What if just three words could shift everything about how you experience your alcohol-free life? In this episode, Karla Adkins shares the simple but powerful phrase that transformed her mindset and confidence on her alcohol-free journey: I don't drink.

Karla takes us back to an early moment in her sobriety — a turbulent solo flight where she had to decide how to respond when a fellow passenger offered to order her a drink. What happened next was small, but the impact was anything but.

In this episode, Karla breaks down:

• Why saying "I can't drink" or "I wish I could, but I can't" keeps you stuck in a mindset of deprivation and invites unwanted questions
• How shifting to "I don't drink" reclaims your power and reflects who you truly are
• Why your language around alcohol matters more than you think
• A simple challenge to try for yourself the next time someone offers you a drink

Whether you're brand new to the alcohol-free life or years into your journey, this episode is a great reminder that the words we use shape the way we feel — and sometimes, three little words really can make all the difference.

Episode Keywords: alcohol-free, sober curious, sobriety, mindset, language, confidence, anxiety, alcohol-free lifestyle, zero proof

Follow ZPL:

• https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
• https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription

Follow the coaches:

• Brandi Babb – @brandi.babb (https://www.instagram.com/brandi.babb/)
• Karla Adkins – @karlakadkins (https://www.instagram.com/karlakadkins/)
• Carolyn Bennett – @thesoberempath (https://www.instagram.com/carolynbennett2.0/)
• Becca Snider – @becsnider (https://www.instagram.com/becsnider/)

If this conversation resonated with you, please follow the show and leave a review so more people can discover The Zero Proof Life. These conversations are for informational purposes only and not medical or mental health advice.

This episode kicks off a brand new series called The Limiting Belief Lab — a deep dive into the beliefs that keep people stuck in their relationship with alcohol. Karla and Lorna explore how our beliefs around drinking are often the biggest barrier to finding freedom, and introduce a four-step framework for dismantling them.

Today's Belief Under the Microscope:

"I will lose my friends if I stop drinking."

The 4-Step Limiting Belief Lab Process

Step 1 — Name It Identify and plainly state the belief that's coming up for you. There's no shame in it — the fear of losing friends is a deeply human response rooted in our need for connection and belonging.

Step 2 — Where Did It Come From? This is the meat of the process, broken into two parts:

• The Backpack — Social conditioning we carry from childhood onward. Alcohol is romanticized everywhere — in advertising, at weddings, on girls' weekends — and becomes fused in our minds with joy, celebration, and togetherness.
• The Hard Drive — Your subconscious mind. Biologically, humans are tribal beings. Belonging meant survival. So the fear of being "cast out of the tribe" is a very real, hardwired threat response — not a character flaw.

Step 3 — What Is It Costing You? Get honest about what drinking really looks like — not the romanticized version, but the reality. The next-morning shame, the panic about what you said, the relationships strained. This is where your brain begins to update its story.

Step 4 — What Does Your Wiser Self Know? Your inner mentor knows that good friendships survive change. Some friendships deepen without alcohol. Some that fade were held together only by drinking — and that's okay too. Your wiser self also knows: you may be blocking yourself from meeting people who are an even better fit for who you're becoming.

Key Takeaways

• Your fear of losing friends is valid and human — you are not alone in it
• Alcohol doesn't deserve credit for genuine connection — your people show up for you
• Neural pathways can actually change when you consistently tell yourself the truth
• Some friendships are for a season, and that's part of growth

Resources & Links

• Guest: Lorna Wilson

https://www.lornawilsoncoaching.com

• https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription
• Follow ZPL: https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/

Follow ZPL:

• https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
• https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription

Follow the coaches:

• Brandi Babb – @brandi.babb (https://www.instagram.com/brandi.babb/)
• Karla Adkins – @karlakadkins (https://www.instagram.com/karlakadkins/)
• Carolyn Bennett – @thesoberempath (https://www.instagram.com/carolynbennett2.0/)
• Becca Snider – @becsnider (https://www.instagram.com/becsnider/)

If this conversation resonated with you, please follow the show and leave a review so more people can discover The Zero Proof Life. These conversations are for informational purposes only and not medical or mental health advice.

What if the symptoms you’ve been ignoring… are actually messages?

In this powerful conversation, Carolyn sits down with holistic nutritionist and founder of The Nutrition Steward, Sarah Steward, to explore what it looks like to stop overriding your body—and start listening instead.

After years of being misdiagnosed and dismissed by the healthcare system, Sarah made the decision to take her health into her own hands. Through a holistic approach, she was able to finally understand and manage symptoms that had gone unresolved for years.

Together, they unpack the connection between emotional health, physical symptoms, and alcohol-free living, and how sobriety can become a powerful step toward clarity, healing, and self-trust.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, unheard, or disconnected from your body—this conversation will meet you there.

What You’ll Learn

“Your body is trying to tell you something—don’t ignore it.”

Healing begins when you stop outsourcing your authority

Emotional and physical health are deeply connected

Sobriety creates space for clarity, healing, and alignment

There is always a chance to begin again

Chapters

09:51
The Impact of Sobriety on Health

14:55
Understanding Alcohol's Role in Wellness

22:55
Empathy, Sensitivity, and Healing

30:15
Emotional Intelligence and Health

36:00
Navigating Overwhelm and Intuition

44:29
Resources for Support and Growth

🔗 Resources

Sarah's contact information:

Website: www.nutritionsteward.com

Instagram: @thenutritionsteward

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/charlotteholisticnutrition

The Gentle Detox Program with Sarah: https://www.nutritionsteward.com/detox

🌿 Reflection Questions from Sarah

• What role does this substance currently play in my life?
• In what situations is the urge the strongest?
• What emotions or patterns tend to precede use?
• What am I hoping to feel more of? Less of?
• How does my body feel the next day?
• Does this align with my long-term health goals?
• If I believe I’m not dependent, what would a short break reveal?
• Is my body benefiting from this—or adapting to it?

Follow ZPL:

• https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
• https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription

Follow the coaches:

• Brandi Babb – @brandi.babb (https://www.instagram.com/brandi.babb/)
• Karla Adkins – @karlakadkins (https://www.instagram.com/karlakadkins/)
• Carolyn Bennett – @thesoberempath (https://www.instagram.com/carolynbennett2.0/)
• Becca Snider – @becsnider (https://www.instagram.com/becsnider/)

If this conversation resonated with you, please follow the show and leave a review so more people can discover The Zero Proof Life. These conversations are for informational purposes only and not medical or mental health advice.