Finding Your Sober Tribe

In 2018, when I finally stopped drinking, I honestly believed I would never have fun again. My entire social life had revolved around drinking, and I didn't know how to 'have fun' without a glass of wine in my hand. After about 90 days of sobriety, it hit me that most of my "friends" were just drinking buddies. Once we stopped drowning ourselves in alcohol, we realized there wasn't much else holding us together. They vanished, and the loneliness started to creep in. I started searching for alcohol-free events in Bristol, but there was nothing to be found. So, I made a mini-pilgrimage to London for a Sober Girl Society meetup. That day was a game-changer – meeting other sober women, busting out dance moves, and actually having a blast without alcohol. When I got home, I made up my mind: I needed to find local sober friends, and that’s how Sober Circle was born. I did some sleuthing in sober Facebook groups and on Instagram, connecting with anyone I could find in Bristol who was living the booze-free life. I started a WhatsApp group, and it immediately blew up - I'd expected a handful, but suddenly there were 30 of us, all excited about finally finding each other. I created a Facebook group so we could keep the conversation going and plan to meet up in person. Fast- forward almost five years, and that group has 1500 members with more people joining every day. During the past five years, we've put together probably 100 meet-ups. Coffees, dinners, theatre nights, yoga classes – you name it. I've met so many incredible people, and some of those connections are for life.

Originally, I just wanted to find my own Sober Circle. But it snowballed into this amazing mission to help everyone else find their people too. Here are my top tips on how to find or create your own Sober Circle: Do Some Digging: Search Facebook and Instagram for existing sober communities in your neck of the woods. They're probably out there, waiting to be found. Be a Trailblazer: No luck with the search? No problem. Put yourself out there on social media. Message folks nearby, or ping other sober groups – they might know someone in your area. Brave the Unknown: I get it, meeting up with strangers is a serious "gulp" moment, especially without the false confidence booze gives you. But trust me, after the first time, it's a total breeze. So, that's how Sober Circle came to life. Turns out, building a gang of sober pals isn't just about me – it's about creating a community where we all have each other's backs. When the booze exits the scene, the real fun begins, and it's even better when you've got your squad cheering you on. By Sammy Hall – Founder of Sober Circle