Motivational Mom of the Month - Erin Ricketts

Motivational Mom of the Month - Erin Ricketts

Happy August! It's time to highlight another amazing mom in Our Village. Meet this month's Motivational Mom of the Month - Erin Ricketts!

How did you find FIT4MOM Richmond and how long have you been a part of our village?

I was randomly looking at the events page for Stony Point and saw one of the Fit4Mom pop-up classes. I tried it out and loved it! I started monthly and then switched to unlimited. I think that was just about a year ago now?

What do you love most about being part of this community?

I love being able to workout outdoors, so that is a big part of it. But more importantly, it’s the people that make it awesome! It’s the little moments… like when you’re having a hard day and connect with someone in class who tells you exactly what you needed to hear at that moment. Or just finding things in common with other moms, sharing in the joys and hardships of motherhood!

Who are you a mom to?

Tova, who will be turning two October 5th

What is your favorite thing about being a mom?

I’ve always been a nerd about psychology, science, and early childhood development. It’s literally the coolest thing ever to see how a little human develops. Plus, those moments where she just surprises me. And experiencing true wonder and joy vicariously through her.

What two items would you take with you if you were shipwrecked on a deserted island where all your food and water needs were taken care of?

Can I admit that I thought way too hard about this question? At first I was like “my phone and a solar charger, so I can listen to my downloaded podcasts and meditations.” But without including my phone in this, I would probably bring a copy of “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle (because I’ll probably be spending a lot of time doing nothing,) and then a big ol’ sketchbook (and drawing materials) so I could just sit in nature and draw stuff.

How did becoming a mother change you?

I am grateful for the opportunity to stay at home with my daughter. And with this, I experienced true boredom for maybe the first time since I was a kid? I have learned how to practice being fully present with her and slooooww down. I used to be go-go-go in my past life and had a stressful career. Now, I stare at bugs and grass and trees and laugh at the silly things she does, and cry when things are hard. It’s a different way of being in the world

If you had a time machine, would you travel to the future or back to the past?

I love sci-fi so probably the future. Plus, all of this AI stuff is fascinating and I’m curious to see where it goes. It will probably blow my mind though!

How do you practice self-care?

Meditation and prayer is a daily part of my practice. And then I am super into preparing healthy food for myself and my family. One day we will have a robust garden again because fresh veggies from the garden are the best. I also used to be big into rock climbing before I had Tova, and I am hoping to get back to that again!

Where did you grow up and how did you end up in Richmond?

I grew up in South Florida (Delray Beach,) and then I went to college at UF in Gainesville and lived there for about 9 years. My dad, step-mom, brother, and sister eventually all moved to Boulder, CO. This was right after I got my degree in graphic design so I moved there to live with them. I met my husband while in Boulder, and then he and I moved to Denver. I lived in CO for a total of 6 years. Then we moved to Chattanooga, TN for about 2 years until I got pregnant. Finally, we decided to move to Richmond to be closer to his side of the family for more support. Whew!

Are you a stay at home mom or do you work outside of the home?

I answered this above, but stay-at-home! I do miss work though, and I’m contemplating switching career paths entirely and doing something part-time.

What is the last great book or television series you've read/watched?

I just read “The Many Lives of Mama Love” by Laura Love Hardin and it was so, so, so good. I am also going through a very tough transitional time in my life right now and this book helped me a lot. And it gives a great insight into the world of addiction and the failures of our legal system to help people in recovery. I do not struggle with addiction, but people close to me do.

How did you meet your partner?

Joey and I met at a restaurant that we both worked at in Boulder. You could say “fate brought us together,” because the restaurant was called “Fate”! Ha!

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I think I went through a bunch of different potential careers when I was a kid… astronaut, actor, spy. But then I settled more and more on wanting to be an artist and then eventually a graphic designer around 12 or 13. I was obsessed with the ads in the surfing magazines I read and wanted to make them. Fast forward to college years… I got a degree in printmaking (BA) and then graphic design (AS) and eventually became a UX designer.

If you could choose one song to play every time you walked into a room for the rest of your life, what song would you choose and why?

I think I might eventually become sick of any song that I heard on repeat. I thrive on novelty and that includes my taste in music!

If your five-year-old self suddenly found themselves inhabiting your current body, what would they do first?

Definitely go climb something!

If we wanted to say hi, which classes can we find you attending?

I have been loving the Monday night and Saturday morning Body Ignite/Body Boost classes. And then Strides360 on Fridays!

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Erin - thank you SO much for sharing your story with us! I love that you met your husband working at a restaurant called "Fate"! I mean how cool is that? We're so happy that you stumbled upon us and yes it was just about a year ago. Your first class was August 29th, 2025!

To our readers - if you have mom that you think should be nominated as our next Mom of the Month be sure to let us know!

- Natalie