Sober Awkward

Awkward questions. Clumsy confessions. Zero judgement. Today it's all about Darren, Darrens mum and a very dodgy night out! Say no more!Welcome to The Share Shed, the corner of Sober Awkward where we fling open the doors, air out the embarrassing bits, and finally stop carrying the stories that have been rattling around in our heads for years.These are your questions and confessions. The ones you’ve never said out loud. The nights you still cringe about in the shower. The moments that pop into your brain at 3am and make you want to crawl into the mattress. Traffic cones, family parties, one-night stands, run-ins with the police, bins, balconies, and that one thing everyone remembers even though you desperately wish they wouldn’t.Some are funny. Some are painful. Most are both.In The Share Shed, listeners write in anonymously to share their drinking stories, shame spirals, and “why am I still thinking about this?” moments. We read them out, laugh where we can, get honest where it hurts, and gently unpack how shame sticks around long after the booze has gone, and how to finally loosen its grip.This isn’t about reliving the chaos.It’s about letting it go.Because shame thrives in silence, and nothing deflates it faster than saying, “This happened to me too.” Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just questioning your relationship with alcohol, this is a place where you don’t have to be polished, healed, or have it all figured out.Just human.If you’ve got a story you’re sick of carrying, a question you’re scared to ask, or a drunken ghost you’d quite like evicted from your brain, send it in to vic@soberawkward.com..We’ll tuck it safely away in the Share Shed where it belongs, instead of letting it haunt you forever.New Share Shed episodes drop Thursdays.Come as you are.Leave a little lighter.💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

In this episode of Sober Awkward, Vic sits down with Recovery Jimmy from the After Hours podcast to ask a big question, does sobriety actually make you grow up?They swap stories of peak immaturity, from Vic’s 25 year blur of zero self preservation, to Jimmy’s wine fuelled, one way escape to Majorca after watching Into the Wild. What felt rebellious and “rock and roll” at the time now looks a lot like avoidance, selfishness, and being emotionally frozen at the age they started drinking.Together they unpack how booze can keep you stuck, convincing you that you’re wild and fun, when really you’re avoiding responsibility, feelings, and growth. They talk drinking culture, hating sober people in bars, and the slow realisation that maybe the “boring” friends were just maturing.It’s honest, funny, and reflective, a reminder that growing up does not mean losing your sense of fun. It means finally caring about yourself enough to change.Find out more about Jimmy and his Podcast here - Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/recovery_jimmyTikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@recovery.jimmy?_r=1&_t=ZN-93qNaF7fVBeAfter Hours with Jimmy Thistle https://afterhours.buzzsprout.comAnd you can find all my other links at:https://linktr.ee/jimmythistle💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Awkward questions. Clumsy confessions. Zero judgement.Welcome to The Share Shed, the corner of Sober Awkward where we fling open the doors, air out the embarrassing bits, and finally stop carrying the stories that have been rattling around in our heads for years.These are your questions and confessions. The ones you’ve never said out loud. The nights you still cringe about in the shower. The moments that pop into your brain at 3am and make you want to crawl into the mattress. Traffic cones, family parties, one-night stands, run-ins with the police, bins, balconies, and that one thing everyone remembers even though you desperately wish they wouldn’t.Some are funny. Some are painful. Most are both.In The Share Shed, listeners write in anonymously to share their drinking stories, shame spirals, and “why am I still thinking about this?” moments. We read them out, laugh where we can, get honest where it hurts, and gently unpack how shame sticks around long after the booze has gone, and how to finally loosen its grip.This isn’t about reliving the chaos.It’s about letting it go.Because shame thrives in silence, and nothing deflates it faster than saying, “This happened to me too.” Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just questioning your relationship with alcohol, this is a place where you don’t have to be polished, healed, or have it all figured out.Just human.If you’ve got a story you’re sick of carrying, a question you’re scared to ask, or a drunken ghost you’d quite like evicted from your brain, send it in. We’ll tuck it safely away in the Share Shed where it belongs, instead of letting it haunt you forever.New Share Shed episodes drop Thursdays.Come as you are.Leave a little lighter.💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Giving up alcohol in her twenties felt impossible for VIc.Back then, drinking wasn’t just normal, it was the entire social structure. Nights out, friendships, dating, coping with stress, it all seemed to revolve around booze. So when someone decides to step away from it early, without a dramatic rock bottom or life implosion, it raises an interesting question..... Is something changing?In this episode, Vic sits down with Sean, 28 and one year sober, who realised early on that alcohol wasn’t actually adding much to his life.What started as very social drinking slowly crept into something else. Sean would finish a night out, grab a bag of cans on the way home, and carry on drinking alone. Before long, it was completely out of control. The pints were adding up. His mates noticed. His parents were worried. His girlfriend eventually gave him an ultimatum.But after facing the truth about where his “normal” drinking was heading, Sean made a change.Now, sober alongside his partner, he represents a growing shift we’re seeing in younger generations choosing clarity, mental health and self-trust over hangovers and hazy weekends.Together they talk about what it’s really like to quit while your friends are still deep in drinking culture, whether younger people are genuinely drinking less, and what you gain when you stop before alcohol has decades to dig its claws in.This conversation isn’t about regret or doing things “perfectly”.It’s about curiosity, culture shifts, and the quiet bravery of opting out sooner rather than later.Whether you’re questioning your own drinking at 23 or reflecting back at 43, this one might make you think.You can listen to Sean's band and find out more @conflictmanagerband💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Awkward questions. Clumsy confessions. Zero judgement.Welcome to The Share Shed, the corner of Sober Awkward where we fling open the doors, air out the embarrassing bits, and finally stop carrying the stories that have been rattling around in our heads for years.These are your questions and confessions. The ones you’ve never said out loud. The nights you still cringe about in the shower. The moments that pop into your brain at 3am and make you want to crawl into the mattress. Traffic cones, family parties, one-night stands, run-ins with the police, bins, balconies, and that one thing everyone remembers even though you desperately wish they wouldn’t.Some are funny. Some are painful. Most are both.In The Share Shed, listeners write in anonymously to share their drinking stories, shame spirals, and “why am I still thinking about this?” moments. We read them out, laugh where we can, get honest where it hurts, and gently unpack how shame sticks around long after the booze has gone, and how to finally loosen its grip.This isn’t about reliving the chaos.It’s about letting it go.Because shame thrives in silence, and nothing deflates it faster than saying, “This happened to me too.” Whether you’re sober, sober-curious, or just questioning your relationship with alcohol, this is a place where you don’t have to be polished, healed, or have it all figured out.Just human.If you’ve got a story you’re sick of carrying, a question you’re scared to ask, or a drunken ghost you’d quite like evicted from your brain, send it in. We’ll tuck it safely away in the Share Shed where it belongs, instead of letting it haunt you forever.New Share Shed episodes drop Thursdays.Come as you are.Leave a little lighter.Share your story to vic@soberawkward.com💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

This week on Sober Awkward, Vic is showing up having one of those weeks. You know the kind. Life is busy, emotions are bubbling, and she’s caught herself saying “Yeah, I’m fine” on autopilot, while secretly wanting to hide under a duvet and avoid everyone. Which, honestly, feels like the perfect moment to talk about… feelings.Today, Vic unpacks why sobriety can suddenly turn the emotional volume right up. Years of numbing everything with alcohol means that when you stop drinking, you don’t just get clarity, you get everything. Old feelings, new feelings, confusing feelings, all turning up at once with no warning and absolutely no chill.She’s joined by her mate Kate, who Vic met on a Sober Awkward retreat, and together they talk honestly about what it’s like when the emotional floodgates open. They chat about learning how to sit with difficult headspaces without leaning on a drink, how bottled-up emotions can spill out sideways, and why avoidance often ends in drama, arguments… and sometimes even a bit of fisty cuffs in a tent on the Isle of Wight. Yes, really. You’ll want to hear that story.This episode is for anyone who’s sober and wondering why they suddenly feel so much, anyone who’s navigating emotions without their old coping mechanisms, and anyone who needs reminding that feeling everything doesn’t mean you’re failing, it means you’re healing.Pop the kettle on... It's time to get uncomfortable.Follow Kate at @detoxikated on Insta💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Eight years sober… and this week something quietly shifted.Vic realised the anxiety she feels around certain social situations isn’t because she can’t cope. It’s because she no longer wants to.For years she believed being able to sit comfortably around drinking was a sober skill to master. She could handle it. She could manage the energy. She could leave early. But the low-level anxiety never really disappeared.So what happens when you realise it’s not about capability, it’s about alignment?Joined by Sober Dave from One for the Road, Vic unpacks this sober pivot. Dave brings his usual grounded, thoughtful take as they talk about people-pleasing, the subtle weight of being “the sober one”, and how long-term sobriety sometimes asks you to quietly change the rooms you sit in.After meeting properly at the jungle retreat, something clicked for both of them about the kind of connection they actually want more of. This episode is about that shift, about choosing friendships and environments that feel nourishing rather than draining, and about allowing sobriety to keep evolving.Because maybe it isn’t about whether you can sit in certain spaces anymore.Maybe it’s about whether you still want to?Find out more about Dave by following him @soberdave and if you need some support in your sobriety then check out his website - https://www.soberdave.co.uk/💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women

Welcome to the Share Shed — a judgement-free corner of Sober Awkward where we gently drag our most awkward drinking stories into the daylight and finally let them go.This is the place for the questions you’ve never asked out loud and the moments you still remember at 3am when your brain decides to replay your greatest hits of humiliation. Family parties that went wildly off-piste. Traffic cones worn as hats. One night stands you wish had stayed one night. Messages sent. Bins vomited in. Questionable run-ins with the police. You know the ones.Each week, listeners send in their awkward questions and clumsy confessions, anonymously if they like, and Vic reads them out, unpacks the shame, adds some perspective, and helps you understand why these memories stick around — and how to stop them haunting you. This isn’t about glorifying drinking or wallowing in regret. It’s about understanding shame, normalising messy human behaviour, and reminding you that you are not broken, bad, or alone — you were just drinking in a culture that told you this was normal.If you’ve ever wondered how to move past embarrassment, why certain memories still sting even years later, or whether anyone else has done something that bad (spoiler: yes), The Share Shed is for you.Send your awkward questions and clumsy confessions to vic@soberawkward.com, and let’s tuck those drunken ghosts safely away — where they belong.Kettle on. Share shed open. Let's get a little bit awkward....

Should you ask your partner to quit drinking just because you have? Or could that actually make things worse?In this episode of Sober Awkward, Vic explores why telling the people you love to give up booze can backfire, and why quietly showing them what sobriety looks like is often far more powerful. From awkward dinner tables to partners who still drink, Vic talks honestly about support, resentment, boundaries, and why influence beats control every time.Inspired by a Real Housewives of Beverly Hills binge on a long-haul flight (purely for research), Vic unpacks how normalised alcohol is, how invisible the sober struggle can feel, and why “I don’t have a problem” is often more complicated than it sounds.Vic is also joined by her husband John, who shares why he eventually chose to quit drinking himself, not because he was asked to, but because he watched sobriety change the person he loved. Together they talk about support, safety, curiosity, and how relationships can evolve when alcohol is taken out of the equation.This episode is for anyone navigating sobriety alongside partners, friends, or family who still drink, and for anyone learning how to protect their peace without nagging, lecturing, or explaining themselves to death.Pop the kettle on.Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is show them, not tell them.💛 Resources & Links📘 Victoria’s memoir – A Thousand Wasted SundaysA brutally honest and hilarious look at motherhood, anxiety, and ditching the booze.👉 Buy the book here🎧 Listen to more Sober Awkward episodes👉 www.soberawkward.com🫖 Join The Cuppa CommunityOur private, supportive online space for sober folk👉 www.cuppa.community📘 Get the Sober Awkward GuideOur downloadable toolkit for ditching booze the awkward way.👉 The Sober Awkward Guide📱 Follow us for daily sober fun:Instagram: @soberawkwardTikTok: @soberawkwardFacebook: Sober Awkward Community for Women