Is Wellness Culture Killing Fun?

The other night, I started to feel a little bit of that seasonal depression kicking in.

It’s getting dark earlier. My entire family has been sick on and off for about two months. My husband and I haven’t been on a date night in probably that same amount of time. The house was a mess. And so on and so forth.

I hadn’t had a drink in, like, eight days (but who’s counting?) and felt guilty about having a glass of wine after such a good run. But I did. And honestly? I felt immediately better.

I’m not trying to push mommy-wine culture, trust me. But in a country where mothers are largely unsupported AND constantly being told what they should be doing to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional health, I'm here to tell you it’s okay to have the occasional glass of wine — especially if all that “wellness” is coming at the expense of joy. Life isn’t always about discipline; sometimes it’s having a beer with your partner after a long day, or celebrating a friend’s promotion with your girlfriends instead of hitting the gym. 

Whenever I tell my husband that drinking isn’t healthy, he says, “Neither is stress.” And he’s right.

It got me thinking: are we overthinking wellness to the point where we’ve killed all fun? When did trying to feel good turn into trying to do good? When did a glass of wine, a Diet Coke, or skipping strength training become a moral failing?

Maybe it’s not that we’ve lost control. Maybe we’ve just lost the plot.

Ask Clara: What is seasonal affective disorder?