Rules. I hate ‘em. Give me a rule, a must do, and, most of the time, I’m gonna work harder on blasting that thing into a million pieces than following it.

This is where I think we go so wrong in the field of wellness. It’s often an “all this and none of that.” 24/7, you must behave. No room for indulgence. No space for slip ups. You’re either great … or you’re a failure.

I call bullshit. There are times — very few, though — when you probably would do well to be on the straight and narrow. Most likely if you’re trying to come back from a serious illness.

The rest of the time? Not so much. What to do instead?

Walk in the direction of wellness. Generally. Make progress. If you meander off on a side path, it’s okay. Come back to that general wellness path, and you’ll do fine. Heck, even meander with purpose. And enjoy that meandering. We all need a break at times from even the things we generally enjoy that we know are good for us. Just don’t meander and get totally lost. For too long.

Skip the rigid rules of wellness often put out there. Do well the majority of the time, and you’ll be well, too.