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GUILT. Feeling guilty about something generally means you've done something wrong and your conscience kicks you in the a** to say, "Hey, douche, you know you're not supposed to do that." But since I've started my CrossFit journey and met others on theirs or looking to start theirs, I've been introduced to a whole new type of guilt. This new guilt is sneaky. He has a way of creeping up on you just when you're making a good decision for yourself and ZING! Gettin' ya right in the heart. Example: when I first (really) started at Red Stick Crossfit, I was going fairly often. Like, 4 days a week often. AND I was doing a Paleo challenge...no non-paleo foods for me! But then, friends wanted to go out, get drinks and pizza. They wanted to go out on a Tuesday night LATE. I wanted to say yes--but all I could think about was my 5 am workouts Wednesday morning. And as soon as I said no, I felt-you guessed it-guilty. Feel free to say it: this doesn't make any sense. You're supposed to feel guilty about BAD things you do, not good things you do! Well, it didn't really matter. I felt guilty that my friends wanted to spend time with me and I was worried about getting my workout in. As I've talked to other crossfitters, I've heard a lot of people meet and deal with this new guilt. "I feel guilty during my workout because I know my baby's at day care" or "I feel guilty because this is an hour that I'm spending away from my significant other." Whatever the guilt may be. Over my time crossfitting, I've realized that I can't feel guilty for spending time in the gym. Why not? Because it makes me better. Not just healthier and fitter which are both great, but it makes me a better friend, a better daughter, a better sister, a better teacher, a better teammate, a better significant other, a better me. I've realized that the hour or so that I spend in the gym makes me more outgoing, optimistic, and generally happier. The ME time that I get there can change my outlook on an entire day. The 60 minutes that I spend in the gym on any 1,440 minute day literally makes me more enjoyable to be around. So, I've stopped letting this sneaky new guilt get to me. My friends can tell the difference between "I worked out" me and "I haven't worked out in 3 days" me and will beg me to go to the gym. If I haven't worked out, my students ask "um, Miss Herrera, did you crossfit this morning?". Get snappy with my mom-her response: "can you please go to the gym? You are getting so snippy." Getting my little 60 minutes in everyday positively changes my perspective and ME. And anything I can do to be a better me for other people, I'm game for. Most everyone would say that it isn't the quantity of time you spend with people, it's the quality. If taking a little me time everyday makes you better mother, father, friend, wife, husband, employee, whatever! I support that. So take THAT, new, sneaky guilt! There's no room for you here.