From Rock Star Dreams to Redemption | Ezra Vancil on Addiction, Identity & Rebuilding a Life

What happens when the dream you've chased your entire life falls apart?In this deeply honest conversation, Stefan sits down with musician, author, entrepreneur, and recovery advocate Ezra Vancil to explore a journey that spans music deals, addiction, depression, divorce, identity loss, recovery, and ultimately rebuilding a life worth living. Ezra shares how a promising music career led him into decades of chasing an identity that was never truly his, how alcohol became both an escape and a prison, and how one life-changing moment forced him to confront the story he had been telling himself for years. Together, Stefan and Ezra explore:🔹 The danger of building your identity around other people's expectations🔹 Why success doesn't automatically create fulfilment🔹 Addiction, depression, and reaching rock bottom🔹 The moment Ezra realised he could no longer continue living the same story🔹 Finding recovery after years of self-destruction🔹 How coaches, mentors, and support networks help us see ourselves clearly🔹 The relationship between creativity, music, and personal healing🔹 Why so many people become trapped inside labels and diagnoses🔹 Learning to sit with uncomfortable emotions instead of escaping them🔹 Anxiety, panic attacks, and the power of self-awareness🔹 The importance of silence, reflection, and creating space to hear yourself think🔹 Letting go of old identities while discovering who you truly are🔹 Life after recovery and learning to trust yourself again🔹 Finding purpose in your 50s and embracing the next chapter of life🔹 Why goals matter—but shouldn't define your happiness🔹 Turning pain, grief, and struggle into creativity and serviceOne of the most powerful moments comes when Ezra reflects on attending his first recovery meeting and realising that the story he believed was uniquely his was being told by hundreds of other people in the room. That moment changed everything. This is not just a conversation about addiction.It's a conversation about identity.About the stories we tell ourselves.About rebuilding after collapse.And about discovering that it's never too late to become who you really are.🎙️ Guest: Ezra VancilMusician | Author | Entrepreneur | Recovery Advocate🎙️ Host: Stefan Lindberg-JonesSLJ Coach | Your Life, Your Call, Let's Talk📺 Subscribe to SLJ Coach on YouTube🎧 Listen on Spotify and your favourite podcast apps🔗 Learn more at www.sljcoach.com#EzraVancil #Recovery #AddictionRecovery #MentalHealth #PersonalGrowth #Identity #Healing #LifeCoach #Podcast #SelfDiscovery #Resilience #Creativity #Music #PersonalDevelopment #YourLifeYourCallLetsTalk #SLJCoach