We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brenton a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Brenton thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
When it comes to creating meaningful projects, you can’t go wrong with taking lived experience and combining it with things you are passionate about – all for the purpose of making change.
Being a person in recovery myself, I fully understand and appreciate all the nuances that play into providing hope for those on the sober/recovery journey. One of those often overlooked aspects is in the realm of humor. Creating the Office Recovery meme page on IG has been a labor of love that means the world to me. Hopefully, it provides the reader with a moment of humor, laughter, or even just a smile – something that reshapes how we perceive our circumstances, relieves the stress of life, and opens the door for hope to sneak in.
Brenton, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I first entered this creative work side through my journey into substance abuse recovery. Early in my recovery from alcoholism, I realized I wanted to spend my energy and time doing everything I could to help provide hope, support, encouragement, and guidance to any who might want to join me in creating the best life possible.
This has led me to develop the cornerstone of what I am currently building, namely, the Office Recovery Meme Page on Instagram. Utilizing the aspect of humor as just one, of many, healing agents for those on the sober/recovery journey, I hope to provide hope and joy to those who walk through some of the most painful moments of life.
From this creative work, more opportunities have come. I am looking to expand with sober/meme merch, continue my writing, establish connections for sober events, and eventually launch my non-profit consulting company.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I would say the mission surrounding the variety of creative outlets that I am pursuing may be boiled down to essentially this: “We exist to create a communal space where humor and hope live, so that humanity may flourish.”
Everything that I create flows from that mission, all of it designed to foster a safe space for everyone to be able to share their struggles, find joy, laugh at the ridiculousness that is life, and grasp onto hope that there is a beautiful life to be lived.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of working in this creative/artist space is two fold. First, there is the satisfaction that comes when you know that your work has impacted and influenced people for the good. Hearing statements of what a particular piece meant to someone, or how your words helped provide a paradigm shift is such a rewarding feeling! Secondly, the ability to put your heart, soul, sweat, tears, and just plain, hard work into something is a reward in and of itself. Knowing that what I create, regardless of the impact externally, is a direct reflection of what I am working on and through in my personal life – to be able to share those stories in safe spaces – that is extremely fulfilling!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @officerecovery
- Other: [email protected]