Recovery Isn’t a Life Sentence – It’s a Life Reclaimed
One of the biggest mistakes I see in recovery—especially among fellow AA travellers—is the quiet sentencing of oneself to a boring, optics-driven life.
They take their guilt and build a persona around what they think a sober person should look like.
Clean. Predictable. Emotionally beige.
In the early days, sure—this might be wise.
Maybe watching the Super Bowl with your mates chugging Millers and taking tequila shots at each touchdown isn’t the move in month seven.
But in year three?
You could go.
You could organise the pizzas, drive Jake home at 1am, and hear him say, “I love you man… you’re the best.”
That’s not temptation. That’s presence.
But events aside, it’s as if some people try to live like they’re Baptist tax auditors.
No joy. No edge. No spiritual velocity.
It’s a sure-fire way to break your spirit.
And partners don’t always help.
They’ve witnessed a miracle—a rapid shift from drunk to sober.
That’s a big uptick.
But it doesn’t mean the graph needs to keep climbing at that pace forever.
It doesn’t mean you can’t have goals, opinions, or emotional texture.
You can disagree with your neighbour Roger over politics.
You can still get annoyed by your cousin Dave, who’s a pain in the ass.
And no—you don’t have to go to his 40th birthday to listen to him whine about his job at the Ford factory.
Recovery isn’t a performance.
It’s a reclamation.
You’re not here to be perfect.
You’re here to be awake.
About Jason Bresnehan
Jason is a fixer—of businesses, of broken momentum, and occasionally of entire spiritual frameworks gone sideways. He speaks fluent boardroom and AA, deploys Catholic doctrine with the subtlety of a scalpel, and isn’t afraid to lace his insights with both war-room metaphors and dad-sermon tenderness.
Founder of Evahan, a consultancy built on the idea that legacy and liquidity don’t need to fight, Jason draws on 30 years of commercial grit, tactical leadership, and emotional radar to help people rebuild what entropy took. He works with companies, communities, and recovery misfits alike—often using the same principles to sort both cap tables and chaotic lives.
Jason draws deep inspiration from historical figures who got results—especially those who led from the margins, built with scarce resources, and refused to be shackled by conventional wisdom. He’s known for assembling unorthodox teams of passionate experts to solve complex problems in chaotic environments. Whether in boardrooms, recovery communities, or legacy disputes, Jason’s approach is rooted in common purpose, tactical innovation, and the belief that clarity thrives when paradigms are challenged.
A strong advocate for freedom, limited government, and enterprise-driven progress, Jason also draws deeply from his personal recovery journey—an experience that reshaped his life and fuels his commitment to growth, contribution, and principled living. Through writing, speaking, and service, he continues to learn, share, and speak with purpose.
I can be engaged (on a remunerated or volunteer basis) to sit on Boards, Committees, Advisory and Reference Group Panels, and to speak to Business, Community, and Youth groups. I’m also open to providing comment to media on topics where I have relevant experience or insight. Please feel free to make contact.