Caryn G | 22nd January 2025 | Dealing With Failure & Setbacks

Ashamed of your drinking habits and feeling like a spectacular failure? Maybe you’ve tried to quit many times but failed dismally. You’ve promised not to drink, only to cave in as soon as someone suggests a quick one. Maybe you didn’t need to be persuaded; you drank just to be defiant and bloody-minded and say “f**k it” to the world and all those judging you. I went down that road many times. It was a road full of potholes, and I fell in every damn one of them. Until one day, I woke up and knew which way to go. I knew how to avoid the potholes or jump out of them if I needed to. I would promise not to drink, and then 10 minutes later I had a glass of wine in my hand. Ashamed of your drinking habits and feeling like a spectacular failure? Maybe you’ve tried to quit many times but failed dismally. You’ve promised not to drink, only to cave in as soon as someone suggests a quick one. Maybe you didn’t need to be persuaded; you drank just to be defiant and bloody-minded and say “f**k it” to the world and all those judging you. I went down that road many times. It was a road full of potholes, and I fell in every damn one of them. Until one day, I woke up and knew which way to go. I knew how to avoid the potholes or jump out of them if I needed to. I would promise not to drink, and then 10 minutes later I had a glass of wine in my hand. Two mouthfuls later and I’d be shaking my head in disbelief and beating myself up for being a bloody-minded idiot and failing spectacularly. I’ve been sober for over 3 years and although I‘ve kicked alcohol, some of the old loser habits still linger. Take last night, for example; I know I should cut down on my sugar intake and give cakes and chocolates a wide berth. I thought about all the sugar I was consuming as I stuffed a sweet mince pie in my mouth. Then I thought, “Sod it!” and shovelled in another one. I didn’t need it, I didn’t want...