Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova, the first woman in space. Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. Countess Markievicz, a revolutionary in the Irish Easter Rising of 1916. Rosa Parks, an American civil rights activist. Wangari Maathai, Kenyan born environmentalist, pro-democracy activist and women’s rights campaigner. J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books. Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani schoolgirl who defied the Taliban to campaign for the right to education. These are just a few of the extraordinary women we count as heroes.

There are female heroes closer to us than perhaps we realise. They are our mothers, our sisters, our daughters, our friends, our girlfriends, our wives. Perhaps we are too close to see clearly. Take a step back. Give yourself the space to see. A hero is someone we admire for their outstanding achievements, noble qualities, or courage.

I count my wife, Christina, as one of my heroes. Her achievements are inspiring. She launched Brosnan Photographic almost ten years ago. Last year she published her wedding advice book ‘Ever Yours’. She continues to strive for new achievements, recently launching Lux Curated and starting a YouTube channel. Hardworking, dedicated, creative, kind, and unfailingly helpful to others are just some of her noble qualities. She shows courage often, particularly when she puts herself in situations outside her comfort zone, such as launching Lux Curated.

All that I have mentioned is just one aspect of my wife. They relate to the her work side. I have not even touched on her qualities as a wife and friend. How could I not be inspired by her?

Today, on International Women’s Day, look again at the women in your life. Recognise them for the heroes they are.