This year has been full of challenges, growth, discomfort, pride, trust, joy, fear, and gratitude. This is the biggest lessons I’ve learned in 2022!

Carly Fleischer, Moxie Barbell head coach, writing in her notebook

2022 that’s a wrap! This has been an ordinarily extraordinary year. It has been full of challenges, growth, discomfort, pride, trust, joy, fear, travel, learning, and gratitude.

2022 was the year that I took radical responsibility for my happiness and trajectory. This was the year that I learned to prioritize myself and finally felt empowered to deviate from the neat and safe path that I had created for myself. I listened to my heart and decided to follow my passion instead of letting fear guide the way.

I was unhappy and creatively stunted jumping between corporate jobs trying to follow the safe path that I had convinced myself was the right path forward. My discontent affected my confidence and bled over into my relationships, work, and hobbies. I knew that I was being complacent; too paralyzed by fear to make the scary change that I ultimately knew that I needed to make. I never in a million years thought that I’d be someone to start their own business doing something that they adore. I’m a rule follower, habitually shackled by practicality, and have always been someone who has done what you’re “supposed” to do. Needless to say quitting my corporate job to pivot to full time personal training while simultaneously starting my own business was never part of my plan. This year has been a massive change and tremendous growth opportunity.

2022 is the year that I started building a life that I am in control of, that I am proud of, and that I am so excited to watch unfold! It’s a bit messier than I had predicted. Undeniably busier and more hectic, but also filled with so much gratitude.

The biggest lesson I’m taking away from 2022 is this:

Find happiness in every moment

After all, isn’t that the goal of this whole thing… to be happy? My therapist always answers this reminder with a quote that he has on a bumper sticker above his desk. It reads: “I’d rather be here now.” If you’re always happy with where you are right now, you’ll always be happy.

It’s been 3+ years of me hearing this quote repeated to me and while I believed it in theory, I could never figure out how to actually do it. Now having finally begun the journey of finding my own version of happiness, I’ve finally realized why I struggled to internalize the wisdom. Yes, it’s important to try to find joy where you are currently, but if you’re not finding it easy to spot that joy, then you must do something to find it. I used to sit around and lament that I wasn’t happy with my status quo, but I just expected that it would change itself. This is the year that I finally made that change happen myself. I created the here that I wanted to be in. And along the way, I’ve learned to find happiness and gratitude in the chaos.

I’m stoked for the new challenges and learning opportunities that 2023 will bring. Cheers to the unapologetic pursuit of the things that we love and all the unpredictability, discomfort, and joy that it may bring! Happy Near Year!

Train with Moxie