Sober Socials in Spain - come meet us!

Sober Socials in Spain - come meet us!

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This episode shines a light on how community, sunshine and a decent alcohol-free drink can make all the difference. The focus centres on Janey Lee Grace’s upcoming sober meet-up on the Costa del Sol, hosted by Emma and Louise from Sober Socials.es. Their goal is simple: create relaxed, booze-free get-togethers for people in Spain who are tired of cava-fuelled networking and want “authentic connection” instead.

You’ll hear how their events range from mocktail evenings to Sunday morning seaside walks, all designed to show that, as Louise puts it, they’re “waving a flag of life is great when you're living on free.” Janey shares her own relief at being sober in a heatwave, joking that past her would have treated hot weather as a 24/7 drinks pass.

She talks frankly about moderation, arguing that for grey area drinkers, “life is better without any” alcohol and that chasing moderation is “pointless” if you don’t have an off switch. Instead, she suggests keeping the ritual and “change the ingredients” by finding an alcohol-free drink you like.

Emma and Louise describe the limited alcohol-free options on the Costa del Sol and how that gap pushed them to build community, especially for expats who associate holidays and sunsets with gin and tonic. They highlight the pressure of people pleasing, and the need to “pull on your big girl pants” and put your own wellbeing first.

Janey also talks about her sober coach training and upcoming wellbeing business and presentation workshops, all aimed at helping people share their message and support grey area drinkers. If you’re sober, sober curious, or eyeing up a sunny holiday without the hangovers, this chat might have you asking: what would your summer look like alcohol-free?