Everyone falls down, knowing they need to get back up eventually. But sometimes getting up can be hard without a little help.

When Preethi Fernando wrote her book, “17 Women Who Shook the World,” it was after she tried to pick herself back up.

“I hit rock bottom,” she said. “I really needed inspiration. Behind every adversity, if we look for it, lies the seeds of greater opportunity. Unfortunately, many people give up on themselves when success is right around the corner.”

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The inspiration she found in other women in history, she wanted to share with others. 

“The key is to do ordinary things extraordinarily well,” she said.

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She chose women throughout history who shook their reality and made ripples accomplishing their dreams, she said. 

“All the women in my book had one thing in common, they had big dreams,” Preethi said. “They all rose above their circumstances and took responsibility.”

Female role models in the book go as far back in history as Marie Curie and are as recent as Meryl Streep. There are 17 stories of strong women she put together in the book. Other highlighted women include Wilma Rudolph, Mother Teresa and many more. 

Fernando was inspired by how they all took tough times and moved forward without dwelling.

“You don’t drown by falling into the river, you drown by staying there,” she said. “All of these women found a way to turn their problem into an opportunity.”

All of the women she features had unfortunate beginnings, but they all persevered and found success. She hopes these stories will continue to ripple out and help others find their inner strength to keep getting back up. 

“Like them, each one of us has the capacity to touch another’s life for the better and lead amazing lives,” she said. “Behind every problem there is some kind of opportunity there.”

Fernando will be doing a presentation on “Amazing Women of Our Time and What We Can Learn From Them” throughout Garfield County, along with her book signing. She will be talking about the women she covers in her book with tidbits about their life stories, what they accomplished and what can be learned.