The Sunday Sober Stories

From mourning the loss of alcohol to building a vibrant new life filled with running, purpose and freedom

This week on Sunday Sober Stories, I’m delighted to introduce Zoe Brough.

At 48, Zoe has rebuilt her life in ways she never imagined possible when she first questioned her relationship with alcohol. After years of believing that drinking was part of her identity as someone who worked hard and played hard, she discovered that life without alcohol wasn’t smaller or more boring – it was bigger, brighter and far more fulfilling.

Nearly four years alcohol-free, Zoe has swapped hangovers for half marathons, left a successful corporate career to launch her own business, trained as an accredited sober coach, and found a community that supports her healthiest and happiest self.

In this inspiring conversation, Zoe shares how she moved beyond the fear of giving up alcohol, why she believes we’ve all been sold a lie about drinking, and how sobriety helped her uncover a life more vibrant than she ever thought possible.

Tell me a bit about yourself: 48, single, first-born daughter, lived through a lot of family loss and traumatic events. Successful career as a People & Culture specialist.

1. Can you tell us a little about what your relationship with alcohol used to look like?

   I could go a while without it but when I went out I didn’t want to stop or switch to water.

   
   

2. What was your “enough is enough” moment — or did it happen more gradually for you?

   I did a couple of silly things not befitting of the 44-year-old woman I wanted to be, so I decided to see how long I could stop for, and did 5 months. I mourned the loss of the booze as it was intertwined with my identity, someone who worked hard and played hard – so I decided to just have one when I was out. This worked, but I found myself wondering what the point was of trying to moderate. When I decided that was it, I didn’t say forever but almost 4 years in it was the best thing I have ever done for my health, time and energy.

   
   

3. What were your biggest fears about stopping drinking? And did any of them come true?

   That my life would become boring, but it became more vibrant. I joined a run club – Mara in Stone Staffs in Sept 2023 and I now run half marathons regularly and have trained to be a run leader. I left my corporate job in HR and set up a successful limited company and I am also coaching people who want to become alcohol free. I am flourishing in my new identity. I also worried about how I would handle stress and crisis, but to be able to feel raw emotion and work through it is empowering.

   
   

4. How did the people around you react when you decided to stop drinking? Mostly very supportive, although people aren’t afraid to ask nosey questions as to why and tell you that they don’t drink that much and can take it or leave it without prompting.

   
   

5. What surprised you the most about sobriety — good or bad?

   Good – the amount of low and no drinks. At the start of my sobriety I still wanted the ritual of popping a cork on a nice bottle, to be honest I now rarely drink low and no alcohol substitutes, I have no desire to replicate booze.

   
   

6. What’s been the most helpful thing in staying sober (tool, mindset, habit, or support)?

   I read This Naked Mind by Annie Grace twice in a row and this was so powerful in speaking to my subconscious mind – alcohol=poison. I got it loud and clear. And of course the wonderful Janey Lee Grace’s Sober Club was somewhere I turned when sober curious, and I trained to be an accredited sober coach in April 2025 in order to give back – the course taught me so much more about alcohol, the brain and body, why we drink in the first place and how we can practice self-care and look after our bodies through eating the right foods.

   
   

7. Have your social life and relationships changed since becoming alcohol-free? If so, how?

   I hang out mostly with my running friends who have only known me sober, and a lot of them are ditching the booze as they want the healthiest lifestyle for themselves. We dance, eat well and karaoke! I think if you feel psychologically safe with people you can be your authentic self anyway without the need for alcohol to take the edge off. My old friends drink but I still go out with them; I just get hungry and tired more quickly so I listen to my body but last Summer I was on the dancefloor until 2am thanks to Red Bull and some amazing 90’s dance anthems.

   
   

8. What does self-care look like for you now that you’re not drinking?

   I love to nap. I treat myself to spa days and massages. I know rest is just as important as ‘doing’.

   
   

9. If you could go back and speak to yourself in those early days, what would you say?

   “You’re going to enter the most fulfilling and happiest time of your life and run 13 half marathons in 2025!” I don’t think I would have believed me at all.

   
   

10. What’s one thing you want other women to know about life without alcohol?

    All our lives we have been sold a lie! Alcohol has zero health benefits and it is dulling you and your potential. Grab a copy of ‘This Naked Mind’.

    
    

Thank you for sharing your story! You can find Zoe on Instagram: vibrantsobriety, zbpeopleconsulting and LinkedIn. If you’re over a year sober and would like to feature in my Sunday Sober Stories, drop me a line: ali@alipaynecoaching.com.