Believer: Dr Jane Goodall achieved her dream of living with animals in Africa and became a world renowned scientific expert on chimpanzees.  Yet what happens after we achieve our dreams or when those dreams are taken away from us?  Dr Jane Goodall's life shows that everything that happens to us forges our greater destiny. She is someone who took her dreams and expanded them into a greater belief, to give hope to others. 

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” (Dr Jane Goodall)

Further details on Jane's life can be found from the following sources:

Navigator: Vivienne Westwood transformed her life from a working class girl in Derbyshire, to a worldwide leader in fashion.  Her life shows that hard work, consistency and dedication will prevail.  All the seeds for our future development are already sown.  All that is needed, is time and cultivation. 

Quotes from the podcast and recommended additional reading is from Vivienne Westwood, by Vivienne Westwood and Ian Kelly. 

Survivor:  Catherine Cookson overcame poverty-stricken beginnings in the north east to become one of the most successful novelists of all time, selling over 100 million copies in her lifetime whilst being the 20th century's most popularly borrowed author from UK libraries.  Catherine suffered many misfortunes in her life, but prevailed in spite of them.  Her legacy continues to this day.  She wrote over 100 novels and donated over £50 million in her lifetime to the north east, after a 50 year absence.  Her own story is as compelling and fascinating as any of the stories she wrote.  

"I can and I will has always been my motto."   (Catherine Cookson).

More information on Catherine Cookson's life is available from the following sources:

Autobiographies by Catherine Cookson: Our Kate; My Land of the North (Memories of a Northern Childhood); and Before I Go.

Poetry by Catherine Cookson:  Let Me Make Myself Plain; Plainer Still; Just a Saying.

Biographies:  Catherine Cookson the biography by Kathleen Jones; and The Girl From Leam Lane (the life and writing of Catherine Cookson) by Piers Dudgeon.

Introducing Rise Up Firebird, a podcast about real life women who have transformed their lives.  Finding role models and mentors is an important part of life.  We've heard and read thousands of years of history (or his story).  It's time to readdress the balance to learn more about her story.  Once you hear somebody's life story you no longer feel alone in your struggles and can find hope and strength from how others have responded.  All women of great character have had their own measure of struggle and triumph.  You too can be a firebird.