Meet Cameron Johnson

We recently connected with Cameron Johnson and have shared our conversation below.

Cameron , we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

Like many, my life journey has included profound lows: navigating intense loneliness, battling addiction and depression, experiencing career loss, and struggling with self-trust. I’ve felt the full spectrum of negative emotions.

However, through finding and committing to the right recovery program, I began to see a better version of myself emerge. Regaining my sobriety reignited my spark and instilled a fierce desire to give back. That passion is now channeled through Always Smile—a commitment to community, fellowship, and helping others in any capacity.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Always Smile was born from a simple yet powerful personal tool: a cherished tattoo that helped me navigate my own darkest challenges, including alcoholism, depression, and profound loneliness. My tattoo served as a constant reminder to seek out reasons to smile, even amid life’s most challenging adversities.

Driven by a desire to extend this lifeline to others, I founded Always Smile. Our mission is clear: to be a friendly, daily reminder for people to find their own joy and persevere.

We are not primarily focused on selling merchandise; our commitment is to actively help individuals find their reasons to smile while breaking the persistent stigma surrounding mental health and addiction recovery—one smile at a time.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking Back: The Three Pillars of My Recovery
In reflecting on my journey, these three areas weren’t just helpful—they were the lifelines that kept me moving forward when things felt the darkest.

1. Radical Honesty (Self-Awareness)
Recovery couldn’t begin until I stopped lying to myself. For years, I hid behind “I’m fine” or “I have it under control.” Radical honesty is the skill of looking in the mirror and admitting exactly where you are, without the mask. It was the only way to clear the fog of alcoholism and depression.

2. Resilient Joy (The “Always Smile” Mindset)
I learned that joy isn’t a byproduct of everything going right; it’s a tool you use when things go wrong. Resilience wasn’t about being “tough”—it was about the ability to find one small, tiny reason to smile even when I felt profound loneliness. This shift from a passive victim to an active seeker of joy changed my brain chemistry and my outlook.

3. The Courage to be Vulnerable (Community)
Alcoholism thrives in isolation. I used to think asking for help was a sign of weakness, but I eventually realized it was the ultimate act of strength. Building a “tribe”—connecting with organizations like The Phoenix or Aqui—provided the safety net I needed to fall and get back up again.

If you knew you only had a decade of life left, how would you spend that decade?

For me, this isn’t just a hypothetical question. Recovery gave me a second chance after life was on the line, and it changed my perspective on everything. If this were my last decade, I’d spend it exactly how I am now: championing recovery, spreading awareness around recovery and mental health community, and empowering others to find their reasons to SMILE! no matter how dark things get.

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