Latest news with #setbacks
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Dramatic scenes on The Block as Alicia has the worst meltdown of the series and admits the show is destroying her marriage
There were dramatic scenes on Wednesday's episode of The Block as contestant Alicia Aplin suffered a series of setbacks. The 42-year-old Gold Coast mum first shed a tear in frustration when she couldn't complete her first-choice buys. And to make matters worse for the popular Blockhead, she found that her bathroom reno was spoiled over a wrongly placed towel rail - sending her into meltdown. Alicia's trouble began when she was informed via phone call that she couldn't get the chair she wanted. 'I just keep getting pipped at the post. This happens to every single time I try to buy something. I lost my vanity this weekend, I lost my mirror,' she said in an emotional outburst. 'I'm sick of being last in line,' she said before reflecting, 'I'm just frustrated. I'll be right. I need to let it out. I just move on.' However, Alicia pointed out that the setbacks contribute to the competitive atmosphere of The Block, adding to the pressure. 'But right now this is our whole world, you know, and so these small things make a difference,' she said. 'If I were at home and I couldn't get a couch or couldn't get a chair, it'd be like "oh well, no biggie." 'But when you're in a competition and you want to do well, these are the things that count, so it just adds up.' Things got worse for Alicia when she checked out the work that Sonny and the tradies had been doing on their en suite. Alicia unleashed when she discovered that the towel rail had been fitted so high on a wall that she had to go into a full arm extension to reach it. 'That is ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous,' she told her husband, dismissing his attempts to demonstrate it would work if he draped a towel over it. 'It doesn't matter where the towels f***ing hang!' she said. Meanwhile, the tradies got to work on adjusting the rail. But Alicia had the last word. 'You know someone asked us today, "How you going, you're married, how's your relationship,"' she said. 'F***ed, that's how it's going today.' The pair have previously admitted the show has put strain on their marriage - but they have fought through it. Despite the drama and pressure, they say their relationship is now even stronger. 'We've been together 14 years. We made a pact to always have each other's backs,' Alicia said. 'We bicker, sure. But that's how we roll. We don't let it linger.' Dental practice manager Alicia, 42, and plumber Sonny, who hail from the Gold Coast, have three kids - a daughter Aria, 12, and sons Boston, 11, and Koa, 8.
BBC News
05-08-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'You have to dream' - veteran Forsyth eyes new Derby heights
Six years ago, Craig Forsyth feared his career could be three years ago, he was concerned for Derby County's existence as the club crumbled financially around him and dropped into League One for the first time in 36 now, as the 36-year-old approaches his 13th full season at Pride Park, the Rams' longest serving player is looking to reach new heights - the sort that have been painfully elusive in the past - with a club where he is affectionally known to fans as 'Mr Derby County'."Football is about setbacks, highs and lows and how you deal with them," Forsyth told BBC comes from a player who has managed to play 382 games for Derby despite losing several years of his career to knee the 21 months between November 2015 and August 2017, he managed only four appearances after twice suffering ligament damage to his right did the same to his left knee in 2018, and that cost him another 306 days on the sidelines. It was then that he questioned his future in the game."There were a few times, yeah," Forsyth responded when asked if he thought his career might have been ended by injury."It was probably with that last injury when you thought, 'is it time to call it a day?' "But it's all I've known since I left school and you are a long time retired, so I just thought 'don't give up on it and keep going'. "Thankfully I have managed to get another five or six years so far, and hopefully with a couple more to go." After battling back from those serious injuries, the former Scotland international endured the anxiety of administration and the gloom of relegation to League One, before the relief of promotion back to the leaves getting Derby back to the Premier League as about the only thing that the defender hasn't done in Rams black and in Forsyth's time at Pride Park, Derby have fallen just one win short of promotion to the top flight, losing the Championship play-off final at Wembley against Queens Park Rangers in 2014, and Aston Villa in 2019."It still hurts," Forsyth said of the 1-0 defeat by QPR that he started in 11 years ago."You always think, what if that game had gone the other way and we had got promoted? "There have certainly been opportunities missed. And that is what they are, opportunities to go up to the Premier League. Unfortunately for us, we didn't take them."And for us now it's about that next opportunity. Can we get another one to get there? That is what we are building for."His efforts in helping the East Midlands club narrowly avoid relegation back to League One last season saw the veteran rewarded with a new two-year deal that will keep him at Pride Park beyond his 38th if that new contract - which is also set up to help him gain his coaching qualifications - has allowed him to dare to dream again of reaching the Premier League with Derby, Forsyth replied: "Of course, you have to. "That is what everyone plays football for, to achieve their dreams and that is one thing that is still missing for me. "So to be able to do that would be the ultimate thing on the top of everything at the end of my career, so we will see what happens." 'Fozzy never going to let you down' The financial issues of the past - Forsyth admits there were times when the players "didn't know what was going on" during the 282 days the club spent in administration - means the Rams' Premier League aspirations are not bankrolled in the same record-breaking and near ruinous years of measured spending by owner David Clowes - the property developer that took the club out of administration and funded their return to the Championship - has allowed head coach John Eustace to spend millions of pounds to bolster his side after they narrowly beat the drop last while cash has been splashed on the likes of United States striker Patrick Agyemang, whose fee could rise to £7.3m, Eustace made sure one of the first bits of business done this summer was keeping Derby's oldest player on the books for a few more long has Forsyth been at the club that Eustace played the final game of his career alongside the defender with County a decade when Eustace returned as a head coach in February, he became the 11th full-time boss that Forsyth has worked under at Pride Park since first arriving on loan from Watford in 2013."Fozzy is a bit of a Derby County legend," Eustace told BBC East Midlands Today."He is a top professional and top performer still. He is never going to let you down."For Eustace, Forsyth delivered in a way that transformed the trajectory of Derby's entire had lost all of Eustace's first three matches in charge and failed to score a single Forsyth changed all that with the first goal of the Eustace era, which set the Rams up for a 2-1 victory against a promotion-chasing Blackburn Rovers that Eustace had left weeks earlier to take charge of relegation-threatened Derby."For everyone in the stadium and on pitch, it was just a relief to get that first goal and that monkey off our back after not scoring for a few games," Forsyth recalled."And that sort of kick-started us and got us on the run that ultimately kept us up."Before that, Forsyth had struggled to hold down a starting spot. After it, he played every minute of the 10 remaining matches, and crucially set up a goal in their 2-2 draw with Portsmouth and the winner against Hull City as the Rams narrowly avoided the drop. "It was a bit close for comfort for us and it wasn't enjoyable at times," he said of their escape from relegation."It was tough and it was difficult, but everyone that was here has built that spirit from seeing it through and getting over the line in the end. And now it's about building upwards."
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Forbes
5 ChatGPT Prompts To Transform Life Failures Into Huge Personal Growth
5 ChatGPT prompts to transform life failures into huge personal growth Your biggest failure is sitting there, waiting to become your greatest asset. Most people let setbacks crush them, replaying the pain on repeat while missing the hidden power of learning from them. They stay stuck in yesterday's story when tomorrow's breakthrough is one decision away. What if that failure was exactly what you needed to reach your next level? Transform every setback into rocket fuel for your comeback. Quit playing small. Copy, paste and edit the square brackets in ChatGPT, and keep the same chat window open so the context carries through. Turn setbacks into comebacks: ChatGPT prompts for growth Fighting reality is exhausting. And pointless. You can't change what already happened, but you can change what it means. Peace comes from looking at the facts without the drama. See your role in the failure without any shame. Accept the lesson without creating a narrative, at least at first. Resistance keeps you stuck, acceptance sets you free. This is where your comeback begins. "Based on what you know about me and my recent challenges [describe], help me find peace with what happened. Ask me three specific questions about the situation to understand it better. Then guide me through separating facts from emotions. Create a brief acceptance statement I can use when my mind starts replaying the failure. End with one action I can take today to move from resistance to acceptance." Every setback carries hints of something better. But only if you look. When you're drowning in loss, you miss the lessons. When shame runs the show, you can't see the strength you're building. Flip the script. What skills did this teach you? What resilience are you developing? Your comeback requires you to get curious about what's possible now. "I want to see growth opportunities in my recent setback. Based on our previous discussions, identify three potential areas where this experience could lead to unexpected growth. For each area, ask me a question that helps me see possibilities I might be missing. Then suggest one small experiment I could try this week to explore each growth area." You're not a victim who life happens to. You're the hero of your own life. Every comeback story worth telling has the same arc. You faced the dragon and lost. But you survived. You learned its secrets. You came back stronger and slayed it. This narrative becomes your superpower. Own it and you inspire others. Share it and you heal yourself. Make your mess your message in a tasteful way. "Help me find the powerful story within my setback. Based on what you know about my situation, guide me through crafting my comeback narrative. Ask me about the moment I decided to fight back, the first small win I achieved, and who I'm becoming through this process. Then help me write a compelling three-sentence version of my story that I could share when asked about this experience." Your brain wants to forget pain. But lessons vanish if you don't capture them. Don't erase the wisdom. Document failures like a scientist studying breakthrough data. What worked? What didn't? What would you do differently? These insights become your playbook for future success. "Based on our conversation about my setback, help me extract and document the key lessons. Ask me what I learned about myself, about others, and about the situation. Then create a 'lessons learned' document with five specific insights I can apply going forward. For each lesson, include a concrete action or decision rule to prevent similar issues. Ask for more detail if required." Most people wait for motivation that never arrives. They think time heals everything. Wrong. Comebacks happen through calculated moves. Small wins build momentum. Clear goals create direction. New daily habits build your new identity. Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Don't hope without a strategy. Start building your empire from the ashes. "Now that we've processed my setback and found the lessons, help me create a comeback plan. Based on everything you know about my situation and goals, design a 90-day comeback strategy. Include three specific milestones, five daily actions that rebuild my confidence, and one bold move I should make in the next 30 days. Make it ambitious but achievable." Transform every failure into fuel for your success with ChatGPT Setbacks don't define you. Comebacks do. Find peace with reality and open your mind to hidden opportunities. Discover the hero story waiting inside your struggle. Capture every lesson before it disappears. Build your comeback strategy starting now. Your biggest failure holds the blueprint for your greatest success, and you know it's true. Your future self will be grateful it happened. Access all my best ChatGPT content prompts.
New York Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Former top prospect Forrest Whitley opens up on 'embarrassing' journey with Astros
HOUSTON — Last month, Forrest Whitley's left knee buckled before a game of catch at Kauffman Stadium. Swelling and scans ensued, sending Whitley into a spiral. His star-crossed career is a case study in setbacks, one of his own doing and a deluge of others beyond his control. Coping with them can be complicated. At first, Whitley didn't know how, the byproduct of being an 18-year-old wunderkind with a $3.148 million signing bonus and a blessed amateur baseball career. First-round picks seldom arrive with any experience navigating adversity and emotions, and when hardships arrive, feelings can vary. Advertisement 'The honest answer to that is it's embarrassing,' Whitley said this week. Now, after nine years of never-ending misfortune, Whitley is nearing a place of peace. Maturation and marriage have helped. Whitley's wife, Courtney, has been a constant companion since his professional career began. She 'knows the key words, key phrases, the key things to do to calm me down,' he said. 'And she has pretty much nailed everything since we've been together.' One of Courtney's most common refrains to her husband: 'Bear down, break through it, take it day by day, hour by hour.' 'Otherwise, give up the game,' Whitley said. 'That was just never an option for me. Still isn't an option. I feel like guys in my position that keep going feel like they have stuff to give back to the game, and I still very much feel that way.' Before the 2019 season, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus and MLB Pipeline anointed Whitley the best starting pitching prospect in baseball. Now, he is fighting to retain a roster spot in one of the sport's best bullpens. He made his long-awaited major-league debut last season but has logged just 5 1/3 innings since. Whitley is out of minor-league options at a position where turnover is constant, creating a real scenario where he won't finish the season in the only organization he's ever known. 'It's impossible not to think about,' Whitley said. 'I kind of viewed this year as the last chance, so when I'm on the field, I really got to make it happen.' The knee that crumpled in Kansas City is sprained, sending Whitley to the injured list for the second time in the season's first 47 days. Whitley suffered a bone bruise in the same knee toward the end of spring training, costing him a spot on his first career Opening Day roster. Reinjuring it last month left him 'down bad,' Whitley said. Courtney tried to counsel him, but the shame that has haunted him for the past six seasons remains. Advertisement 'I told (manager Joe Espada) this, I told the pitching coaches this: I honestly feel embarrassed every time I have to go on the IL or something pops up,' Whitley said. 'I don't want it to be a reflection of my work ethic. I feel I do everything I can to stay on the field, and it just hasn't worked out lately. 'I feel like I have a certain level of responsibility to give back to the people that have supported me that I don't.' What irks Whitley most is any thought that this is a result of negligence or complacency. He has worked with countless physical therapists, checked 'under the hood' more times than he can count and has drawn a few vials of blood to figure out why he can't stay healthy. 'The game is going to be the game. You just have to deal with it. I'm a hard thrower. Got good spin. Got a good changeup. I put a lot of stress on my body,' Whitley said. Forrest Whitley's 2Ks in the 8th. — Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 22, 2025 'It makes sense that this stuff would happen,' he continued, 'but you look around the league, and there's a lot of guys doing the same thing that throw 160 innings every year. For me, I try to ask myself why, but that's the kind of comparison you can't make.' Pondering Whitley's past is a pastime of most Astros fans. He reached Double A before turning 20 and became the main attraction at his first major-league spring training. Former general manager Jeff Luhnow labeled him untouchable in trades that constructed Houston's golden era. That Whitley hasn't contributed to it is a fate few could've envisioned. Whitley has thrown 169 1/3 innings across the six seasons since becoming baseball's top pitching prospect. A 50-game drug suspension stalled his progress before Whitley's barrage of injuries began. Tommy John surgery sidelined him in 2020 and 2021 before a lat strain limited him to 30 innings in 2023. Prospects passed him within the organizational pecking order and within every outside ranking he once topped. Advertisement 'It was just such a quick rise to such a steady fall. For me, mentally, that was really tough. It hurt my ego a lot,' Whitley said. 'I was just so used to being the guy in the room. I come to spring in '21, '22, '23 — you're not the guy anymore. 'While I believe that I'm not the guy just because I don't have the prospect status or the numbers to back it up in general, I still have to maintain that belief that I am that guy without being an a–hole.' Belief is what buoys Whitley, even when his body might betray him. He 'likes to think' he will pitch into his 40s, even as a 27-year-old with such an extensive injury history. Whitley has exchanged some messages with Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Tyler Glasnow, one of the few pitchers in the sport who can commiserate with his situation. 'You come into the clubhouse every day with a certain level of apprehension, knowing that today could be the day something really flares up and something happens,' Whitley said. 'You try to hold that mindset and carry that with you. It almost makes you feel humble coming in day to day, knowing that every day really, really matters. 'It wasn't a perfect process to get to this mental state right now. It's still not perfect. It's far from it.' Flashes of Whitley's brilliance remain, even if they're relegated to minor-league rehab assignments or bullpen sessions out of public view. His sinker and four-seamer can touch 99 mph, complementing two breaking balls and a changeup that have already authored success in his brief big-league career. 'Every day I throw the baseball, it reminds me of why I keep doing this stuff,' Whitley said. 'I know when I go out there, I'm going to be competitive. I know exactly what to do. I have the stuff to get the best big leaguers out. I just have to go out there and do it and make sure I'm out there every time.' Advertisement That process begins again Tuesday, when Whitley will throw a rehab inning for Triple-A Sugar Land in hopes of an imminent return to the major-league roster. Where the game takes him after is a mystery, one Whitley has stopped trying to solve. 'The way I dumb it down for myself is there are millions of people — maybe billions of people — in far worse situations,' Whitley said. 'Look where I am. I'm in a major-league locker room. Yeah, it sucks that my knee is hurt. Yeah, it sucks that I've had a laundry list of s— go on the last few years. But I'm here.'
