The Unspoken Side of Success: Karolina's Bold Path

NOSEDIVE has our FIRST GUEST! 

We're so stoked to have this enlightening conversation with Karolina Rzadkowolska, alcohol-free empowerment coach, best selling author of Euphoric Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier More Confident You, Podcast Host of Euphoric the Podcast, and just overall BADDIE - she shares her transformative journey from a life centered around alcohol to one filled with purpose and fulfillment. 

We talk about the societal conditioning surrounding alcohol, the importance of questioning one's relationship with it, and the profound impact of alcohol freedom on personal growth and success. We emphasize the role of community, intuition, and the neurochemical changes that occur when one chooses to live alcohol-free. 

Karolina also dives into the potential for individuals to become empowered coaches and leaders in the alcohol-free movement, encouraging listeners to embrace their own journeys toward a more vibrant and BOLD life.

*5X Certification
*Karolina's Website
*Karolina's IG
*Euphoric Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier More Confident You
*Euphoric the Podcast

Transcript

Renee (00:02.718)
Alrighty, hello everyone. I'm so, so stoked for this episode because we have our very first guest. We want to welcome Karolina Rzadkowolska, alcohol-free empowerment expert and coach, bestselling author of Euphoric Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You, podcast host of Euphoric the Podcast, my mentor, friend, and just overall baddie.

Welcome, Carolina, to Nose Dive the podcast. are so, so happy you're here with us today to share your story, broaden the minds of our listeners, and just show people what's possible when we start numbing less, living more, and choosing that bold path. So welcome. We're so happy you're here.

Karolina (00:47.918)
I'm so excited. I got like a little teary-eyed when you read that intro because it's just such an incredible full circle moment to be back here today and I'm still excited for our conversation.

Renee (00:58.926)
Yeah, us too, us too.

Mara DeMauro (00:59.902)
Yes, yes. Super stoked. Thank you so much. I'm, you know, before we

we thought of bringing on guests, we were like, you know, it would be really fun to ask everyone just like a standard question. and so this is kind of what we're rolling with as of now. and excited to see how that might develop as the show goes on, but we would love to know how are you living life differently?

Karolina (01:33.176)
how much time do you have?

Renee (01:34.874)
I know. It's kind of a long list if you couldn't tell from all your amazing credentials and what you've done.

Karolina (01:41.936)
my gosh, well, let me just paint a really quick picture. So before, my before story. I used to work in a cubicle. I used to think that happy hour was the highlight of my week. Sushi night, game night with my friends, you know, like these kinds of things. I lived for the weekend. I couldn't wait to get through my work week so that I could finally let loose and drink on the weekends. And I didn't know it back then, but I can see how existentially apathetic

unfulfilled and completely lost in any sense of purpose I was then. And literally how sad is it to say that alcohol was the highlight of my week. Now I wasn't what you would call anyone near a rock bottom drinker anything like that. I did actually drink quite unhealthily when I was in college and grad school. But you know, as you grow up, you kind of start to try to be a little more responsible with it. So I had all the rules, you know, I didn't drink during the week, I tried to limit myself, but we always break that.

Mara DeMauro (02:17.326)
Mm.

Karolina (02:36.736)
stuff, right? And so it was this maddening cycle I lived in where Monday through Thursday I was healthy, I was trying to do a good job at work, I was going to yoga classes, and then every single weekend I over drank and woke up on Monday just feeling like crap. So that's my before painting the picture. Now I'll give you, you know, more of the transformation story later, but my after is completely different. I'm supremely fulfilled. I am doing my life's purpose. I've helped

thousands of women reevaluate alcohol and discover their greater purpose. I've helped hundreds of alcohol-free women make income and impact from their transformation. I fly around the world all the time. I'm going to South Africa next. I've retired my husband. We get to work on the company together. I've spoken on some of the biggest stages in the world. I have a best-selling book. Like that existential apathetic woman has died and in her place is a woman so deep in her purpose, so fulfilled.

and so glad that alcohol doesn't even figure ever on her mind.

Renee (03:40.748)
Yeah. And what's really interesting about you listing off kind of like your before story and where you are now and carving this sort of unconventional, vibrant path is how much shorter it was in your before story and like all of the incredible things and the just long, long list of all the incredible things that you have put through and have come to fruition through.

numbing less, just seeing that juxtaposition between the before and after is something I... Yeah.

Karolina (04:16.662)
Yeah, well, it's just like when you're numbing, you don't even know what's available to you. You don't even know how big your purpose can be. You don't even know how big an expansive life can be. You are settling. You really are. I think that's what it truly is comes down to. It's not about having a problem. It's not about like, you know, all those kind of like negative words that are used around this. It's just mediocrity. That's what it is. And I, at the core, did not come to this planet to live a mediocre life. That's it, right?

Mara DeMauro (04:27.854)
Mm.

Mara DeMauro (04:43.63)
Hmm. Yeah, that's, I love that you say that because that's been a lot on my mind lately of just trying to, you know, there's so many resources out there for people, know, this podcast, your podcast, you know, there's so many coaches doing amazing things, helping people out. You know, there's a fine balance between someone being ready, quote unquote, ready to see that there is life beyond.

just kind of settling for living for the weekend and the alcohol happens to be the highlight of your life or week. then like someone, you know what I mean? Like how do you, can you actually like wake someone else up? Or like, when you wake yourself up.

Renee (05:31.927)
Hahaha

Mara DeMauro (05:33.826)
Or is it something like a magical combination of just like, you're seeing other people do it, so then you start to slowly evolve in that way? Or is it like a-ha, a-ha moment? Or maybe it's different for everyone, but it's just kind of interesting to me. And I'm curious what you think about that.

Karolina (05:51.372)
I think our intuition knows. I think our intuition knows really loud and clear. Our emotions are telling us, like, anytime we feel any, like, love-hate feelings around drinking, like, I'd love to go out with my friends, but I really hate how I feel the next day. Or, you know, I love to relax after work with a glass of wine, but I hate how tired I feel the next day. There's something there. Our emotions are already telling us that there's something in this relationship that is not serving you completely. And if it was, like, a boyfriend that we're, you know, relating this to or...

some new guy you're dating, it would be the red flags that we're looking for. Like, huh, this doesn't actually feel good all the time. There's half of it that's actually, or maybe 70 or 80 % of it that's not really feeling that good. And I settle because the other 20 % is like, amazing, so I think, right? And so that's like really the analogy with the toxic relationship I think is so fitting. But I think what happens is our intuition knows that you're made for more.

Mara DeMauro (06:23.171)
Mm.

Karolina (06:41.966)
and it's starting to give you just these signs, whether, you know, some people are getting older, for example, and a drink hits different when you're 40 than when you're 21, right? Like it just, I think other times too, our intuition is kind of like trying to wake us up to something really big that we're meant to do in the next chapter in our lives, like a really big purpose or a legacy, or, you know, if you're working a job that's not your calling right now, and it's through this incredible.

Renee (06:49.817)
Mm. Mm-hmm.

Mara DeMauro (06:50.99)
He

Karolina (07:06.486)
exploration with alcohol. I don't know why it's alcohol first, but I've just seen it happen so many times over and over again, that when you start questioning your relationship with alcohol, to me, that's already a sign that your intuition is trying to wake you up to how big and bold and meaningful your life is meant to be. And it's almost like an initiation that you're meant to go through in order to have that life. And so I think that sober curiosity is really spreading right now. And a lot of people are seeing it.

Mara DeMauro (07:06.817)
Thank

Mara DeMauro (07:27.15)
Mm-hmm.

Karolina (07:32.034)
Back when I questioned my relationship with alcohol, there was nothing, right? So I had to, I kept hearing the voice. Like every Monday I heard the voice, like, Carolina, you're made for more. You're made for more than this. But I think at the time I was so contextually wrapped around the idea that the only type of person who quit drinking had to go to AA, had to call themselves an alcoholic, like this really black and white situation.

Mara DeMauro (07:39.212)
Mm.

Karolina (07:54.082)
So I kept just ignoring the voice. I kept pushing it down and down and down, being like, no, we're gonna keep drinking just to like be normal and fit in or else what else does that mean about me? And so I heard that voice for seven years, seven years before I actually listened to it. And I'm so freaking grateful I did. And I think what ultimately is at the end of the day is it's leaving behind your comfort zone for wild fulfillment instead. It's stopping to do what's easy in the moment and what feels easy or good in the moment.

Renee (08:01.582)
Hehehe.

Mara DeMauro (08:04.44)
Thank

Mara DeMauro (08:08.311)
Hmm

Karolina (08:22.658)
that band-aid, that immediate gratification, and actually building a fulfilling life that doesn't need band-aids like that. And so for some people that can look kind of complicated because maybe once they stop numbing, they come really frontal to all of the situations in their life that aren't serving them. Maybe it's like a job that isn't their calling. Maybe their relationship isn't even where they want it to be. So all of these emotions are coming up.

but those emotions are coming up for you to actually make shifts, for you to actually design the life that you do really love. So I do think it's a really intuitive pull. And I actually really truly believe that you are one of the most intuitive people on the planet when you decide to question alcohol. Because if you think about it, most people drink, most people drink too much. Most people can carry on the habit from the ages of 13 to 89 and never ever question anything.

Mara DeMauro (09:11.426)
Mm.

Renee (09:11.865)
Mm.

Karolina (09:14.078)
it's almost as if you just get numb to the fact that this is just what life looks like and not have the willingness to see, like, well, what if I just compared even just for like a little teeny tiny experiment what maybe 30 or 60 days in that time span would feel like without alcohol? So I think it makes you the most intuitive person on the planet, the most bravest person on the planet, and the wisest person on the planet to just be like...

What if I just questioned it for like 30 days? Like, it's not really that big of a deal. Life will move on. I can drink later on in my life. You know what I mean? But like right now, what if I just really saw this through? And I think that's what really happened to me is I took these like a break and then I drink again and like, you know, that kind of off and on. And then finally I was like, what would be, what would I be capable of if I just like didn't drink? And I really put my energy behind that. my God.

Mara DeMauro (09:41.773)
Yes.

Mara DeMauro (10:02.062)
Mm.

Karolina (10:02.542)
So it turns out like multi-million dollar business, best-selling book, like thought leadership, know, traveling the world with my husband. my gosh, how much would I rather have had that than a drink at the end of the day? Like who cares?

Mara DeMauro (10:14.178)
Right. Right.

Renee (10:17.173)
Yeah, yeah. mean, and I think that's, I, you know, it's something the more and more that we have conversations with people about this space is the fear around what it's going to look like if they have to stop drinking. And it's like this, this rigidity that is still there. And I feel like there's still this gap of any time

we mention sober or soberish or sober anything curious, anything to do with sober. People shy away from that so fast because they just don't even want to touch it because of all the connotations that may become. And I'm making some assumptions here, but, you know, shying away from that without thinking.

that this is a chance for me to exactly what you're saying. Like it's an experiment. Why can't we have fun? What is 30 days? What's a week? So I'm curious on what you think about that. know, like what can we do and maybe what have you done to kind of bridge that gap for people to make it more inviting? Because I know for me, know, Mara actually introduced me to your podcast.

And that's where, you know, I think I even listened to that episode of like breaking up with your toxic ex and like stuff like that. It's like, why not me? And that really, really resonated with me. So yeah, what are your thoughts on kind of like softening that entry point for people? Because I feel like that's what Sobercurious was, at least for myself.

Karolina (12:00.512)
Yeah, that's such a good question. And I think it's because of the assumptions that people have about what it feels like to not drink. And so let's say, you know, you passed on drinking because you're the DD one time and you know, you kind of had a boring night or, know, you've had these experiences maybe where you didn't drink or you didn't drink as much and it somehow felt like more lackluster for you and stuff. So you have this idea that it's like, have to deprive myself. It's all about willpower. Like, I'm not going to be able to the one who's having fun.

And so it's this assumption we have of what it would feel like to not drink for 30, 60, 80 days, whatever that looks like. And so what most people don't understand, which I love breaking down in my book, Euphoric, so check that book out if you want the full process here, what most people don't understand is how much your neurochemistry changes when you remove alcohol. So if you'd like drink on the weekend but don't drink during the week, that's not what I'm talking about. It takes a few weeks for your neurochemistry to rebalance.

Mara DeMauro (12:56.91)
Thanks.

Karolina (13:00.022)
And so what happens is that drinking depletes our dopamine. So our dopamine receptors start to turn off because of the flood of dopamine that actually alcohol brings, but it's just like cocaine or heroin. Your brain knows it's artificial. So it starts to retract dopamine receptors. It lowers your amount of serotonin that's being released and it lowers your GABA. So now all of these neurotransmitters that are supposed to make you happy as a drinker are way, way low.

And in addition to that, alcohol increases so much cortisol in your body, adrenaline and other stress hormones to combat the alcohol. So now you have low happiness neurotransmitters and high stress hormones going through your body. That's what it feels like to be a drinker. I had no idea, right? You just think it's normal. I have to say four to six weeks, know, like it depends on each person, but you take a solid extended break away from alcohol and all of a sudden the stress hormones go down and those

Mara DeMauro (13:38.84)
Hmm.

Renee (13:40.759)
Yeah, no.

Karolina (13:52.76)
happiness neurotransmitters go way up, which is when you start literally feeling euphoric to the most mundane things like waking up and seeing a beautiful cloud or like going on a nature walk with the trees. And I used to I used to say this that's in my book, actually, it's a it's a funny little statement. You guys hear anything? Okay, we have an editor.

Renee (14:14.073)
Hardly. Hardly. Yeah, yeah, you're good. Yeah, well, me.

Mara DeMauro (14:14.466)
I don't.

Mara DeMauro (14:18.04)
I hear you.

Nay.

Karolina (14:22.163)
I'm so sorry, I have to close my window. There's like the garbage.

Renee (14:24.279)
Yeah, do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can edit anything out. No worries.

It's so funny. Well, I thought it was yours, Mara, because you were even saying, you're like, can you hear that construction earlier? And I couldn't hear anything. So, yeah.

Mara DeMauro (14:33.742)
Oh, that's so funny. I'm loving this. feel like I'm just getting like a refresh on everything, you know, from, read your book a long time ago and I've listened to your podcast. Like, and it's just so, it's really cool to hear it coming from you and how, like, you can tell you're so well immersed in this and really know the content and like, um, you know, having a refresh on like the scientific background of

Karolina (14:36.014)
of all the time.

Mara DeMauro (15:02.444)
you know, the neural pathways and everything. I'm just like, this is so nice. So thank you.

Karolina (15:07.758)
Yeah, of course. And that's like what I experienced with that when I finally took that extended break from alcohol, I actually recognized that when I drank my mood would tank and I would actually maybe not the first 20 minutes, right? You get the high first on the 20 minutes, but then I noticed that my mood would tank. I would get frustrated, patient, even kind of grumpy. You you get like sleepy, you get anxiety the next day, like all the things. And then I noticed that the longer I was alcohol free, the more my mood elevated. So I was literally feeling high on just like normal life.

Mara DeMauro (15:25.218)
Yup.

Karolina (15:36.783)
And I have this funny story that I share in my book, but I remember when I went on a hike with my husband back when I was a drinker, and it was the most beautiful hike, right? And I'm with the person I love the most in the world. And all my brain can think of is like, well, this is nice, but I can't wait for happy hour later, right? Now I go on the hike and that used to be a five out of 10. Now that's the 10 out of 10. Now I'm actually enjoying the richness and the beauty of life in a completely different way.

Mara DeMauro (15:58.157)
Yeah.

Karolina (16:03.33)
And I just find that the longer that you're alcohol-free, not only are those neuro pathways changing, not only is the neurochemicals changing, your mood changes, but you actually start to take actions towards the life you actually want. And so that's just incredible to think about. I have this theory and it's being really well proven right now that successful people don't drink. And I have such a long list of really successful people who don't drink alcohol.

Mara DeMauro (16:23.448)
Mm-hmm.

Karolina (16:28.032)
Either they quit, either they never drank, like whatever, it doesn't matter, but they just don't really make alcohol a big part of their lives. And that's this beautiful awakening too, to recognize that you have this huge purpose. You have this huge, you need all the energy you can get. You need all the clarity. You need all of the confidence and courage that also comes from going alcohol free in this society. You need your intuition talking to you 100%, not the muted little voice you get when you're drinking.

you need all your creativity, and these are the gifts that you get from going alcohol free and or whatever, taking a break. You word it the way that it makes sense for you, but you won't know unless you do it. And I think that's why the hesitance comes from is that people have painted this incorrect picture of what it looks like to not drink for an extended period of time when it's actually gonna be the most euphoric year of your entire life.

Mara DeMauro (17:05.026)
Mm-hmm.

Mara DeMauro (17:17.134)
Thank

Karolina (17:17.43)
And like, why else would there be podcasts about this and you two talking about it if it wasn't just my experience? It's like everybody's experience, you know?

Mara DeMauro (17:25.59)
Right. Right. I love that you bring up the influential, influential people, because I actually wrote this question down. Renee and I were talking about it because I agree. I, I find that a lot of people who happen to be very successful, you know, quote unquote, however you want to frame that for yourself are alcohol free, or don't really drink that much. but yet you kind of have to dig.

Renee (17:27.235)
Yes.

Mara DeMauro (17:55.138)
to learn that about them. And I'm curious, like, what you think about that slash, you know, Renee and I were talking about this and we're like, well, because maybe like, because as we're evolving too on our journeys, we're like, alcohol, like even the topic of alcohol is like kind of insignificant for us now. So it's the kind of like an afterthought to talk about it, but it's so important to kind of share that with other people.

so that they know too. I don't know. So yeah, I'm curious what you think about all of that.

Renee (18:28.877)
Yeah, it's like the launch pad. You know what I mean? Like it's not the full story. It's like the catalyst. So yeah, yeah. Just curious about that.

Karolina (18:36.416)
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. And I think it's so fascinating because there's so many, there's so many famous people in personal development, especially like when you go look at the bestseller list of self help, like most of those people don't drink. But you're right, like it's so hard to figure that out or to ascertain that. And it's like, my god, what if they started saying that to their audience? Like, how different would it be? It's like, don't just believe in yourself, like maybe take a break from alcohol. It's easy to believe in yourself.

Renee (18:58.007)
Hahaha.

Karolina (19:00.536)
So I think A, like obviously it wasn't a really popular message for a really long time. And it's like, you don't want to come across as like, maybe like, abstinence only, or like this really rigid way of like living your best life. So I think a lot of people historically just shied away from alcohol just because it was such a complicated, vulnerable topic. But I also think you're right too. And that some people forget that that's actually the clue, the bigger key of like why they are so successful as more and more time goes on.

And I love when I discover that someone doesn't drink. Like I have this running huge list. And you know what? Like I go to these conferences or masterminds and it's like seven, eight figure entrepreneurs. I'll be out at dinner with like 20 people and one person orders a glass of wine. Everyone else doesn't. So it's just like this constantly being reinforced to me of like, let's say you were running an empire. Let's say if you wanted to make more money, let's say you wanted to write a book. Let's say you wanted to, you know,

Mara DeMauro (19:30.417)
Heh.

Karolina (19:54.135)
speak on a stage one day, like whatever your version of success looks like, or even quit your job and go travel Southeast Asia, like whatever. Are you gonna do that better when you're like feeling foggy and grumpy the next day after drinking, or are you gonna be like 100 % on top of it? And so it's so interesting that it's like common sense, I think, you know what I mean? It becomes just common sense, but it's just not talked about as often. And so I think if you are, for example, someone who is really stubborn,

Mara DeMauro (20:13.966)
Great.

Karolina (20:22.538)
if you're really like like to be associated with your power, not with your like pain points. If you're like one of the stronger signs on astrology, if you're like a three on the Enneagram, if you're just someone who already associates yourself as this ambitious person, that's the clue for you to go alcohol free. It's not to see this as like some weakness, something that you have to give up because you're so sad and you drank a little too much or something. Like you need to see it as like, my God, this is the new status symbol.

Mara DeMauro (20:30.102)
Mm.

Karolina (20:50.168)
For years, we were taught that the status symbol is like wine collection and going to wine listings and having cosmos in New York. This is the status symbol. It's like the most successful people, the most like people that you admire in the world don't drink. What if you join that club and start to see your status like that as well? And then you carry yourself differently also in social situations because a lot of times what happens is when you start questioning alcohol,

Mara DeMauro (20:54.317)
Right.

Mara DeMauro (20:58.145)
Yes.

Karolina (21:14.67)
everyone still drinks around you. And so you never want to feel like the odd one out or like you don't belong. You want to start like stepping into the embodiment of like, I'm the leader. Like you guys haven't caught on yet. Like you don't drink alcohol free beer yet. What are you doing? It's not 1990 anymore, you guys. You know what mean? The confidence you carry, people won't give you shit and people are going to start to follow suit and do what you're doing.

Renee (21:27.446)
Mara DeMauro (21:29.23)
You

Mara DeMauro (21:38.058)
yes. I'm just like, yes. I know.

Renee (21:38.658)
Yeah. No, I so, 1990, I love that. Oh my God. It's so true. And that, that also like, it reminds me of that story, Mara, that you just told me recently of like someone coming in at, at, you know, one of the locations that you work at and, maybe you can tell the story better than I can actually. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Mara DeMauro (21:55.924)
Yes, I know exactly where you're going. was going to say this too, and Carolina was talking about hiking. So yeah. at one of my jobs I had that we do boat tours and some dude came in and you know, he's like, all right, you know, he asked like literally five times if, if they could drink booze on the boat. Like that was, that was the focal point. I mean, this, this boat tour wasn't going to go unless that was a part of it. And.

You know, I'm telling Renee like, wow, this is so interesting. And she's like, it's so interesting because the, cause the event is the boat tour, you know, like, and that's what's supposed to be so fun, but it's like, it's only going to be fun if we can include the substance that's going to numb us out to the actual experience that we're paying for in the first place. And that is, it's just so, it's just so fascinating how, how we just.

I guess I would love to go and maybe you have something to share about this. of like the, kind of like the history of like why, like where we started feeling like we needed to numb out, you know, that comes from a very depressive state, you know, and numbing out and how we kind of, obviously there's a lot of money in alcohol. So then how that, how we can spin that to this. So this is like a status thing, but like keep the money going and propose it this way and a marketing strategy around that. And, and it's like, but really this is about.

Renee (23:09.454)
Mm.

Mara DeMauro (23:21.09)
doling everything in us. And it's like who? My question lately is who wants us to be asleep?

Renee (23:22.922)
Mm. Yeah, he was like asking you all.

Renee (23:30.106)
Mmm, yeah. Well, and he was like asking you all these questions too, like, hey, do you have any like games or like all these extra things? And you're like, my first thing was like, no, the book, like you're going to be out on the water. Like that's going to be the fun part. But anyways.

Mara DeMauro (23:31.918)
Who wants a sweet sweet?

Mara DeMauro (23:41.08)
Yeah. Yeah.

Karolina (23:45.763)
Yeah, I love this. And I'm not like one of those, you know, fall off the cliff, like, theorists or anything like that. But I think you posed such a good question. Why do people want us to sleep? You know, alcohol is an institution. It is a societal institution. And, you know, maybe it's been around for a long, long time, but the way that we've been drinking in the last, like, 30 years is unprecedented in history.

The level of access people have, like there's more alcohol problems in India than ever, ever before, because now slowly but surely people have just a little bit more money than just like completely dirt poor, right? And are being able to be liked by alcohol. And that's like what they're spending all of the money on, same like in places like Africa. And so it is literally in the last 30 years, we have been drinking so much more as a society. And it's only the sober curious movement that's starting to lessen that a little. So the trend is going just a bit down now, which is really cool to see.

And so like think about it, when we were growing up, I'm not sure exactly your ages, but like in the 80s, like there weren't breweries everywhere, there wasn't wineries everywhere, you couldn't go to the movie theater and order a drink, you know what I mean? And even think about today, like the mommy juice culture, if you would have taken alcohol to your kids' soccer game in the middle of the afternoon, people would have been working. And today that's like celebrated. So.

Mara DeMauro (24:57.294)
Mmm.

Karolina (25:01.93)
Our status level, the level of meaning and associations we put on alcohol to make it not only something that makes you glamorous and sophisticated, but the level of marketing that has been targeting women specifically has drastically changed. And they've shown reports that the alcohol industry operates really similarly to how the cigarette industry. So think about it. I once had this incredible social law professor when I was getting my MBA and he was saying that

The only way the cigarette industry is successful is that they get young people to smoke. Because think about it, if I'm 40 years old and I've never smoked in my life, you're not going to get me to smoke and then start being a smoker for the rest of my life. It's completely improbable. And so their clue, their game piece is to get young people to smoke, right? And that's how you make smokers for life. And so something really similar happens to us as drinkers. Not only do we watch adults drink all of our life, ever since you were like three or four that you can remember things,

You've watched people drink around you. Even if your parents didn't drink, you saw it on TV, you saw it in movies. In your mind as a child, you started to say to yourself, when I can drink, that means I'll be an adult. That means I'll belong. That means I'll hold a place in society like that. And that's ingrained into us all our lives. Then we actually start drinking. Maybe you're 18, maybe you're 13, maybe you're 21. It doesn't really matter. But it's like this initiation of like, oh, now I'm an adult. Now I'm a rebel. Now I'm cool. Now I'm whatever.

Mara DeMauro (26:10.03)
Mm-hmm.

Karolina (26:27.052)
And then we also get this also, you know, we're so insecure back then. So we do get this sense of like, alcohol helps me be more confident or helps me be more talkative or all these things that we really don't need anymore because we're adults now that are more fully functioning. as a younger adults, right, we kind of have that more insecure basis. So it's like the perfect storm of all the social conditioning, your like initial experiences with alcohol and then the society that basically says that you have to drink. And if you don't drink, then you are the abnormal one. Right.

Mara DeMauro (26:55.042)
Mm-hmm.

Karolina (26:55.97)
The alcohol industry makes billions and billions of dollars off of that, right? And just think of it this way, we think of it as so normalized in our culture. Like, of course, like you drink and it's just part of culture and what you've always done. Imagine that we lived on an alien planet where alcohol was just never invented. And those aliens came to earth and were like, why is everyone feeling like crap on Saturday mornings? Like, why are you guys drinking this? can't you can't invent something better that doesn't make you feel crappy and is toxic and is sick.

they would have no frame of reference for it. They would be so flabbergasted that we're drinking this poison that literally not only is so bad for our health for down like the line, heart disease, cancer, dementia, but in the moment it's destroying your cells. Like they have studies where they put alcohol in a Petri dish with cells and they can actually hear the cells crying out as they shrivel and start to die. That is what alcohol is, right?

Mara DeMauro (27:49.838)
Bye.

Renee (27:51.354)
What?

Karolina (27:52.963)
crazy as a society. It's like we've all been so dupe into this behavior, into this pattern. And what makes me sad about it is not like everybody needs to not drink. I'm not like abstinence only. It's not about that. But what makes me sad about it is just the pattern that when you usually have alcohol as a normal part of your life, you're also ignoring your bigger purpose in life. You're also ignoring the things you really came to this planet to do. You're not awake and alive to it.

And that's what you said in the very beginning is like, make us all asleep. Why? Why are they doing that? You know what I mean? So yeah, if like you like that conspiracy rabbit hole, if you want to take it from the feminist perspective too of how they're marketing to women and like what that does to us, we have way more health complications from alcohol than men do too. So it's just like crazy to see that. But also just the standpoint of if I really want to be a rebel in society, it's not through the drinking that I was taught when I was 14 or 17 or whatever.

Mara DeMauro (28:35.502)
Hmm.

Mara DeMauro (28:43.651)
Yep.

Karolina (28:45.358)
It's the other way around. It's like being banned as a non-drinker, you know?

Mara DeMauro (28:46.891)
Yep.

Renee (28:47.29)
Totally.

Mara DeMauro (28:50.222)
Yep, absolutely. love, yeah, I'm like, imagine, I'm like rainbows and butterflies here, but I'm like, yeah, imagine we, more people did have, you know, they're in a space where they're tapping into their intuition and they can feel their feelings and they are stepping into their life purpose and all of these things. Like imagine a world where that was it, where love was leading, where it wasn't fear and denial and scarcity and

Renee (28:50.478)
Yes, yeah.

Mara DeMauro (29:20.194)
you know, all the things that comes with numbing. And I'm like, that sounds like I want to be, I want to do that. Like I'm here for a fucking good time. Let's do it. Like, and I guess like, I feel like, you know, I don't want to be this friend or this person or come off like preachy, know, la da da da da. But it's just so interesting to me how.

Renee (29:24.014)
Yeah.

Renee (29:28.25)
I would have eaten part of that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Mara DeMauro (29:46.39)
I can have people in my circle who know these things about alcohol and still choose to do that. And so I'm just like, that's why coming back to that other question I asked, like what, and even you said it took seven years of hearing that little voice. Like what actually makes someone like, okay, that's it. Today's the day we're choosing something different, you know? And I guess it's just kind of like exposure.

Renee (30:04.217)
Yeah.

Mara DeMauro (30:13.846)
repetition, hearing other people live life differently, seeing that, you know, the education piece. I don't know.

Karolina (30:22.336)
It's a lot for her and it's going to be so much easier when you surround yourself with this kind of thing in your ears. It's going to be so much easier with community. It's going to be so much easier with coaching. It's going to be so much easier to surround yourself with other people who are doing it too, so that you don't feel like the lone wolf. You're like the herd of the pack. And it's going to be so much easier when you reprogram your subconscious because I think what it is is that at the end of the day, you have a core belief that alcohol is your main source of comfort in your world and it makes you feel like you're enough.

And I know that sounds ridiculous when you say it out loud, because it's like, what? No, that's not what I think. But at the end of the day, it is literally a belief system that alcohol is meeting your greatest human needs. And obviously, it's terrifying to think of like, well, if I didn't do that, then I would not have all this. And so that is a subconscious change that needs to be done. And to really look into like, why does my subconscious believe all this? How is this formed and actually unpack that and reverse it and change it? And that's a process that I walked through. I remember I did one break

what my first break from alcohol where I just didn't drink for 30 days. And it was really good in the sense of like, I was waking up feeling just so proud of myself and like the peaceful mornings and stuff. I noticed I was laughing more than ever before, but I still had the same desire level for alcohol. I still like, you know, missed it. I still couldn't wait for a Friday with a drink. And so well, the next time I drank and that was really disappointing and just, it was just like one or two drinks too. And I was like, my God, that was not.

Renee (31:39.268)
Hmm.

Mara DeMauro (31:47.17)
Hmm

Karolina (31:50.371)
like what I thought it was. But the next time I was like, no, I'm taking a break this time, I committed to changing my subconscious belief system around alcohol. I excavated everything I ever have believed or thought about alcohol, how it meets my needs, what it does for, you know, my self-esteem, all this kind of stuff. And I changed it one by one by one where I completely lost the desire to drink.

And I did this in a matter of like weeks, maybe like a few months or so. And so I literally haven't had a craving for alcohol since I've never been tempted to drink since alcohol. Like I'm one of those aliens that comes from the other planet. And I'm like, what are you guys doing? And I was a drinker. Like I had my first drink from at 13. I drank every weekend from 17 on for years, years, years, years, years. I thought it was the book. Like I wasn't in the sense of like, I don't think it was that dependence that the way that we call like alcohol addiction.

Renee (32:24.794)
Ha ha.

Karolina (32:42.306)
but that emotional dependence of like, always need this in my life. This is what makes everything fun. Like all of the things you just said were so clicked on me. And I'm just so glad I don't believe in that because one, no one's born believing all that. It's we're socialized program to believe all that. So it's taking your power away. And two, you will be so freaking delighted and surprised to see like who you really are without the crutch of alcohol. It is gonna make you the most empowered version of yourself.

Mara DeMauro (32:54.414)
Mm-hmm.

Karolina (33:09.366)
Everybody wants to be wealthier, healthier, happier, fitter, right? This is the fastest road I know to get there. It's not the only road, but it is I know the fastest one.

Mara DeMauro (33:17.631)
Mm-hmm.

Renee (33:18.552)
Yeah, yeah, I love the introduction that I had when yeah, Mike job. Exactly. Exactly. Like you want to know the cheat code that is the cheat code, like one way ticket. And I'm just I'm so happy that you brought that up in terms of like, you know, changing our subconscious and the neuroplasticity behind it, because I feel like a lot of the times people think that their identity is tied with the alcohol. So when you do remove that, it's like, just as you said, who am I without this?

Mara DeMauro (33:20.622)
My draw.

Renee (33:48.523)
But what if you are better? You are going to be a better person after that. So just hearing that story about you can change and it's possible because there are three people right here who have done it amongst thousands. So to anybody who's listening, it may not take you a week. It may not take you 30 days, maybe one try, two tries, whatever it is, but just to know that it is possible for you.

Absolutely, I love that.

Mara DeMauro (34:19.436)
Yeah.

Karolina (34:20.044)
Yeah. And I think it's like, please.

Mara DeMauro (34:22.958)
I was going to ask, you know, cause we're talking about the, the correlations and the parallels between the tobacco industry and alcohol industry. And, know, I don't hear many podcasts. don't know. Maybe there are podcasts out there talking about like, you know, waking up like, stop smoking, you know, like, is this eventually just going to be a conversation we don't have because it's becoming more accepted and.

promoted amongst the wellness community that, yeah, like you want to be healthier, wealthier, all of these things, you just don't drink. What do you think that's going to look like? Or do you think this is always going to have a place in conversation because it is so prominent?

Karolina (35:05.622)
Yeah, I definitely think we're having a revolution around this. Like we can already see Gen Z is drinking so much less than any other generation. And I think what happens like from a very like high level spiritual almost standpoint, I think that each generation is here to expand on consciousness than the generation before. And I think that that like you were saying this kind of utopian world more love, more abundance, more all of that kind of stuff.

we start to defy the rules of the past and we break through and that's what human innovation is, right? Like we're so different than our ancestors who lived in medieval times, for example, right? We've evolved, we've innovated and we've expanded in our consciousness. We're not these like, you know, superstitious people who are like throwing like salt, you know what I mean? Like all the weird things I'm sure in medieval times that were going on.

Renee (35:37.784)
Yeah

Karolina (35:50.657)
So like, if you think about it that way, I think that now it's becoming really clear that alcohol is just a block to this expanded consciousness. And that when you're really thinking about it for so long, people would drink and not feel good, but just push it under a rug because that's just what you do. It's society. It's just how the practices. Now people are like, wait a minute, something's off here. I don't think you're supposed to drink something and feel like crap. That doesn't make any sense, right? And so people are starting to really question it and

There is so much more awareness around it. So I think yes, in one way we're heading towards a huge revolution, but also at the same time, you whenever there's a change in human behavior or trends, there's a bell curve. So right now the bell curve, there's the early adopters, the mainstream and the last adopters. We are all the early adopters. This is still a brand new phenomenon. You, me, you, although, you know, the three of us here, we don't drink happen to drink.

but my neighbor drinks, my barista drinks, the grocery clerk drinks, the person at the bank drinks, like my friend, you know what I mean? Like it's still something that's very uncommon and becoming more more common. And especially in success circles, it's really, really common, you guys. But so I see that right now we're in that early adopter phase. I think in the next 10, 20 years, we're gonna go through that mainstream phase. And then I think there's always gonna be those last stragglers as well, just like with smoking cigarettes, like people still smoke. A lot of people get into it still too.

Renee (36:49.283)
Hmm.

Mara DeMauro (36:57.166)
Mm.

Karolina (37:12.504)
So it hasn't really gone away in that sense. But I think it's just so refreshing because like we are finally like taking something that just, you know, it's almost like the, there's a huge revolution around nine to five work as well. There's so many people who are like, I'm not gonna be my parents who commuted for an hour every day, worked for, you know, nine hours, came home, never traveled the world.

Mara DeMauro (37:14.541)
Yeah.

Mara DeMauro (37:30.574)
you

Karolina (37:32.975)
you know, sacrificed everything, got to 65, and then barely able was able to do anything because I passed away from like a chronic illness by the time I was 70. You know, like, I think we've watched that happen. And we're like, No, so more and more like millennials, for example, they're leaving the workforce, they're building their own businesses, more and more people are becoming digital nomads to see the world or just travel more. So I think it's like this trend of freedom is what it really is. And like the the alcohol is the part to the freedom to its alcohol freedom, so that you can have

Mara DeMauro (37:41.741)
Right.

Mara DeMauro (37:56.44)
Thank

Karolina (38:02.946)
You know, I was someone who didn't think I could be an entrepreneur. I didn't think I could be an author or a writer. I didn't think I could be a leader when I was drinking. So when I went alcohol free, all of those self-womening beliefs were changed. And so I really do see that it's like when you want this different reality, especially pushing the confines of the reality from our parents in the past, going alcohol free is what actually gives you the confidence to push past all those other things too. And I think it's a cool phenomenon to see so many people who go alcohol free end up becoming entrepreneurs.

Mara DeMauro (38:32.067)
Hmm.

Karolina (38:32.332)
Because it's like, ditched the toxic alcohol, and now I'm also ditching the toxic nine to five. And or I'm building the future that I want, right? So maybe I don't leave my job right away, but I'm starting to build a business to like go into that. Not only does that answer your like quest for purpose, right? And it's like, what am I really here on this planet to do? It's like to not just be an employee who waits for happy hour, right? Talk about theory, like why was happy hour even, you know, created to keep employees? Right?

Mara DeMauro (38:53.901)
Right.

Renee (38:54.297)
Hehe.

Renee (38:58.603)
Not happy hour.

Karolina (39:01.762)
but also to start like really questioning the boundaries of everything. And so I think it's a really cool phenomenon. We're watching people go alcohol free and they become entrepreneurs and they launch these incredible legacies, impact, you know, help a lot of people in different ways, like podcasts, books written and all this kind of stuff. So I think we really are changing the world in a revolution. And, you know, for those of us who want to continue helping people though, there's always going to be, I think people to help too, because this is like 7 billion people on the planet, 8 billion maybe now.

we're talking about and the message hasn't reached them yet. Let's just say that.

Mara DeMauro (39:34.654)
Yeah. Yeah. I love how you said alcohol freedom. was like, Hmm, yeah, maybe, you know, going back to people kind of being like, you say sober or sober ish, you know, that alcohol freedom is kind of a way that makes it it's it sounds more exciting. Anyway, I hear the word freedom and I'm like, freedom. Yeah, want my more freedom in my life. I want more, you time freedom, you know, financial freedom, all these things. So I like that.

Renee (39:35.118)
Yeah, totally.

Renee (40:03.342)
the freedoms. Yeah, we love that. Well, Carolina, as we wrap up, is there anything, any tips, just any last comments, what you're doing right now, anything that you want to share with our audience before we wrap up?

Karolina (40:18.062)
Absolutely. So if you're starting your journey, I highly recommend you pick up Euphoric. It's one of the most empowering books on the alcohol-free lifestyle. It will just get you questioning things. You don't have to commit. You know what I mean? But really learning all the benefits of what happens when you take an extended break from alcohol makes you really excited to experience it. And so it also walks you through an eight-week guide so that you can start to lose that subconscious desire. And then we talked a lot, too, about purpose in the show and just this phenomenon of so many people ditching alcohol and their nine-to-fives.

And I think if you're listening and you're like already on the alcohol free like train and you're like, yes, I love everything they're saying, but you're still kind of like feeling, I don't know if what I'm doing for my job is my purpose. I don't really love my nine to five. I really truly think that when you go a transformation like this yourself, it's because you're meant to help other people. And the way you do that could be formally, informally, through a book, through a podcast, through a blog, through coaching, through a business, through all these things.

but there is a process to become someone who can help someone change their desire levels for alcohol. There is a process to change the neural pathways and coach to the subconscious. And so it's been my mission for the last few years, not only to help people go alcohol free, but to really help people become the most incredible thought leaders that they can be, to become coaches, to really start their own business and make way more income and impact than they were in the thing that wasn't giving them a sense of purpose.

And so I do a five X certification. Renee is a graduate of the program. And this is where you get five times certified in five different modalities, mindset coaching, alcohol-free empowerment coaching, success coaching, NLP practitioner and hypnosis practitioner. And it also comes with business training. So you actually implement and start growing a business while in the program, half of it's devoted to that. And so I've just seen so many people who go alcohol-free and they're like, I want to get in this. I want to help other people. It's just such a natural desire.

Renee (41:45.784)
Yeah.

Mara DeMauro (42:10.862)
Mm-hmm.

Karolina (42:11.04)
And so if that's something that's calling to you, just feel free to check it out. Feel free. I don't know if the show link will have it or something or DM me like you're easy to get interested in involved. but I, I talk a little bit even more about not only going alcohol free, but about how that's preparing you for your purpose and like what that really means and where you're really growing from there. So I've been helping entrepreneurs and people step into entrepreneurship for a really long time now. Like that's the point for me. It's like, we don't just stop drinking to stop drinking. We stopped drinking because it's to like unveil the like.

Renee (42:16.332)
Yes, it will, of course.

Mara DeMauro (42:37.358)
Right.

Renee (42:39.534)
So much more.

Karolina (42:40.96)
glorious life's work that you're meant for. So that's my passion, my purpose. I've helped so many industry leaders like Renee has been such a joy to work with too. And I'm just like, cheering on all the time, like where she's up to and stuff. just, you know, feel free to pick her brain, pick my brain or anything like that. But yeah, feel free to get more info if that's calling for you.

Renee (43:00.024)
Yes. Thank you. Thank you so, so much. And yeah, I can attest to, you know, the five X certification went through the program. I wouldn't be here without it. I really don't think so. So thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, helping people with their purpose. And we will have everything linked in the show notes. And I'm just so, so grateful for this connection.

Mara DeMauro (43:23.872)
Yes, thank you, Carolina. I'm like, I just want to like jump in your brain. Like,

Karolina (43:24.718)
Yeah

Renee (43:28.558)
I know, was like, we could probably keep talking. That sounds like, man.

Mara DeMauro (43:32.332)
I know, amazing. It's so nice to be around that energy. So thank you.

Karolina (43:40.77)
Thank you guys, this is the most fun thing I've done. This is my morning, I love it.

Renee (43:44.314)
Yay! All right y'all, until next time, bye!

Mara DeMauro (43:48.856)
Bye!