inner critic that is constantly with us, telling us that we are not good enough and not worthy of love.

The way we treat ourselves has a big impact on the way we treat other people. If we constantly blame ourselves, it is unlikely that we will treat other people with compassion and respect. If we compare ourselves to other people, we will see ourselves as losers.

The goal is to be with yourself, accept yourself and be yourself. To be a different kind of person, to have a more positive attitude, to have a more compassionate attitude, to have a more loving relationship with yourself. It’s important to acknowledge that accepting yourself can be difficult if you do not know how. Here are five simple ways to start:

1. Appreciate your uniqueness.

Like each of us, you are unique. You are one of a kind. Your life matters and it impacts the lives of others. This may seem like a very basic idea, but it is an idea that is not always easy to live by. We may know this on an intellectual level, but the message does not always penetrate to the deeper level of our minds. At a deep level we can feel disconnected and isolated. We can feel that we do not belong. When we do not feel like we belong, we find it difficult to feel connected and valued.

How can we accept ourselves? There is no magic formula. However, there are some very useful principles to keep in mind. First of all, we should remember that we are all still developing. This means that we are not perfect. Nor will we ever be. We are all imperfect, and trying to change that is a fruitless endeavour. We do not have to be perfect to accept ourselves. On the contrary, if we accept ourselves, we are more likely to want to improve. If we accept ourselves at the core, we can also accept the fact that we are constantly growing and developing and that our lives have value. When we accept ourselves, we are able to start from a place of appreciation.

2. Stop comparing yourself to others.

It is natural for us to compare ourselves to other people. We compare our appearance, intelligence, personality, skills and abilities. We compare our social status and position in life. We compare our talents, our success and our failures. We compare everything! You are you, and no one is like you. No matter how similar two people are, they are never exactly the same. They have their own thoughts, feelings, habits, behaviours and beliefs. Even if you have a twin, he or she will be different from you, even if those differences are small. And if you are the only person in the world, you still have your own unique personality, thoughts, feelings, habits, behaviours and beliefs.

3. Focus on what you have, not on what you do not have.

The more we focus on what we do not have, the more unhappy, ungrateful, and dissatisfied we become. We believe that happiness and contentment come from outside ourselves. We believe that we must have certain things to be happy and that we must meet certain standards before we can be content or happy. In fact, this is not true. Happiness and contentment come from within. It comes from our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of the world.

The more we focus on what we do not have, the unhappier we will be. The more we focus on what we do not have, the less able we are to accept ourselves. Our self-esteem is closely linked to our ability to appreciate and accept ourselves. The more we focus on our strengths and our good points, the more we will feel good about ourselves. The more we can accept ourselves as human beings, with all our positive and negative qualities, the more we will be able to love ourselves.

4. Give yourself some breathing space.

One of the biggest challenges in life is to give ourselves the space to be ourselves. We are so busy trying to please others, live up to our responsibilities and achieve everything else in life that we forget to take care of ourselves. We forget to allow ourselves to feel and express our feelings. We may even deny our feelings and refuse to acknowledge that we have feelings at all. If this is the case, you may find it difficult to accept yourself and your feelings.

You may also find it difficult to accept your own needs and desires. We are often very hard on ourselves. If we do not give ourselves enough space, then we do not allow ourselves to be ourselves. We do not allow ourselves to be human. We do not allow ourselves to make mistakes. We do not allow ourselves to have emotions. We do not allow ourselves to fall short of our own expectations. We do not allow ourselves to have feelings of anger, anxiety or fear. We do not allow ourselves to be vulnerable. If we do not allow ourselves to be human, then it can be difficult to accept ourselves in our full humanity.

5. Focus on what is important to you.

Once we have accepted ourselves, we can begin to live a life that is in line with our values and principles. We can begin to focus on what is important to us. We can begin to focus on what we want instead of everything we think we should want. The more we focus on what is important to us, the more we will be able to accept ourselves. We will accept who we are, and we will accept what we have. We will accept our past, and we will accept our present and our future.

The more we accept ourselves, the more we can love ourselves and the more we can love others. When it comes to happiness and success in life, it is important to remember that there is no right and wrong. There is no should or should not and no right or wrong ways to be happy and successful. If we want to be happy and successful, we have to find the right path for us. We have to find a way that is in line with what is important to us and with what makes us feel good. This is the best path we can take. This is the only way that will work for us.