For years, I thought being a good leader meant being strong, steady, and unshakable, the one who never called in sick, never took a day off, and never let anyone see her struggle. Then my therapist said something that stopped me cold: “Very little in life makes us bad people. But it doesn’t make you a great leader.”

Travel and alcohol have been sold to us as a package deal—airport bars, poolside cocktails, wine in Paris. But here’s the truth: traveling sober isn’t just possible, it’s better.