Available Janaury 27th, 2026
Fearless Resilience Staying Sober Through Chaos, Loss, and Life’s Toughest Days
You Don’t Plan for Rock Bottom... But You’ll Never Forget the Day You Hit It.
There are battles most of us never admit to. Not because they didn’t happen, but because shame taught us to stay silent. On the outside, you’re holding it together. On the inside, you’re crumbling. Addiction. Grief. Relapse. Loss. You tell yourself to push through. Smile. Pretend you’re fine. Until one day... you can’t.
And the truth hits harder than any drink or drug ever could: the life you’ve been surviving in isn’t the life you were meant to live.
In Fearless Resilience, Max Nijst, 21 years sober and still walking the path, opens the door to the messy middle of recovery. The heartbreaks. The setbacks. The relapses that could have ended everything. And the relentless decision to stand back up again.
Through raw stories of loss, lessons forged in recovery rooms, and reflection questions at the end of every chapter, this book shows you how to face life’s hardest days without losing your sobriety... or yourself.
Inside, you’ll discover:
✔ Why resilience matters more than willpower and how to build it step by step
✔ How to navigate grief, chaos, and life’s “unfair” moments without numbing out
✔ The daily practices that strengthen mind, body, and spirit so you can stay sober for the long haul
✔ How connection with family, mentors, or a Higher Power can pull you out when you can’t pull yourself up
✔ The reflection prompts that help you catch destructive patterns before they spiral into relapse
This isn’t a book about pretending everything’s fine. It’s about living through the storm, facing the pain head-on, and finding purpose on the other side. Because recovery isn’t a finish line. It’s a legacy you build—one choice, one day, one act of resilience at a time.
If you’ve ever thought, “I don’t know how to keep going…” let this book remind you: you don’t have to do it alone.
Does this sound familiar?
You’ve been carrying the weight for a while now… but you can’t explain why it feels heavier every day. On paper, people might even say you’re doing well. But underneath, something feels unsteady. You’re showing up, saying the right things, doing what’s expected—but inside, your spirit is restless, your body’s drained, and your hope feels thin. You tell yourself to toughen up. But deep down… you know this is more than just a rough patch.
You’ve tried pushing it aside, thinking the emptiness would fade... but it hasn’t. If anything, it’s grown louder. You’ve felt the loneliness, the guilt, the ache of trying to hold it all together. And lately, you’ve caught yourself wondering: “What happens if I can’t keep this up?” You don’t want to spiral back into old patterns. But you’re not sure how to break free of the cycle.
You’ve started asking questions you never used to ask... “Is this what sobriety is supposed to feel like?” Or “Why do I still feel so broken inside?” Maybe you’ve even thought, “If something doesn’t shift soon, I don’t know how much longer I can hold on.” That’s not failure. That’s your signal, it’s your soul telling you it’s time to dig deeper, to rebuild, and to rise stronger.
If any of this sounds like you, join the waitlist.
Meet the author
Max Nijst
Max Nijst is a substance abuse recovery coach, motivational speaker, published author, and the founder of Fearless Happyness Coaching and Consulting, where he helps individuals and families impacted by addiction achieve
their recovery goals.
He’s also the voice behind the popular weekly show The Fearless Happyness Podcast, where he interviews phenomenal guests from around the world... people from all walks of life who have overcome serious trauma, addiction, and life challenges to create the life of their dreams.
Max is known for weaving faith, gratitude, and the pursuit of “Fearless Happyness” into the lives of everyone he encounters. His life motto is simple yet powerful: “Be helpful to some, be harmful to none.”
You can learn more about Max and connect with him at maxnijst.org.
