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August 2018 - Sarah Moshman

We are so proud of our entire FIT4MOM community. If you've attended a class, you know that our instructors work hard to inspire other moms, but what fuels us is the inspiration we get from YOU! Every month we select one special mom who motivates us to do our best and to be kind - in fitness and in life. Sarah Moshman is our August Mom of the Month because we admire her perseverance, her kindness and her drive to change and evolve. What makes her so incredible is that she has made inspiring people and changing the world her life's work. We are excited for you to read Sarah's interview and check out some of her projects.

Congratulations, Sarah! We are thrilled to honor you this month!!

A special thank you to A Mother's Haven for gifting Sarah 6 baby sign language or music classes.

Where are you originally from?

I am from Evanston, Illinois which is a suburb right outside of Chicago. I went to college in Miami, FL and then moved out to LA 10 years ago!

Tell us about your littlest workout buddy!

My daughter is Bryce, she's about 8 months old now, and she's the coolest person I've ever met.

How did you choose her name?

We wanted to find something gender neutral, and we found Bryce when using one of those naming apps and loved it. We also took a trip to Bryce Canyon National Park and loved the scenery and the name itself means strength and valor.

How did you meet your husband?

I met my husband Ryan when I was 16 years old, in high school. We made it through 4 years of college long distance (he was in Wisconsin and I was in Florida) and then he decided to move to LA with me even though he had never even visited before! He's truly my partner in life, my best friend and my biggest champion.

What's your favorite thing to do on a "date night?"

Dinner and a movie 1000%. We love talking about where we will go out to eat next and I am huge lover of movies and going out to see movies in the theater. I wish we could do it more, that is the one drawback of this new lifestyle :) But I go any chance I get! Movies inspire and empower me.

Tell us a little about your career...

I am a documentary filmmaker, speaker, and teacher. I make films that can inform, uplift and inspire people to live their best lives, with a special focus on showcasing strong female role models on screen. My first feature is called THE EMPOWERMENT PROJECT and it's about a road trip I took across the US to interview inspirational women from all different careers. I have the pleasure now of showing that film in schools, groups and organizations around the world encouraging conversations and action that surrounds gender equality. You can watch it on iTunes or Amazon. My second feature film is called LOSING SIGHT OF SHORE and it follows the extraordinary story of a team of women who rowed a boat across the Pacific Ocean from America to Australia. It was truly the greatest adventure of my life to make that film and it's now available on Netflix worldwide! My current film is called NEVERTHELESS and it examines the sexual harassment crisis in the American workplace and points towards tools and solutions for change. That one will be done next year.

I also host workshops, seminars, panels, and semester courses on filmmaking - it is such a joy to empower others to get behind the camera and tell their stories. And lately I have been doing more speaking engagements - from a TEDx talk to WE DAY California (16,000 people in the audience!), to Keynotes and more. For me, all of my work falls under the umbrella of creating content that matters and that can empower women to be the best version of themselves.

How did you find out about FIT4MOM and what classes do you attend?

I got a flyer from Denise at the VNSO park which I go to all the time, and I had seen the moms working out for years!

What is your favorite thing about FIT4MOM?

I love Body Back and the community that has been created in holding each other accountable, it's so nice to be working out alongside other warrior moms!

What is your favorite family activity?

Right now we are just loving being at home and rolling around with Bryce, watching her explore and discover and get stronger everyday. I want to soak up as many moments as I can and stay present.

What is your proudest moment as a mom?

I had the opportunity to travel to Djibouti in Africa when Bryce was 4 months old. It was a huge honor to be asked to go with the American Film Showcase to share my documentaries and teach workshops to the locals there and experience their culture firsthand. I was definitely nervous to go alone and wondered if I'd just be an emotional wreck being away from her and so far away, but I had such an incredible experience there and it felt so good to be independent again as well as empowering others along the way. I also completed a 30 day Kickstarter campaign when she was 3 months old to raise money for my film Nevertheless. It was exhausting and so difficult but seeing this tiny human relying on me pushed me further than I thought I could go and I ended up raising $57,821 within a month for the project. I couldn't have done it without her and I am excited to look back on those pictures and videos with her someday and show her how much she inspired me. And now that will always be tied to the story and memory of this film. I have found that working and pushing myself in my work has helped me feel better and more like myself again which makes me proud.

How has becoming a mother changed you?

I didn't know I had all of this room in my heart to love this tiny human unconditionally, it is truly a love I've never felt before. She has forced me to be more present, more empathetic, and she has taught me so much. I have seen friends that hadn't met Bryce yet and they express how many skills I've gained and how cool it is to see me as a Mom, and it's easy to forget how much we too are learning and growing as they are. I've become a lot more aware of the experience of moving through the world as a mother and all the struggles we face with breastfeeding, pumping, the emotional ups and downs, our bodies transforming constantly, lack of maternity leave, balancing work and family, and so much more. I'm more convinced than ever mothers are truly heroic and deserve all of the credit in the world.

What advice would you give a new mom?

I suppose I would just say "You're doing a great job I promise." It's so easy to judge ourselves, compare ourselves, and feel like we are not enough, but to our kids we are so much more than they could ever need. All the advice in the world won't be as good as your own intuition with your baby. We rock!