Episode 08: Transforming Setbacks into Learning Opportunities

In this powerful conversation, Karla Adkins dives deep into the transformative concepts of data points and resilience data points within the recovery journey from alcohol. Karla encourages reframing setbacks not as failures, but as invaluable learning moments free from shame. By embracing discomfort and harnessing neuroplasticity, listeners are guided toward meaningful personal growth and empowered to continue their alcohol-free journey with resilience.

Key Takeaways:

• Resilience data points guide learning from moments of discomfort.
• Self-reflection deeply enhances personal growth.
• Shame hinders rather than helps the recovery journey.
• Building resilience is essential for long-term sobriety.
• Neuroplasticity supports changing drinking behaviors.
• Self-reflection can uncover profound insights.

Timestamps:

00:00 — Introduction to the Zero Proof Life Podcast

00:57 — Understanding Data Points in Recovery

08:21 — Introducing Resilience Data Points

14:20 — The Importance of Resilience in Recovery

20:04 — The Journey Beyond Alcohol: Learning and Growth

Resources & links

• Download the Resilience Data Point Journal Prompts → https://mailchi.mp/thezeroprooflife/resilience-prompts

• Join the Zero Proof Life Community → https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription
  
  
  
• Follow ZPL: https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
  
  
  
• Follow the coaches:
  
  
  • Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/)
    
    
  • 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 today’s conversation sparked your own inner nudge, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen.

07: Finding Freedom in the Alcohol-Free Everyday

In this heartfelt episode of The Zero Proof Life, Karla Adkins and Becca Snider get real about how alcohol once shaped their holidays, habits, and headspace. From the pressure to plan around drinks to the exhaustion that came with it, they share what life looks like on the other side — lighter, clearer, and more joyful. This conversation is a gentle, honest invitation to rethink your relationship with alcohol and discover what’s waiting for you in sobriety.

Key Takeaways

• Alcohol consumed more mental energy than expected
  
  
• Sobriety leads to deeper sleep and more presence
  
  
• Even small tasks felt harder while drinking
  
  
• You don’t need a “rock bottom” to reimagine your life
  
  
• Holidays can be truly joyful — without the booze
  
  
• Community and shared stories make the journey easier
  
  
• Letting go of alcohol often brings unexpected joys (like dessert!)
  
  
• Shame thrives in silence — honesty breaks the cycle

Timestamps

00:00 — Introduction to Zero Proof Life
01:23 — Reflections on Alcohol and Holidays
03:24 — The Burden of Alcohol on Daily Life
06:24 — The Impact of Alcohol on Sleep and Mental Clarity
09:25 — Navigating Life Without Alcohol
12:34 — Embracing New Joys and Experiences
13:55 — Conclusion and Call to Action

Resources & links

• Join the Zero Proof Life Community → https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription
  
  
• Follow ZPL: https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
  
  
• Follow the coaches:
  
  
  • Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/)
    
    
  • 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 today’s conversation sparked your own inner nudge, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen.

In this episode of The Zero Proof Life, Karla Adkins and Carolyn Bennett dive into one of the trickiest parts of a sober or sober-curious journey: talking about it.

Whether you're newly alcohol-free or deep into your sobriety, figuring out how (and if) to talk about it with friends, family, or colleagues can be overwhelming. Karla and Carolyn explore the societal pressures that make these conversations so loaded, and offer grounded, heartfelt guidance on how to share your story in a way that honors your experience.

They remind us that it’s okay to take your time, to stay private, and to choose your confidants carefully. The big takeaway? You don’t owe anyone an explanation — and your story is yours to protect.

Key Takeaways

• Talking about not drinking can feel complicated — and that’s normal.
  
  
• You get to choose who hears your story (and when).
  
  
• Privacy is a valid and healthy part of the process.
  
  
• Society’s drinking norms can make these conversations harder.
  
  
• Responses to your sobriety may vary — and that’s not about you.
  
  
• Trust your instincts when deciding what to share.
  
  
• The cultural narrative around alcohol is evolving — you're not alone.
  
  

Timestamps

03:23 — Navigating Conversations About Not Drinking
06:25 — Understanding Personal Relationships with Alcohol
09:27 — Overcoming Fear and Societal Expectations
12:23 — Empowering Authenticity in Sharing Your Story
15:27 — Tools for Effective Communication
18:18 — Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Resources & links

• Join the Zero Proof Life Community → https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription
  
  
  
• Follow ZPL: https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
  
  
  
• Follow the coaches:
  
  
  
  • Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/)
    
    
    
  • 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 today’s conversation sparked your own inner nudge, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen.

A single lap around the block turned into a six-year journey. Coach Becca Snider explains how daily movement, family support, and lifelong learning keep sobriety vibrant.

Co-hosts Karla Adkins and Becca Snider trace Becca’s path from “quiet nightly wine” to six-and-a-half years of alcohol freedom. Becca recalls the inner tug-of-war no one else could see, the moment she simply started walking, and why Pilates now anchors both her mood and her coaching practice. They dig into research showing exercise lowers cravings and lifts anxiety, talk about the game-changing role her husband and kids played, and share first steps for anyone who feels caught between curiosity and change.

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro to Becca Snider
03:24 – Alcohol’s impact on movement & presence
06:24 – The first 30-day experiment
09:33 – The invisible internal struggle
12:17 – Family support & new identity
15:22 – Finding courage to change
18:17 – From student to coach
21:37 – “Just start”: advice for day 1
24:35 – Living life fully after alcohol
26:16 – New chapter & wrap-up

Resources & links

• Article: “Exercise as Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder” (NIH) pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  
  
• Study: Pilates reduces depression & anxiety pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  
  
• Family-support research review pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  
  
• Join the Zero Proof Life Community → https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription
  
  
• Follow ZPL: https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
  
  
• Follow the coaches:
  
  
  • Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/)
    
    
  • 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 today’s conversation sparked your own inner nudge, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen.

From sunset beach walks to “Sips of Serenity,” Carolyn Bennett shows how nature, mindfulness, and faith can turn sobriety into a daily adventure.

Coach Carolyn Bennett joins Karla Adkins to trace her path from anxious empath to alcohol-free eco-therapist. Carolyn explains how grounding rituals like barefoot sand strolls, and forest bathing breaths rewired her nervous system when wine stopped working. They unpack why community is the opposite of addiction, how toxic relationships can mimic the drink-craving cycle, and why highly sensitive people often feel both the pain and the pull of alcohol more intensely. Carolyn shares about her 5-day devotional Sips of Serenity, built to pair Scripture with nature prompts that spark joy long after day one.

Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome & Zero Proof Life update
00:51 – Carolyn’s first sober sunrise
05:55 – Founding ZPL & stepping into coaching
13:16 – Why nature speeds emotional recovery
21:25 – Empaths, HSPs & drinking to numb
28:01 – Faith practices that anchor sobriety
33:55 – Toxic ties vs. healthy community
41:35 – Putting life back into living
43:19 – Outro & next-step challenge

Resources & links

• FREE 5-day devotional Sips of Serenity → https://winter-hall-28614.myflodesk.com/devotional
  
  
• Article: “Ecotherapy for Addiction Recovery” → English Mountain Recovery englishmountain.com
  
  
• Join the Zero Proof Life Community → https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription
  
  
• Follow ZPL: https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
  
  
• Follow the coaches:
  
  
  • Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/)
    
    
  • 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 today’s conversation sparked your own inner nudge, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen.

A late-night “this has to stop” moment set Brandi Babb on a six-year alcohol-free journey; today she shows us how body wisdom, emotional regulation, and everyday gratitude can keep sobriety joyful.

Host Becca Snider sits down with fellow Zero Proof Life coach Brandi Babb to unpack what really happens after you put down the drink for good. Brandi recalls the tiny “nudges” she ignored for years—until a bleary walk home made her admit alcohol was wasting her best energy. She explains why true change is gradual, not overnight, and how she used short “diet breaks” from booze as practice runs before quitting for good.

Now six-and-a-half years sober, Brandi leans on somatic practices to reconnect brain and body, keeps a daily gratitude list for what her body can do, and models calm emotional regulation for her family. Whether you’re sober-curious or years into recovery, this episode is packed with mindset shifts, relationship tips, and proof that life really does get bigger without alcohol.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome & “what’s in your cup?” check-in
02:59 – Brandi’s 6-year sobriety snapshot
05:53 – Marriage & mixed timelines: when your partner still drinks
08:58 – The midnight walk that changed everything
12:03 – Following the whisper: how inner nudges guide growth
15:09 – Somatics 101: why the body keeps—and releases—the score
22:40 – Gratitude for quads, lungs & long hikes
27:55 – Emotional regulation tools anyone can steal
33:30 – Today’s take-home challenge & community invite

Key takeaways

• Sobriety is a slow build. Micro “practice runs” (Whole 30s, detox diets) gave Brandi proof she could live alcohol-free.
  
  
• Body first, brain second. Somatic work lets you feel safety before you can think it, making cravings easier to ride out.
  
  
• Gratitude = fuel. Celebrating what your body can do (walk, lift, hug) keeps motivation fresh long after day 100.
  
  

Resources & links

• Join the next 30-Day Zero Proof Life Challenge → https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/pages/challenge
  
  
• Follow ZPL: https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/
  
  
• Follow the coaches:
  
  
  • Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/)
    
    
    
  • 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/)
    
    
    
• Brandi’s Little Big Leap coaching site → http://littlebigleap.com/
  
  

If today’s conversation sparked your own inner nudge, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen.

A South-Carolina mom turns a “hot-mess” rock-bottom into a life of faith-fueled freedom—and shows how vulnerability can rewrite an entire family story.

Coach Carolyn Bennett sits down with co-host Karla Adkins to unpack the real work of staying alcohol-free when you’re raising a ten-year-old, writing a tell-all memoir, and learning to feel every emotion you once tried to numb. Karla traces her journey from nightly wine-downs to a shocking cirrhosis diagnosis and, eventually, the release of her breakout book And She Came Tumbling Down —written to hand hope to anyone who thinks “AA is the only way.” The pair dig into alternative recovery paths, faith as a stabilizer, and simple somatic tricks for riding out tough parenting moments without pouring a drink. If you’re craving judgment-free community and proof that small changes add up to a radically present life, hit play.

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro & Carolina coast check-in
03:02 – Parenting on the messy middle days
06:05 – Living alcohol-free: the “feel it to heal it” method
09:03 – Writing a memoir: tears, truth & freedom
12:07 – How sharing your story heals others
15:02 – Hope, faith & science in recovery
24:00 – Building a judgment-free community
32:04 – New hobbies, new horizons
39:56 – Take-home challenge & CTA

Resources & Links

• And She Came Tumbling Down by Karla Adkins → https://www.amazon.com/She-Came-Tumbling-Down-Breaking-ebook/dp/B0B7YHFH84
  
  
• Join the Zero Proof Life Community → https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription
  
  

Follow ZPL https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/

Follow the coaches

• Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/)
  
  
• 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 today’s conversation sparked your own inner nudge, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen.

A single word can build —or break—courage. Karla Adkins explains why she’s ditching the label alcoholic and how reframing addiction language opens new doors to recovery.

Coach Karla Adkins unpacks the loaded term alcoholic—where it came from, why it’s not a medical diagnosis, and how it often keeps people silent when they need help most. She contrasts the stigmatized label with the clinical concept of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) and shares simple conversation shifts that spark honest dialogue with doctors, kids, and friends. Expect myth-busting stats, fresh parenting tips, and a call to celebrate every recovery pathway—AA, therapy, medication, or coach-led programs.

Timestamps
00:00 – Intro to zero-proof living
01:23 – Why the word alcoholic feels heavy
05:32 – AUD vs. alcoholism: what the science says
10:47 – How labels shape identity and shame
15:30 – Better questions to ask (and answer) about drinking
20:45 – Teaching the next generation: facts over fear
25:34 – Multiple pathways, one goal: freedom

Resources & links

• NIAAA: “Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder” → niaaa.nih.gov niaaa.nih.gov
  
  
• NIH/NIDA: “Words Matter—Terms to Use & Avoid” → nida.nih.gov nida.nih.gov
  
  
• Join the Zero Proof Life Community → https://www.thezeroprooflife.com/products/zpl-monthly-subscription

Follow ZPL https://www.instagram.com/thezeroprooflife/

Follow the coaches

• Brandi Babb – @littlebigleap (https://www.instagram.com/littlebigleap/)
  
  
• 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 today’s conversation sparked your own inner nudge, we’d love to hear from you! Be sure to follow the podcast and leave a review wherever you listen.