After that awful game night, I let go of being a rule stickler
We were deep into a heavy strategy game, and I was nitpicking every move. The mood went from fun to frustrated in minutes. It hit me that my need to be right was ruining the fun for everyone. Most board game geeks I know swear by playing by the book, but I think that's wrong. Now, I focus on the laughs and stories, not just the rules, and our group is happier for it.