S1 E26 The Ripple Effect of Ditching Alcohol with Best Selling Author, Karolina Rzadkowolska

Jane Ballard (00:00.998)
Hello, hello and welcome to another episode of mindful sobriety, the podcast. I am so excited that you're listening to this episode today because we have a very, very special guest. Her name is Karolina Rzadkowolska. She is the author of euphoric ditch alcohol and gain a happier, more confident you. And she's also been influential in my life as a mentor and a coach and

I am not sure where I'd be without her. She's just been a huge influence on me and my journey over the last year. So Carolina, thank you so much for joining us today.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (00:43.986)
my gosh, thank you so much for this sweet welcome. I feel so excited to be here.

Thank you.

Jane Ballard (00:50.566)
Well, maybe to start out, tell us a little bit about what you're doing currently. What does your current life look like?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (00:56.966)
Yeah. So I consider myself, I'm a master mindset coach. I do certifications and learn about the human psychology, like in my free time. And I've been running a coaching business over the last six years, really helping women not only reevaluate the role of alcohol in their lives, but also finding deeper purpose in their lives. So alcohol is not as a learning. And then with that, a lot of, you know, nurturing new dreams and goals. So I help women also launch businesses, write books, and I also run a five X certification program. That's an ICF approved program.

So really kind of walking women from the very beginning of their journey of just reevaluating alcohol to manifesting and achieving some of their bigger dreams, which is what we got to work on together. And it is definitely my life's purpose. Like I am stepped into what exactly I came to this planet to do.

Jane Ballard (01:42.438)
That is so inspiring to hear and also such a gift. I don't know that many humans and the history of humankind actually get to feel that way. And I think when people hear stories like yours, they're like, but that's not for me. That's just for these miraculous cases or these exceptional individuals. But I believe that that miracle is available to everyone. And so I'm curious.

You know, if you, when you were 15, if you'd seen where you are today, what do you think you would have thought?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (02:19.142)
Yeah, it's such a good question. You know, I think I was a dreamer when I was younger. And I think it's actually something that comes more naturally to us, especially the younger we are. And so at that age, you know, I saw myself writing books, I actually really did. I saw myself, you know, doing something meaningful. I was really interested in psychology. I was interested in teaching, I didn't know how it all come together. You know, the career I have today did not exist back then.

And it was around the time that drinking and alcohol became a more prominent part of my life that I really gave up on a lot of those dreams. I became more realistic. I graduated during the 2008 recession. And so for me, getting a job was like all about whoever would take me, I would take, you know, and I really lost that ability to have any kind of design around my life or that ability to really listen to my desires. It was all about just being practical and realistic.

And so there was a point in time, especially when alcohol played a role in my life in, you know, from college onwards until I ditched alcohol when I was 30, where I was a very optimistic person still and very much so like ambitious, but I really given up on all of those dreams. You know, those were just nowhere in sight for me. And so if you ask the 22 or 24 year old version of me, you know, who like, what would I think of my life today? Like she could have never fathomed ever, ever, ever, you know, she was stuck in a cubicle.

working a nine to five job that wasn't fulfilling her soul and really using you know, alcohol for me wasn't like a black and white type of rock bottom story. It was you know, a drink on the weekend or more so. But really using alcohol still is the highlight of my week, you know, like I just can't wait to get to that weekend so I can finally unwind and let loose without having that source of fulfillment actually enrich my every single day.

Jane Ballard (03:51.526)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (03:59.878)
And so, you know, being an author is something that I dreamed of when I was a little girl, really gave up on it. And then fortunately, really came back to me when I ditched alcohol. Like I became prolific and I started writing again after having the worst writer's block for over a decade. So I think she would be so proud that I followed the through line on some of those bigger dreams and goals. And also just so amazed at what's possible when you really listen to what your heart wants, not what society wants. And I think that

ditching alcohol, reevaluating that relationship is the biggest domino effect into that path. I actually think it's the fastest way to achieve your biggest goals and dreams. Not the only way, obviously not everybody who achieves big goals and dreams necessarily doesn't drink, but I think it's the fastest. Like it is going to catapult you faster, collapse time and give you these incredible gifts and personal development had you not gone through that journey that will then aid you and assist you and not only unleashing your deeper purpose, but also manifesting those deeper dreams as well. So yeah, she would be proud.

Jane Ballard (04:43.416)
Yeah.

Jane Ballard (04:56.678)
Yeah, she'd be proud. And I absolutely agree. And I might have been skeptical before, but after experiencing that in my own life of just giving up alcohol, you know, less than two years ago, about 20 months ago, and just how much has changed and how, how much has changed with relative ease. And it's almost like when we are consuming a toxin, it's almost like it's

Karolina Rzadkowolska (04:57.446)
Hahaha!

Karolina Rzadkowolska (05:09.83)
See you.

Jane Ballard (05:25.03)
anesthetizing us and we're asleep. And then we quit consuming that toxin, even if it's only once or twice a week. Once we quit consuming that, it's like we wake back up more and more and we remember what we believed was possible in our earlier lives. And we start to entertain those thoughts again and think, well, what if, why not me? Other people do it. Why, why can't I go for that? What's the worst that could happen?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (05:55.046)
Yes. And I think there's something really like a phenomenon about it. I think that not only do you get so many gifts when you go alcohol free, we can go into those, you know, from the increased energy, motivation, drive, courage, confidence. And I can, you know, explain why we get all those, the gratitude, the appreciation, the wonder, but it's also like, you know, the way that alcohol really inevitably has us letting ourselves down in whatever format or fashion we, we can't trust ourselves with it, or we tell ourselves, I'm not going to drink tonight, or I'm only going to have the one drink.

Jane Ballard (05:55.526)
So.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (06:24.262)
And it's like, we're always crumbling our self -esteem when it comes to alcohol, even if it's just that gray area. That's what I mostly am talking about here. But it really kind of shows that like, well, if you want to be an entrepreneur or a writer or a CEO, but you can't even control this alcohol thing, who thinks that you could ever do that kind of stuff? And I don't think it's a conscious line of thinking, but I think it's deeply subconscious. And we kind of continue showing that story to ourselves that like, I'm not.

Jane Ballard (06:27.174)
Hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (06:50.822)
depend, I cannot depend on myself to follow through on this kind of stuff. And even if we're really great at work or in family or all these other elements of our lives, if alcohol is this Achilles heel for us, I think it really tears at our self worth and our ability to truly believe we can do this. And when I ditched alcohol, not only did just ditching it, but actually being euphoric about it. Like I never thought I would be happy without drinking. I thought that if I did quit drinking, I would be unhappy, right? So when I went alcohol free and was euphoric about it,

I never in my wildest dreams would have believed that that was possible. And that was the tipping point of like all the other self -limiting beliefs I had that I was like, wait a minute, I never thought I could be an entrepreneur. I'm foreign as you can see from my last name, I grew up really shy. I pictured entrepreneurs as these Silicon guys who are super connected and knew all the angel investors and sharks and stuff. I never pictured this face, this personality as an entrepreneur.

Jane Ballard (07:23.974)
and.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (07:45.574)
But when I ditched alcohol and I did it happily and just started feeling so much more of that inherent energy and gratitude, I was like, well, why not that? Why couldn't I be that? And I think that level of self inquiry, but also like starting to catapult those self -limiting beliefs and reframe them and change them is such a critical process that happens when you ditch alcohol.

that this phenomenon isn't just my story, it is so many women's story. You ditch alcohol and you think maybe I'll sleep better, maybe I'll lose a few pounds, but it goes so much beyond the health stuff. And that's profound too. It really does cascade into all these areas of your life, whether it's like job promotions, launching a new business, launching a new passion project or side hustle, writing a book, going after this new endeavor, going after something you really wanted.

I have this incredible story I just want to share real quick. I have a client who was climbing kind of the corporate ladder, but finding herself really stuck, obviously with the relationship with alcohol and just like the work life balance. And she decided in the epiphany that she had when alcohol was out of the way, like she's going to quit her job. She moved to France. She took her family with her young kid and her husband and lived in France and traveled around Europe and wrote a memoir about the experience. And it was always meant to be temporary. So she came back, got

Jane Ballard (08:38.182)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (09:03.11)
like a promotion and is in now even a higher position than she was before has way more work life balance. And her book is she's shopping it around now to agents and publishers. And it's like that level of permission that you give yourself like why can't I want to travel the world? Why can't I other people do it? How can I not figure out a way to do it myself too? I think like alcohol just blocks us so much into the life we desire. We just think it's not for us or I don't have the resources or the characteristics to be that kind of person.

Jane Ballard (09:15.11)
Yes.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (09:32.262)
And it's just uncanny to me when you remove that, like what blossoms, which I know obviously you do too.

Jane Ballard (09:38.918)
No, absolutely. And I think, you know, in a way we don't trust our own judgment and our own ideas. And so we listen to the people around us who are like, you know, are you crazy? You think you're going to pack up and move your kids to France? Like, what's wrong with you? And, you know, when alcohol is still in your life, you're like, yeah, what is wrong with me? That's ridiculous. I have to pay the bills. I've got this, this and this. But you remove that barrier and you're like, well,

I can pay bills from Europe, you know, like it can work out. And yeah, I love that story. I'm curious for you, what led to that waking up?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (10:23.686)
Yeah, so let's go back a little. You know, when I started drinking late high school and college, and I you know, like I mentioned, I'm an introverted, I'm also grew up really shy, like very, very shy. And so when I started drinking, it was almost like, this magical like, stuff turns me into the extrovert I always wanted to be. And I really early into drinking in my college years established myself with this party identity. You know, I was the rebel, I was going out, you know, all of that.

Jane Ballard (10:26.214)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (10:52.07)
And I held on to that in grad school as well. But, you know, I have to grow up. So I start to, you know, I get married, I start my career, I buy a house, all those kinds of things. And my drinking changes as well. Instead of this party lifestyle I had, I become more sophisticated and adult with it. So now I only drink on the weekend. All these just normal things, you know, whether it's like a dinner party or networking event, or maybe some wine at home. But Monday through Thursday, I live a pretty healthy life.

Jane Ballard (10:52.134)
Mm -hmm.

Jane Ballard (10:56.422)
Hahaha.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (11:18.31)
I'm doing yoga classes, I'm meditating, I'm drinking green juices back then. And it was just, but every weekend, no matter what, no matter what alcohol was involved. And I thought I was doing it right.

Jane Ballard (11:28.006)
And I think, and that is so relatable. I mean, I think that most people have that story. It's just so normalized in our culture.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (11:40.518)
Of course. And you know, on Monday mornings, I couldn't shake the exhaustion. I couldn't shake the shame. I couldn't shake really feeling like I took two steps forward in my healthy lifestyle during the week and just five steps backward over the weekend. And I lived in the cyclical phase for years. It's almost embarrassing to say, but I think a lot of us know deep down alcohol is not serving us for a very long time before we're ready to consciously make any changes.

Jane Ballard (11:46.918)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (12:05.414)
Probably seven years of being super conscious of this because the party lifestyle I had before I was so young and immature. I didn't really consciously feel as much of the pain from it. But this is where I really get the cognitive dissonance. I want to be this healthy, successful, mindful person. And alcohol is not allowing me to do that. And so it was finally when I heard of Dry January that something clicked in me because I think I knew intuitively. And this is the thing on those Monday mornings, I would get this voice from my intuition saying, Carolina, you're made for more. You are made for so much more.

Jane Ballard (12:05.51)
Mm -hmm.

Jane Ballard (12:21.286)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (12:35.494)
And I guess part of me didn't want to listen to that and was scared about what it would mean to quit drinking in this society. This was back in like 2017 where, you know, the alcohol -free movement wasn't as big as it is today. It was starting, obviously, but I did think, okay, now I have to be an alcoholic and I have to call myself this label and I have to go to meetings. Like, no, I'm sorry, but no, we're going to keep drinking.

Jane Ballard (12:46.086)
Mm -mm.

Jane Ballard (12:55.27)
Yeah, you have to claim yourself as abnormal, basically.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (12:59.11)
right? But it was really this concept of dry January that finally the light bulb went out, went off and I was like, I could just take a break and not like have to explain it to anybody. And it was actually the first time as an adult that I gave myself that much space away from alcohol. And I have to say, I fell in love. Like, obviously, the first Friday was awkward, I had to figure out what to do with my hands. But I fell in love with

Jane Ballard (13:20.39)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (13:21.638)
peaceful mornings, I fell in love with the pride I felt for myself every day, I started enjoying nature more, I started having bigger belly laughs and just like really enjoying my emotions in a way I hadn't in a long time, like things brought me more awe and wonder. And February comes around and I don't really think I'm allowed to continue. In my mind, a normal adult drinks, so if I want to be normal, I have to drink. And that February I drink a few times and the contrast was so crazy.

You know, just one or two drinks, not even over drinking per se, not only made me like completely ruin my sleep, made me super groggy the next day, but I noticed even in the moment, like 20, 30 minutes later, I'm getting cranky, I'm getting frustrated, I'm picking little fights with my husband. And I'm like, wait a minute, in January, I was euphoric looking out clouds, and now I have a drink and it completely tanks my mood. I like, I thought for so long, I was using alcohol as a way to like perk me up and be happier and just enjoy myself.

But my conclusion there was like, no, this doesn't work like that at all. And it really took that like experiment to be able to realize that. So I decided that February is to take another break from alcohol. And that carries us six and a half years later, I've been alcohol free. But basically that year, I really defied and use all those gifts that you get from going alcohol free and defied every single limiting belief I had at that time about, you know, what was possible for me or not possible.

and just started to really discover my passions in that kind of creative time you get away from not drinking and you find a way to monetize my passions. So that year's the year I launched my business. I got certified as a coach. I started writing the first draft of my book. I launched a podcast. I ran a half marathon and it just became like, how could I become the better version of me and just really expand beyond my comfort zone because that's what drinking was for me. It was such a retreat into my comfort zone.

Jane Ballard (14:51.654)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (15:13.51)
And so since then, you know, now I run a multiple six and your seven figure company. I retired my husband a few years ago so that we can travel the world together. I've helped thousands of women. You know, I had my book come out two years ago and thousands of people have, you know, read it and told me it's changed their lives. I host your treats around the world. So it's like the biggest dreams I had six years ago. Like I almost can't believe that I've achieved. And it's just literally that power, not only of ditching alcohol, but then the personal development work to.

Jane Ballard (15:13.702)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (15:41.83)
not only embrace my desires, but then really believe that they're meant for me and that I'm not like an imposter or something like that. It's been the wildest journey of my life. I'm so impassioned by these topics. Not only helping people ditch alcohol, to me that's like a doorway in, but the cooler work to me is also discovering your purpose and unleashing your gifts into the world. And I'm so passionate about it that like the fulfillment I feel every day now cannot ever compare to the 20 minute buzz that you get from alcohol.

Jane Ballard (15:46.182)
Mm -hmm.

Jane Ballard (15:57.19)
Right.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (16:10.79)
And I think in a way that that's actually the missing piece. I think that's sometimes why we get so trapped into these limiting behaviors or patterns is that deeper, deeper source of purpose, meaning and fulfillment are often missing or not as aligned in our lives as we would hope to be. And I don't think it's necessarily the first step to take. I think, you know, reevaluating alcohol might be more poignant.

Jane Ballard (16:27.174)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (16:36.55)
But if you're listening to this and you're already taking a break and you've already done work around that, I think that this is the next step afterwards. It's like where, you know, when I'm 95 years old sitting on my rocking chair, what is the legacy I created in my life? You know, like did, did I matter? Did the things I do enrich other people? And it's these kinds of deeper questions that are going to be more important. Did I regret not doing all this stuff? Cause I was scared or I was, you know, holding back or, you know, those are the things that are going to keep you. Exactly.

Jane Ballard (17:02.982)
Trying to please someone.

Yeah, it's like, are you living somebody else's dream, somebody else's dogma, somebody else's values? Or do you have the courage to figure out what your own values are, what your own dream is, and then do whatever it takes to live your life in that way?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (17:24.038)
So well said.

Jane Ballard (17:26.182)
Yeah, I mean, that is so inspiring, Carolina. I mean, I wonder if there are times where you're like, gosh, what if I hadn't woken up? What if I hadn't done that dry January? What? Like, you must feel so much gratitude and just it must feel like almost like a spiritual experience like that was meant to be.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (17:38.95)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (17:45.99)
I have to say that for sure. That's the biggest fork in the road of my life. There could have been this version A, you know, and I was ambitious, but I was still always playing it safe. You know, I was like a middle manager in a university and I worked in a cubicle and I just did things that were like, you know, I could get MBAs and advanced degrees, but that's like what kind of came easy to me. But, you know, going and launching a business and actually like making money in the real world, like that stuff that I thought was like not me at all, you know? So,

there's definitely a huge like comfort zone, Carolina, that alcohol created and where I just played it safe and, you know, did kind of what looked good on paper instead of what I really wanted. And there's this zone of genius, Carolina that lives for freedom, that wants to travel, that, you know, makes impact in people's lives and knows that I'm making a difference. And it is definitely that fork in the road. And I have to say, that's such a good question, Jane, because, you know, I grew up with, I have Catholic parents, but then when my sister,

Jane Ballard (18:25.19)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (18:43.942)
was going through some life changes, she really embraced like a very kind of evangelical fundamentalist kind of Christianity. And so from that, I had a little bit of a religious trauma that was like, at a young age introduced to some really, you know, black and white kind of ideas. So by the time I'm in like college, I'm really into Eastern philosophy, but I've completely put like spirituality away. You know, I'm like, I'm not, you know, I'm more of like an agnostic type of a person. And it was when I ditched alcohol, and I really started literally to get messages.

from the universe, I'll just call it the universe, we could say God or whatever source of like, you're meant to write a book, it's called Euphoric, here are all the chapters, you're meant to launch a business, like where I had gotten no messages before that, right? And you could call it your intuition too, or your higher self, that my spirituality kind of radar and belief and faith in that ramped up so much. And I now know, like it was all so beautifully orchestrated for me to be able to step into this bigger purpose, which is sometimes really hard to see.

Jane Ballard (19:17.958)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (19:43.622)
when we're in the challenge in the thick of the challenge, you know, every Monday morning when I was waking up, I didn't know that this is leading to that. But now I'm so grateful the way it went exactly how it went. And yeah, I would say that like the the meaning that I get from just this life path and this life journey, and how much I use that faith to know that the next thing is unfolding for me and all those kind of beautiful things really helps. You know, right now I'll be really just candid and share with a bunch of people.

Jane Ballard (19:46.598)
Absolutely.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (20:11.302)
I'm trying to have a baby and it's been a long time now that we've been trying. So it's like, you can really fall into despair or just like, my gosh, is it ever gonna happen for me? But I think I use that faith, you know, and kind of that general sense of the world, not necessarily in a specific religion or dogma to be like, I know what's meant for me. I don't need to worry about the timing.

Jane Ballard (20:11.334)
Yeah.

Jane Ballard (20:31.366)
Yeah, yeah, you can try.

that whatever, if it's God, if it's the universe, whatever, your best interest is going to happen, whatever that is. And you can be more open -handed and not grasp onto control and the need for certainty and needing to know when and how and what every little step of the way is going to look like. It's like, if you just do the next right thing and you are aligned with this loving force, what can go wrong?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (21:04.198)
Yeah. And I think that's where we get stuck is that we want the whole journey laid out for us. We want A to Z. We want to know every single step as it goes. And that's just not how it works. So you'll never know all of those steps at first. And we were often presented though with that first step, that first baby step. And we're reluctant to take it because like, we're just such perfectionists. We want to know the whole thing. We're not sure if like we were doubting ourselves or we have imposter syndrome, you know? So I hope that for someone listening to this, this was the exact episode you needed.

to just say, yes, why not start writing my book? Yes, why not start this website? Yes, why not file this thing? Yes, why not research this round the world trip? Whatever is on your heart. And I can't dictate that. That's going to be so unique to you, just like a fingerprint. But is there a first baby step that you could take that would actually be less than 30 minutes of your time, but actually propelled you into motion and started to reveal the next steps that are going to start unfolding for you? I think we get so stuck.

in just the stuckness in the waiting game for so long and wanting all the answers. And it's just not how it works. But I promise you, once you take that first step, the next one does unfold and the next one. And I got to tell myself this too, there's so many dreams I have that I haven't accomplished yet that are on the next kind of frontier of my life. And I have no idea, I have no idea how you get there. And you know, sometimes once you become like more advanced, there's less information out there because it's not as common of goals or dreams. And I'm just like, I,

Jane Ballard (22:04.358)
Mm -hmm.

Jane Ballard (22:09.126)
Yeah.

Jane Ballard (22:29.414)
This is true.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (22:30.758)
I don't know, I like could, you know, I couldn't even tell you where to find the information. But you know, I have to start looking into those intuitive signs and what would be the next first step that literally could take me 30 minutes to get me closer to this next dreamer goal. And I feel like that is always a much easier answer to figure out.

Jane Ballard (22:48.294)
Absolutely. And I like how you put that 30 minute parameter on it. Like keep it simple. You know, just do something. And even if that 30 minute step isn't the right step, it'll lead you to a little bit closer to the right step. Yeah. So I'm curious, back in 2017, the sober movement had, or the sober curious movement had begun, but it was pretty obscure and there weren't all the resources that we have these days of podcasts and books and.

Instagram accounts. I wonder if that felt lonely and and how you found community.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (23:24.934)
Yeah, that's a great question. I think what was so cool is that there was something at least, you know, and I really resonated with this idea that you go alcohol free because you are meant to unleash your potential because you have so much better gifts because you want to get into better health because you want to be the best version of yourself. And I think that, you know, when I was struggling with alcohol, it was so much more so because I was thinking of it in such the black and white terms, either your problem or your normal.

right? And I just wasn't I'm so, you know, kind of a proud pride, proud full person. I'm very like independent and stubborn and very ambitious and intelligent. And I was just like, I'm not gonna take on this negative thing, you know. And so when I started to see in this different light, and you know, when I was going alcohol free of like, no, no, no, no, this is like what movers and shakers are doing to get to the next level. I started to identify with this really new cool competitive edge.

Jane Ballard (23:54.95)
Yeah.

Jane Ballard (24:08.134)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (24:21.67)
And I started to seek out role models who didn't drink alcohol or who quit drinking alcohol and that are very successful in the areas that I find very inspiring as like evidence for myself that this is actually a secret to success. It's not a weakness. It's not like, you overdid it. Now you have to be punished the rest of your life or deprived the rest of your life. And I just found so many people, you know, Tony Robbins does not drink alcohol. Renee Brown does not drink. Gabby Bernstein doesn't drink. Deepak Chopra doesn't drink. And I could go on and on and get more obscure.

Jane Ballard (24:49.862)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (24:50.31)
But the more especially to that I'm in these rooms where seven eight figure entrepreneurs or authors or thought leaders are congregating, alcohol is usually a non existent part of their life. And it is it and if it is there, it's a teeny tiny, teeny tiny bit of their life, right? It's not the secret to success is being someone who drinks every week or every day or whatnot. And so I think that that level of like, this is what you do to be at that level. I started to wear that like I'm a Leo. So I started to wear this like new sense of

Jane Ballard (25:10.373)
No.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (25:19.206)
pride of being a non drinker or an alcohol free person. And I think that even though I was doing it alone very much so at that time, it almost felt like I was a wolf departing from the herd of sheep. And I don't want to say any judgments or any kind of like value system on like people who drink or not. But in my mind, that's the kind of like way of thinking that I had to contextualize it in in order to see it as this incredible prideful thing and this incredible departure from mediocrity.

to exceptionality and extraordinariness. And so I just, I think I took a lot of place. Exactly. So I think I just took a lot of pride in doing something differently and being kind of a role model and inspirer. And, you know, it wasn't probably the first day I was alcohol free, I felt like that. It probably took a few weeks to get there. But I did think that surrounding myself with the great, you know, role models and influencers, I know Andy Ramage used to be back around back then and Annie Grace was already around.

Jane Ballard (25:50.214)
Absolutely. Alcohol leads to mediocrity. You know?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (26:16.518)
So it's like, I definitely think you need to kind of be in the presence of people who really not only value this lifestyle and are so proud of it, but know it's also the secret to this like competitive unique advantage that you get. That really just makes it seem like, wow, I found this cool secret that just nobody else has found yet. And that's a whole different feeling than I have to do something or I can't do something anymore.

Jane Ballard (26:33.574)
Absolutely.

Jane Ballard (26:38.374)
Right, like the old adage of like what you abuse, you lose. Like if you abuse alcohol, you lose the privilege to drink it. And is it a privilege or does it just keep us kind of asleep and anesthetized to what life actually has to offer? And if you actually want to live an extraordinary life, how can you do that when you are regularly consuming a central nervous system depressant? It just seems like those two things don't go together.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (27:05.83)
Yeah. And you know, sometimes just questioning like what's normal. Like when we look at statistics, like 60 % of, you know, people in the United States are unhealthy. I just read recently that 90 % of people are metabolically like unhealthy, like close to diabetes and all these chronic diseases. 60 % of people report being unfulfilled in their career, you know, and 60 % of people just about over drink. So it's like the majority, what you would call normal by any means is unhealthy, unhappy, unfulfilled.

Who wants anything to do with normal? Did you come here to this planet to -

Jane Ballard (27:38.278)
Yeah, normal and healthy are not the same thing.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (27:41.798)
Right. And I think deep down, we know that there's deep down, there's this like child in us that, you know, did want an extraordinary life and did want to have adventures and you know, do these beautiful dreams and goals and, and it's, you know, it's part of adulthood and habits and routines and just, you know, kind of we get desensitized almost to how beautiful and wonderful life is and actually how much choice we can exert in different times and moments that we just fall asleep. And I think as adults, we fall asleep, whether alcohol is involved or not.

but damn is alcohol gonna make it much worse, you know? And you're just sleeping at the wheel. And that's why I think it's so cool to actually be someone who decides to ditch alcohol versus like never even drinking in the first place is you get the contrast. You get to really wake up and it's like, I'm never going to sleepwalk again.

Jane Ballard (28:27.686)
Yeah, absolutely. You know how good it is to be awake.

So a lot of questions or a lot of comments that I get from women who have recently given up alcohol is, you know, they're concerned about how it might impact their marriage or what their close family members might think or say, or, you know, how that might impact their relationship. How is that for you?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (28:54.758)
such a good question. And I get this question all the time, too. Well, I found that, you know, when it came to my partner, you know, we, we, I think we met when I was 23. So I was definitely drinking back then. And it's definitely a way that we would bond and hang out together. And so at first, you know, I kind of just shared breadcrumbs with him. I wasn't like one day, hey, I'm quitting drinking forever. Sorry, you know, you have no more drinking buddy anymore.

It was kind of more like I'm taking a break and then I would share these little breadcrumbs like, my God, I slept so well or like, my God, I haven't laughed that hard since high school or God, I feel so good like without alcohol. And so I was just kind of like doing these crumbs about how much happier I was without drinking. And so by the time I was like really ready to make a decision to like not go back to it, he kind of understood. He could kind of see the departure and how different I was and was like happier for me.

Jane Ballard (29:32.71)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (29:42.374)
But a really critical thing to recognize here is that, you know, if you use alcohol as a way to bond with your partner, which is, you know, date night, sitting in front of the couch, whatever, if any is drinking is involved, I think it's important to recognize that, you know, they are not necessarily, I think, deep down scared that you are going to stop drinking. I think they're scared that they're going to lose you, that you are going to keep growing in this new venture and that they're going to have a departure between your bond.

Jane Ballard (30:03.11)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (30:07.942)
So I actually think it's really important in the first few months you go alcohol free to devote intentionally quality time to bonding and rediscovering what bonding even looks like with your partner without alcohol. And sure, they could still drink if they want to, but finding times outside of that to rebond. So for example, me and my partner signed up for a half marathon that year.

And all of a sudden, instead of a Friday night at a sushi joint drinking sake, we would be running five, six miles together. And it was so cute. Like we could talk still and run. And it was like a totally different way to bond and share this really great dream and goal. We started playing board games, for example, we started going on more hikes and stuff like that. And if he did want to drink, cause he did still drink, I would just have a mocktail at the same time.

Jane Ballard (30:37.798)
Yes.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (30:52.262)
And I found that like that intentionality really got us even closer together, you know, but there sometimes can be that time period too, where you're like, you almost look down on people who are drinking because like there's this phenomenon where you just get this like sense of superiority or like, I'm making all these changes, what are you doing? And it's really great to just recognize that people change on their own timelines and the best way to initiate change is through our actions and not necessarily our words.

Jane Ballard (31:10.246)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (31:18.662)
Now there's gonna be some relationships out there that if you, for example, wanted to go alcohol free with your partner, some relationships have the communication strengths so strong that, you know, maybe just talking about it, your partner would be game. But I'm gonna say that's not the majority. I'm gonna say the majority would feel that like, you know, especially if we're talking about women and men, that men don't like to get coached or nagged by women. And so, you know, just telling your partner what to do isn't often going to be so helpful.

Jane Ballard (31:40.358)
Absolutely.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (31:45.222)
But your actions and your, you know, standing up for your health, you standing up for your growth, your personal development, it starts to get them curious. It starts to rub off on them. And I know so many couples who, yes, the husband did join like a year later, he decided to go alcohol free, or the husband like really toned down on drinking and only occasionally drinks now or something like that. So I do believe that we are the biggest influence on our partners and it really can rub off on them.

And maybe it's not even supposed to be about alcohol. Maybe their big growth journey is to re -up their health journey or to start their own business or something. And just watching you change gave them the motivation to do that. So it's like, we all have different growth journeys in our lives and we don't get to dictate which ones our partners go through. But I think the biggest thing that I don't want to see people falling into is this trap of thinking that I can't go alcohol free unless my partner does it too.

Jane Ballard (32:34.342)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (32:34.502)
Because, you know, like if you were to say any other goal or dream, like I can't go to grad school unless my partner goes to grad school with me. Like that sounds ridiculous. You know what I mean? You have to be willing to go first and just understand that like your actions and will osmosis so much more. And it's not going to happen overnight. It could take a year, could take two years. Who knows? And if things and nothing is changing and you sense a lot more like emotional abuse or anything like that, I think nine times out of 10.

Jane Ballard (32:44.486)
Yeah.

Jane Ballard (32:56.006)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (33:04.006)
The changes over time end up being positive and you get to rebond with your partner. And if you find that it's the one out of the 10 times that really you are a mismatch together without alcohol in your lives, well, thank God you got the clarity for that to be able to move forward. And you know, family's kind of tricky too. Family can be sometimes when we're around family, we get transported in the version of ourselves when we were 13 and we feel like we're put back into that role. And oftentimes maybe we use drinking as a way to bond to our family or as a way to, you know,

Jane Ballard (33:17.798)
Yeah.

Jane Ballard (33:24.389)
Yes, for sure.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (33:33.158)
make things less awkward or whatever that looks like. But I also think too that just having really strong boundaries around that, it doesn't matter necessarily what you eat, right? I mean, some places and cultures it might, but if you're gonna tell your mom or your dad that I'm not eating meat tonight or I'm not eating gluten, I wanna avoid gluten, it's not the biggest deal in the world. And I think we could have that same mentality with alcohol. It's just a beverage and a glass.

Now it's so funny when I go to family events, we used to all drink right back in the day. And now like four out of six people are drinking the non alcoholic stuff. And you know, obviously, who was the influencer in that like it all started with me. And this is like, my journey, you know, so it's it's obviously taken a while. But I think that just like what how people all like, most people have a strong desire to be healthy. At the end of the day, even if they're not healthy, it's always a desire.

Jane Ballard (34:14.694)
Yes.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (34:28.262)
When people see someone not drinking, not suffering from hangovers, not, you know, any of the kind of negative side effects, even if they're not ready to admit it themselves yet, that that's a reality they're craving, there's something that's turning the wheels are going in the brain. Because for me, I didn't even think it was a possibility really. You know, if I would have seen someone at a party, even 10 years ago, not drinking, but having a good time still, I would have been like, wait a minute, you're allowed to do that?

Jane Ballard (34:54.502)
same.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (34:55.814)
Like I didn't even conceive it as an option. So I think when we go and stand in our alcohol free journeys, even around people who are difficult to be with or who want us to drink, we are actually creating a ripple effect that we can't even see or envision in that time period. And that's like a really cool mentality to have is that you're a thought leader, you're a role model, you're an inspirer. And if people are being rude or just not respecting you, like this is a great lesson in boundaries and not people pleasing.

And that's oftentimes lessons we have to go through when we do ditch alcohol. And it was actually orchestrated for you to develop you personally more so, right, than without that challenge.

Jane Ballard (35:24.934)
Absolutely.

Jane Ballard (35:35.078)
Right. No, I think that is so true. I think that we tend to underestimate the power we have over those whose lives we touch on a daily basis. I had a similar experience where my husband really doesn't drink now either, and I never expected him or thought that he would change anything about his drinking. And he never even talked to me about it. It just happened over time. And it's...

It's fascinating. And my sister, my husband, my sister, my two closest people to me, and she has drastically reduced the amount that she drank and is kind of sober curious. And so I think for women out there thinking that that wouldn't happen with them. It might, you just never know, you know, people see you thriving. And I think Carolina, the other thing that you didn't mention is that your family members probably also saw the fact that nobody's judging you.

You're not a social pariah. This stigma of not drinking, like you're not really suffering from that, but it's actually a safe thing to do socially. It's not shameful. It's, it's actually a superpower.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (36:45.446)
It really is. And I think it's just so cool to recognize too that, you know, we're taught to drink, especially socially. It's like a social institution, you could say, and it meets a deeper need. Like we actually think somewhere in the subconscious that we're getting a source of belonging out of this. And I think that's where we're so scared sometimes, especially someone who's really new to taking a break or not drinking socially, that loss of belonging is really fearful to go through. It's instinctually like, I'm going to get kicked out of this tribe.

And it's so interesting to just ask ourselves, do we really bond better with people when we're drinking? And I will say, of course, there is a sense of camaraderie that we're all doing this thing together, but we're all losing our sense of presence. We're all losing our deep listening skills. We're all just like, where's the waiter so I could order another drink? You know, like I would totally argue that you're not getting the actual bonding and the deep connection you're after when you're drinking.

Jane Ballard (37:30.79)
Yes.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (37:37.286)
And that when you remove alcohol, even if you hang out with someone who is a drinker, but let's say you get coffee instead in the morning, it's going to be a completely different experience. And the level and the depth that you're able to go into is going to go so much deeper. So I think sometimes too, there's just so many beliefs and needs we attach onto alcohol that we really need to question and ask ourselves like, wait, if I'm nervous about like not drinking in the social situation.

What's at the core of that? Is it that I think I'll be the odd one out? Is it that I think I'm gonna be awkward or just not know what to say? Is it cause you know, and there's so many deeper, you know, different reasons that could come up with that one thing, but then we need to peel back that layer and really ask ourselves, okay, well does alcohol help me be more confident? What about that one case when I embarrass myself? What about the wine stains I get on my teeth? What about the self -esteem that gets crumbled when I like drink more than one drink, you know? So it's, it's fascinating. I think that a lot of these,

more objections or kind of like, how do I handle these tough situations actually help us heal the reasons why we drink and change fundamentally our relationship with alcohol.

Jane Ballard (38:36.742)
Mm -hmm.

Absolutely. And I think, yes, we may have some deep conversations with people at bars or at parties where we're consuming alcohol, but a lot of times we wake up the next morning and we cringe and that conversation is never picked back up. Whereas if you go to a coffee shop or you go on a nice, beautiful hike with somebody and you have a deep conversation, that conversation is going to continue the next time you see that person. And so while the connection may seem deep in that moment, is it really?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (39:08.198)
course not right? It's so artificial. You're like you have a fake best friend like you said you just crazy after and then you feel shame around that too because you know you were not authentically yourself. Even if you had like two drinks, it's already changed your brain, right? It's not authentically you anymore. And so there's a part of you that feels that dis like the lack of authenticity. Yeah. And it's just like you're like, I'm gonna avoid that person or that situation for a while.

Jane Ballard (39:11.91)
Yes.

Jane Ballard (39:15.686)
Yes.

Jane Ballard (39:26.566)
The dissonance, yes.

Jane Ballard (39:33.382)
Yeah, for sure. So six years in now, six years, right? Since you've been alcohol -free? Yeah. So I, for me, after I hit the first year, I felt like I didn't expect to notice any more feeling different or feeling freer or feeling more euphoric, but I continue to feel that into the second year. And so I'm wondering for you six years in, are you continuing to be surprised or notice anything unexpected about living alcohol -free?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (39:39.43)
Yeah, surplus, yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (40:02.47)
Yeah, I know, you know, ditching alcohol, but also embracing this life where I value my personal growth first, where I take risks, where I get outside my comfort zone has never disappointed. And it's actually been uncanny how every single year somehow, like tops the year before somehow is the best year of my life. And going alcohol free that first year was insane the amount of changes that happened.

you know, and then I have so many other years, the year I got the book deal, the year I like, you know, launched my book, the year I had my husband quit his job, we actually moved to Europe for a season, which was such a big dream of mine, the year I launched my certification program, you know, and it's actually this year right now where I'm kind of like, Carolina, I don't think I'm doing anything new this year. And I'm like, I need to find that new endeavor, that thing that's going to take me out of my comfort zone, because it really is the source of where passion and creativity and so much fulfillment comes from.

So I think it's like a double, you know, if you just ditch alcohol and sit on your couch, you know, I don't know if you're going to have the year after year, the best years of your life. But when you couple it with like really going for your dreams and your goals and stepping outside of your comfort zone, my God, it has been the wildest ride and just the nuances and the ability to like, you know, the compounding effect of not having alcohol around, of not having a hangover, of not feeling a loss of self -esteem or, you know, a sense of self -love, the energy like,

Jane Ballard (41:00.902)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (41:25.414)
all of that compounding effect, it's like an exponential growth that you go on. And I do think too that when you find yourself, maybe you're listening to the show and you're three years alcohol free and you're like, yeah, I don't know, it's kind of waned a little, that's a really good invitation for you to discover what is my next chapter now. Because I don't think that goals are there for the sake of just crossing something off a list or some kind of consumerist attainment, like I need this, this, and this, and this.

Jane Ballard (41:31.43)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (41:54.31)
It's not necessarily goals that make us happy the achievement of them. It's like who you grow into to be that person who who achieves that goal. And so I think it's like whenever we're feeling complacent in our life, we're lacking that sense of growth and probably contribution as well, where we feel like we're making an impact and giving meaning. And so it's just something to recognize too, as you're growing in your alcohol free journey.

Jane Ballard (42:04.23)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (42:16.838)
you know, always making sure that there is this new horizon that you're stretching yourself towards. Maybe this is the year you run a marathon. Maybe this is the year you launch a business. Maybe this is the year you write a book. Maybe this is the year, you know, you travel to 10 countries, you know, whatever it looks like for you. But I think that's very fundamental to it. And probably that growth and the contribution are the two missing things in most people's lives, like just generally, and also the things that alcohol will never give you ever.

You know, alcohol can misguidedly be used to meet a lot of other needs, but never growth and contribution. You will never feel like you're making an impact or growing yourself personally, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, when alcohol is in the picture, which is why it's so fulfilling to reevaluate it, let it go, and then fill those sources with new endeavors, new passions, new pursuits. And it's like, it's uncanny. Like you never know where a new venture, a new dream will take you.

sometimes it's never the thing that you thought it would be or you know, you're just doing something on the side as a hobby. And it turns out to like cascade into this, you know, incredible life opportunity. Like we just don't know. But I think that following our hearts needs to come first before we answer the realistic questions or how's this going to make me money or whatever it is. So hope that answers the question. And yeah, I'm you fork. I really am.

Jane Ballard (43:34.918)
Yeah, yeah. Well, that makes sense. Like it can't just be about, I'm going to make X amount of money or I'm going to get this title or I'm going to publish this book. It's got to be something deeper. Like this is who I am as a person. I'm incorporating this into my identity. And there's like this pouring out of love and contribution and service. And there's something greater that is inspiring it. It's not just about success for success.

success is fake.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (44:06.854)
Yeah. And I remember when I was writing my book, you know, it took me four years from the like very ideation of my book to actually seeing it in a bookstore. I remember like when none of the evidence was there. Like I didn't have a solid business. I barely had any followers. Like none of the evidence was there whatsoever that I would succeed or this would work out. I remember imagining my future reader. I imagined her like on a subway in New York, you know, 27 or 20 whatever.

and just feeling the same exact feelings I was feeling after another weekend out in the city partying or even just catching some glasses of wine with a friend and just how much my book would be meeting her in all the right places and giving her so much of this hope and this plan also too to follow. And that vision, I can still picture that vision I had is what got me through all of the hoops you have to jump through to achieve something like that.

You know, and I think that I sense still sense the same thing when I'm speaking on a stage, like I'm just like just one person, just one person is touched by this. It's all worth it, you know? And I think that stuff matters so much, you know, and knowing that not only do you get to make a difference and impact people's lives through, you know, just being so alive to your own purpose in whatever format that looks like, but also then that it does give you so many of these perks of the freedom of your lifestyle and the freedom of how you choose to live.

I mean, those two things are such deep motivators to me. If anyone ever feels like they lost steam on a goal or even going alcohol free, it's the deeper why that's missing. And that would be what I would work on.

Jane Ballard (45:31.846)
Mm -hmm.

Jane Ballard (45:41.222)
I love that the deeper why it's not just this abstract thing of thinking I'm going to publish this book and put it out to the world. And imagining that you would think about maybe potentially the people who would love it. And then what the naysayers would be saying. But if you have that one specific person, that that's specified audience that you want to get through to that you feel connected with and passionate about that's

That's what's gonna make it seem possible and that's what's gonna quiet down that fear and really get you in that place of love and service.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (46:15.686)
Yeah. And if you are someone who leans into like spirituality, then you know that sense that like this is part of your destiny and that you are here to help humanity. Like that is really, really powerful. And you start to see more synchronicities and you know, more things kind of lining your way. And when the challengers are there, because trust me, the challenges will definitely hit you too. They're there for your growth, right? Like you still see the bigger picture. You still see that deeper meaning. And I think, you know, I remember

when I was around 70 days alcohol free, I went to Japan and I planned this trip to Japan when I was still drinking. So the first thing I had on the itinerary was this drinking and food tour. And it was like going through Izakayas in Tokyo. And so they'd give you like drinks and some food. And I was like, shoot. Like I have to make a decision really quickly what I'm going to do now. Because at that point it was still a break from alcohol. And you know, I just thought to myself,

I am never felt so much gratitude in my life. I've never so much felt so much wonder, so much awe, so much creativity. Like all of this is coming and flooding to me. I've never felt so powerful and unstoppable. And if I have that drink, all of that is going to go away. Like all of it's going to go away. And for what? Like a beer that I've literally had thousands of times in my life. I know the taste. I know what it feels like. I know everything about that, that road, you know, but I don't know where this other road is going.

Jane Ballard (47:26.054)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (47:39.078)
And I remember coming home from that trip to Japan. And that's kind of when I really solidified that I wanted to be alcohol free as a lifestyle and not just a break. And the magic that happened after the trip, I just remember connecting with the stars when I was walking my dog after that trip. And that's when I was literally infused with this message of like, you are meant to live a really big life, help a lot of different people. You are meant to step into your gifts, launch a book, write or sorry, write a book, launch a business. And it was such a powerful like knowing.

that I never felt before like that too. And I know that I wouldn't have gotten those messages if I wouldn't have, you know, if I would have just drank again, even if it wouldn't have been a big deal, like whatever, it's not at the end of the world, but it was a really powerful symbolic decision. And I would say for me that drinking, I don't think it's a moral issue. I don't think it's a right or wrong, but I do think for me, and I will say just this personally, it was a way of playing small. It was a way of hiding in my comfort zone.

and sitting kind of on the side of my life. The main characters are on the stage and I was on the audience. And that was just what was easy and comfortable. And I didn't have to take risks or face my doubts or my imposter syndrome or my fears. But it was also where dreams go to die and where all regrets live. It's where unfulfilled lives are lived. And I just recognized that it was so much easier to open a bottle of wine and write the next great American novel.

Jane Ballard (48:38.182)
Mm -hmm.

Jane Ballard (48:56.134)
Mm -hmm.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (49:01.35)
You know, like I was not going after my dreams when alcohol was around. And so like now even thinking about going back to, you know, having a drink every now and then or whatnot, it's such a symbolic thing for me. Like, why would I ever go back to playing small when I could be living this big, beautiful life? And, you know, I've already.

seeing what happens when you do that over these last six years. And that's why I have this strong conviction about how powerful it is when women just remove what no longer serves them and step into their desires instead. It does move mountains, right? And there's some beautiful quotes even in works of religious, like the Bible that say, when you have faith, you will move mountains. And I think sometimes we forget that actually also means faith in what we can do. In what...

Jane Ballard (49:37.958)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (49:45.478)
how powerful we can be and the lives we can create and the impact we can make on this planet.

Jane Ballard (49:45.958)
Absolutely.

Jane Ballard (49:51.078)
Yes, and faith that we may not know exactly what moving the mountain is going to look like, but it's going to be amazing and we'll get there. We don't have to know. We have faith that it's going to work out for us.

Yeah, that's just beautiful. Well, Carolina, it has been just such a pleasure having you on. One last quick question before we start wrapping up. If there's anyone out there listening who maybe is new in sobriety and wants to feel this sense of purpose and inspiration and maybe is considering being an entrepreneur at some point, any tips or advice you might give to her or him?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (50:34.598)
Yeah. Well, we live in such a beautiful time and place where being an entrepreneur does not mean you have to rent a factory and make little widgets and, you know, sell something in the forefront. Like, I think there's something called, you know, the knowledge industry where we go through life for a reason, face the challenges we face for a reason so that we are meant to help other people, the person literally standing behind us. And I think that is a really meaningful career and way of even like conceptualizing why we go through things for a reason.

Jane Ballard (50:43.142)
Ha ha.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (51:03.814)
And so if you just could think, if you had an opportunity, for example, to talk to the 20 year old version of yourself, I'm sure you have a lot of freaking wisdom to share with that person. I'm sure there's so many things you overcome and so much wisdom that you've gleaned over the years that would really, really help someone. And so maybe it's around being alcohol free. Maybe you've learned so much about alcohol and you want to give back and start helping other people reevaluate the role of alcohol in their lives. Maybe you went through an infertility journey, an IVF, and you really want to share that story to give women hope.

Maybe you cured like an autoimmune disorder and now you've changed your diet and your lifestyle. We've all gone through things and we've all learned so many answers and solutions based on our experience. And I think more and more people want to learn from people who are relatable and have gone through the same experiences they have to be able to make those applicable changes in our lives. And so I would just say that no matter what, just by you as a function of being someone who's gone through life and experienced things and has...

completely unique passions and skills and interests, life's experiences, personalities, all those things. You have a unique gift that nobody else on this planet has. And when you share it, it will resonate with people that my gift would never resonate with, that your gift would never, Jane's gift would never resonate with, and that you were meant to share your gift. And so I think that, you know, really digging deep into that idea of knowing, yes, I have a gift. And then just asking yourself, if you could shave off pain or years of time of struggle that someone is going through,

you know, why wouldn't you? And whether it's sharing advice online or, you know, maybe creating, you know, either programs or courses around it, you know, there's courses for everything these days, like how to get a baby on a sleep schedule. You know, I haven't had a child yet. You better bet I'm going to be learning from people who came before me on a lot of those kind of topics. And so it's like we always have something I think to give back.

Jane Ballard (52:39.11)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (52:48.774)
And if you're interested, for example, in becoming a coach or an alcohol -free coach, I do have a 5X certification program that's ICF approved and triple accredited. So, you know, if coaching happens to be something you want to, you know, dip your toe into, I think it's such a fulfilling, you know, place to start and way to be able to give back and share your knowledge and stuff. But there's a lot of different ways, whether it's, you know, through writing a book or launching a podcast or anything like that. I have this theory that alcohol -free women actually make the best entrepreneurs.

because of all the incredible gifts we get and all of the growth we already went through to ditch alcohol in the first place are the exact same things we need to launch a business, you know, the tenaciousness, the resiliency, the growth mindedness, you know, the ability to not worry about what other people think, the courage it takes to stand alone and do something different when other people are doing, you know, X over here. And so I think it's just incredible to say like, why not you?

Jane Ballard (53:31.654)
Yes.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (53:40.55)
And we've also never lived in a time and place where so much is possible. When I think of my grandmother's lives or even my mother's life, how much was limited, how much more war and crises and famines and depressions and lack of women's rights and lack of modern health care, lack of even schooling. Like literally right now, you could Google anything and get the answers in your fingertips. I think in a way,

Jane Ballard (53:56.678)
Yeah.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (54:06.086)
We've democratized so much more access. There was a time when if you wanted to make a movie, you'd have to get, you know, a producer to sign off and go to Hollywood and know the right people. And nowadays, you know, you can start a Kickstarter account and film a movie on an iPhone and get it up into like a film festival. You know, like that's really cool that we live in a time and era where things like that are possible. Or you could have just a cell phone and start like a TikTok or Instagram account. And even though we might joke about like this phenomenon,

Jane Ballard (54:24.037)
Yes.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (54:34.374)
You could literally be an 18 year old who's getting paid millions of dollars. And I know that there's, you know, obviously like a negative side or a bad side to social media, but just, just remembering for a second, the level of access and the level of just autonomy we now have to create our futures, I don't think has been experienced by any other generation in history. And so when you couple that, like everything that's possible now, it's never been easier to start a business with the beautiful gifts that you have.

Jane Ballard (54:37.926)
Yes.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (55:02.95)
I think you couple that with the incredible growth you've gone through to ditch alcohol in the first place. This happened for a reason. You know, you didn't just ditch alcohol to get healthier or to sleep better. Although those things are cool too. I honestly believe the universe has tapped you on the shoulder and is like, Hey, we have a really big, beautiful destiny for you to play out on this planet. It's time to let go of this little silly child's toy, you know? And in that way, we have to recognize this all happened to me for a reason. It's all unfolding for me for a reason. There's a bigger reason here than I could know.

Jane Ballard (55:24.198)
Yes.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (55:32.582)
and to start trusting that all of this is manifesting for you. And I think that no matter what, even if you have a passion and you're just, you still are, you love your career, so you don't really think you're gonna be an entrepreneur or something, I think it's still really behooves us to always follow our passions. Because even if it's something you do on the side, you never know the synchronicities and serendipities that will happen when you start following your heart like that. And it could lead you in so many directions, so many connections made, such a new maybe community that you find.

that it really, I'm not necessarily talking about like, okay, you know, either you're an entrepreneur and you have to quit your job and devote yourself 100 % to this or not. Like, you know, there's so many different ways to go about it, but being driven by our passions and actually using that as a way to get out of our comfort zones. You know, for example, I know some people who do Toastmasters and it's like, well, anyone who's going to Toastmasters should probably like have a really cool goal of speaking on a big stage one day or getting on a Ted talk or something. And it's like,

you could see that something like that would be such an endeavor that would grow you and would get you out of your comfort zone and would fulfill you in a way that you figured out all those steps and that you inspired other people by being the person who goes for it. I think we forget just like the ripple effect we create by ditching alcohol, we also create a ripple effect when a woman goes for her dreams. Even if they seem like selfish, like, I'm going to travel the world, you know, like, what is that helping?

Jane Ballard (56:52.038)
Absolutely.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (56:58.342)
It's giving permission to other people that they can live their lives in alternative ways and they don't have to follow the cookie cutter route and they can, you know, do, you know, their dreams in a, in a much bigger way. So I always think our desires are meant for us. I always think that they're actually gifts from the universe on how to like manifest our deeper purpose on the world. And we've just gotten so, you know, almost conditioned to turn them off and just to say, that's not realistic and that's not going to work. And all the excuses and all the like realistic.

you know, analysts of it, but I believe in our passion so much. I believe that we have a deeper purpose. And so I will close out with that because that is...

Jane Ballard (57:38.79)
Yeah, like that is where true fulfillment comes from. It's not the 20 minute buzz. It is the like stepping out of your comfort zone and, and just going for it, going and taking that freedom and making your dreams happen, not waiting for someone to discover you or someone to tell you that you're worth it, but going and making it happen.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (58:02.918)
So maybe your first step then is that 30 minute, you know, exercise. What's something I could do that would only take 30 minutes this week that would get me this much closer. And if you have no idea what you want, there's some brilliant questions. You could also ask yourself to start uncovering that, you know, feel free to check out my website to find some of those. But I think it's, I think this really matters. I think when we don't live in alignment with our desires is when we get resentful, when we get stressed, when we burn out, when we're not really good at taking care of other people.

Like this actually is one of the most selfless things we could do because we really do enrich other people's lives around us, either completely directly by the beautiful work we do or indirectly, you know, by the life we're able to create.

Jane Ballard (58:47.302)
Carolina, how can people find you if they want to connect with you?

Karolina Rzadkowolska (58:52.262)
Amazing. So euphoricAF .com is where you can find information about my programs, help people ditch alcohol, help people find their deeper purpose as well. We have the five X certification there. I also host retreats around the world and I do have a free guide for your listeners. That's called 50 things to do instead of drinking. And it has a lot of these different ideas about how to explore your passions baked in them. So to be sure to check that out. It's right at the top of euphoricAF .com.

And then if you're interested in reading my book, it shares more about my story, but also how incredible it is to ditch alcohol and all the reasons both scientific on how it affects your body, your mind, your soul. And then I have a little eight week glad guide you can follow. Just go to euphoricbook .com. You'll find it in most countries books are sold or just type in euphoric and Amazon, you can find it there. And then last but not least, I am on Instagram at euphoric .af. And if this you know, conversation sparked any

questions, curiosity, you know, you have any dreams unfolding on your heart, I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to send me a DM. There's nothing like more enriching to my soul than seeing a brave woman who's willing to dream, who's willing to put something out there of something that she wants. I think it's remarkably sacred and remarkably special. And most of us can just shut it down and just be like too, too scared to even voice the things we want because we're scared of it not.

happening. So that's why I think it's actually really, really brave. So you know, feel free to ping me there as well.

Jane Ballard (01:00:17.51)
Well, Carolina, thank you and thank you for doing what you do. This is such important, meaningful work and touches so many lives in a positive way. So thank you and thank you for coming on today.

Karolina Rzadkowolska (01:00:30.886)
Thank you, it's such a pleasure to be here.