11 Amazing Moms Who Inspire Us Everyday

Being a parent is hard. Even in the most ideal circumstances, it can be a daily struggle. Add to that trying to start or maintain a business, or suffering a personal tragedy, and it becomes infinitely harder. Moms do the impossible everyday, and make it look easy. When we’re in the trenches, we look to other moms for inspiration. Moms who’ve overcome hardship. Or moms who make this all look easy, even though we know it is not. It helps to know we are not alone! We’ve rounded up 11 absolutely kick-ass moms who inspire us, to show that moms truly do it all. And no one does it better.

Jessica Mendoza, Olympic medalist and ESPN Analyst

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Jessica played softball for Stanford, and went on to play for Team USA in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, where she helped the team bring home gold and silver. In 2015, she became the first woman in the broadcaster booth for ESPN’s College World Series coverage, and the first woman analyst for a Major League Baseball game in the network’s history. When she’s not delivering commentary on baseball, she spends her time wrangling her three boys. We all know which job is the hardest, right?

Melissa Hartwig, Co-founder of the Whole30

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Melissa started the Whole30 in 2009 with her then-husband, Dallas. The clean-eating nutritional program has helped millions of people transform their lives. She gave birth to son Atticus in 2013, and has written and co-authored four books centered on the Whole30. She travels the world as an author and motivational speaker. And she keeps it REALLY real.

Kerri Walsh Jennings, beach volleyball player, 3-time Olympic gold medalist and 1-time Olympic bronze medalist

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I mean, I’m inspired by those abs alone! As part of the greatest beach volleyball duo of all time, Kerri kicks ass on the beach. She has brought home medals in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. She even competed when she was FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT in 2012. Off the sand, Kerri has 3 children, so we imagine she still spends plenty of time running around.

Lisa Druxman, Chief Founding Mom of FIT4MOM

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You may not know Lisa by name, but if you’ve had a baby and struggled with getting back in shape, you almost certainly know her program. In 2001, Lisa founded FIT4MOM, a fitness program that focuses on moms. The company expanded over the years to include Stroller Strides, Fit4Baby, and Body Back. Lisa knows moms struggle with finding the time to focus on themselves, so she came up with a way to incorporate babies and kids into their fitness programs, much as she did with her own kids.

Serena Williams, tennis goddess (We know she’s a brand new mom, but she 100% belongs on our list of moms who inspire us!)

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Serena Williams recently welcomed her first child, a little girl born on September 1st. So now, in addition to holding the most Grand Slam titles amongst active players, she’s busy holding her new little bundle of sweetness. While Serena and family get acquainted, we’ll just be over here imagining how freaking awesome she’ll be as a mom.

J.K. Rowling, author and Hogwarts headmistress

J.K.’s rags-to-riches story is the stuff of legends. She conceived the idea for Harry Potter while on a train in 1990. The seven years between developing the idea and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone being published in 1997 were fraught with personal struggles. She experienced the death of her mother, the birth of her first child, the end of her marriage. She’s also been open about her struggles with depression and poverty. J.K. has been very honest about the fact that she wrote the first book while receiving government assistance. She introduced us all to a world of magic and wonder, and we are forever in her debt.

Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, author, activist

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Some people might not have been familiar with Sheryl until the sudden death of her husband in 2015. Tasked with raising their two children following such a profound personal tragedy, Sheryl speaks openly about how her husband’s death shifted her goals. She heads the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, the umbrella organization for LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org. These initiatives aim to empower women and help people find resilience in the face of adversity all over the world.

Nelba Márquez-Greene, mother and activist

Nelba suffered an unimaginable loss, when her daughter Ana was killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012. Her son was also present, but survived. Since the senseless death of her daughter, Nelba has been an outspoken proponent of gun control in this country. She channeled her grief into something positive, and founded The Ana Grace Project. The organization aims to promote love, community, and connection for children all over the country.

Michelle Obama, former First Lady and activist

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During her time in the White House, Michelle Obama was a champion for kids. Her “Let’s Move!” initiative aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle for kids and in schools across the country. She’s been an outspoken supporter of LGBTQ rights, and works to better education opportunities for girls around the world. Through it all, Michelle Obama has been a devoted mom to her own two girls, Sasha and Malia. 

Senator Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Senator and Veteran

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Senator Duckworth is the embodiment of kick-ass. While serving in the Iraq War, she lost both of her legs in combat. She was the first Asian-American woman to be elected to Congress in Illinois. Senator Duckworth is also the first disabled woman to be elected to Congress. Additionally, she was first elected member of Congress born in Thailand. Her daughter was born in 2014. She is an outspoken supporter of women and veterans, the environment, and immigration. 

Gloria Carter, CEO of the Shawn Carter Foundation

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Gloria Carter is probably most well-known for being Jay-Z’s mom. However, she also has three other children, and raised all four as a single mom. And she did it while working to support her family. While Jay-Z went on to achieve worldwide fame as a rapper and entrepreneur, Gloria co-founded The Shawn Carter Foundation. She currently acts as CEO. The foundation helps people facing hardships continue their education. Gloria recently made headlines when she came out as a lesbian, showing everyone that it’s never too late to live your authentic life.

It’s important to look for inspiration all around us, when we need that extra push to keep going. These moms who inspire us have shown strength and perseverance. Sometimes, in the face of great adversity and personal struggles. We have moms who inspire us in our real lives, and those who we look to in public life, like these women.

Who inspires you? Let us know in the comments!

(Image: Facebook/Tammy Duckworth)

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