Anneka has a story many of us recognise — that moment where one drink turns into four, and suddenly you’ve lost the night again.

Like so many, she used alcohol to take the edge off anxiety. It worked — until it didn’t.

Now, she’s alcohol-free and in tune with a completely different kind of energy. She turns to her tarot cards — not just for guidance, but to help others explore their own stories too.

Welcome to The Next Round — the podcast that asks what happens after we stop drinking. Maybe you’re wondering what’s next for you. Who knows — maybe it’s written in the cards.

Like Anneka Davie, who’s turned her passion for tarot into a tool for self-discovery and connection. In this episode, she shares how ditching alcohol opened up a whole new path — and yes, she even pulls a few cards for me.

When Anneke Davie stopped drinking, she didn’t just give up wine – she made space for something entirely new. A quiet force emerged. It started with crystals, then crept into her life with the pull of tarot cards and the clarity of a new routine that no longer centred around hangovers or hazy memories.

She’d always been a binge drinker.

Like many, Anneke believed drinking gave her confidence, especially in social situations, but the next day was always brutal.

Her final drink came after a day at the races. Drunk and disoriented, she lost the diamond out of her engagement ring and found herself on hands and knees, scrabbling through the grass.

That was three years ago.

What came next wasn’t just sobriety – it was a reconnection with a part of herself that had been long dormant. As a child, she’d been fascinated by dreams, superstitions and horoscopes. Lockdown gave her the pause she needed to revisit that part of herself. Crystals came first, and soon her house was filled with them – much to the despair of her husband. But then came tarot. She found a reader on Instagram, began training, and started doing readings for herself. The cards became mirrors, windows, and conversation starters.

It wasn’t long before others began asking for readings, and what started as a hobby slowly began to evolve into something more purposeful. At a retreat, someone asked her for a reading and, despite feeling way out of her comfort zone.

The more distance she put between herself and alcohol, the stronger her sense of direction became.

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Alcohol affects everyone – no matter who you are or where you’re from. Take John from Ghana. Sound familiar?

Today, he’s leading the charge for alcohol-free living in Africa – a true trailblazer.

Welcome to the next round, where we dig into the stories that shape us. The journeys that brought people to where they are now.

Like John Asogonnde – who swapped booze and weed in his for purpose, passion, and change.

We recorded this live during John ’s visit to the UK last autumn — so please excuse the audio quality!

When John stopped drinking and smoking weed at 24, he didn’t just walk away from substances -he walked into a mission. Five months after taking his last drink, John knew he had changed. He didn’t feel like he was missing out. Instead, he felt sharper, more alert, more present. And he wanted to create a space where others could feel that way too.

That’s how Eden Bar was born -Ghana’s first alcohol-free nightlife experience.

Launched on October 2nd, 2022 – World No Alcohol Day – Eden Bar started as a one-day pop-up. John raised money from friends and family after being roasted online for even suggesting the idea. But the launch was a success. Word spread fast, and John knew he was onto something bigger.

John’s journey to sobriety was a long one. He started drinking at 13, not because he liked the taste – his first drink was a 40% spirit that gave him a hangover the next day – but because he liked the way it made him feel.

By the time he reached university, drinking and smoking weed had become daily habits. His grades collapsed. Once a first-class student, he failed every course in his second year.

Even after relocating to a different hostel, the habits stayed. And when he graduated, he went straight into Ghana’s nightlife industry, managing a nightclub for a popular musician. The access to substances was constant – and partaking was expected.

But inside, he was miserable. The high never lasted. The low always deepened. He started to rebuild from the inside out – with faith, family, books, long walks, and intention.

You can follow John on @edenbargh but a hard copy of his book on https://joinclubsoda.com/product/john-asogonnde-unchained-book/

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The Club Soda Tasting Room is at 39 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5RR

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Angie Thompson grew up in a turbulent home, where shouting, swearing, slammed doors, and harsh words were the norm.

But when she quit drinking, she uncovered a truth that changed everything—her past wasn’t just something to escape from; it held the key to her transformation.

Welcome to The Next Round, where we explore what happens after the last drink—because sometimes, understanding why you drank in the first place is the first step to discovering a new purpose. For Angie, that purpose became clear: by healing herself, she could help others do the same.

When Angie Thomson decided to quit drinking, she had no idea it would lead to a complete transformation -not just in her own life, but in the lives of others. Nearly two years into her alcohol-free journey, she’s now a trauma-informed coach, guiding people through the deeper reasons behind their drinking.

For Angie, sobriety wasn’t just about removing alcohol. It was about understanding why she drank in the first place. That realisation pushed her into a new career, one rooted in healing.

Finding the ‘Why’ Behind the Drinking

Angie describes herself as the life of the party -the first to arrive, the last to leave, always pushing others to drink just as much as she did. But behind the fun-loving image was something deeper.

Like many, she didn’t initially connect her drinking to her past. She grew up in a volatile household, where shouting and name-calling were the norm. As a child, she internalised it. “We don’t think logically as kids. We think, ‘My parents are arguing because of me.’” Those feelings of unworthiness followed her into adulthood, shaping her drinking habits.

It wasn’t until she stopped drinking that she recognised the underlying wounds that alcohol had been numbing.

You can find out more about Angie at angiethompson.thementalwellbeingcompany.com/ and on instagram @AngieMWC

Find Club Soda:

The Club Soda Tasting Room is at 39 Drury Lane, London, WC2B 5RR

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