The room is large and the crowd is small, but the energy inside it is the biggest thing of all. The energy generated by inspiring women is radiating throughout the bar. As Ovetta and Elda tell their stories, I feel goose bumps forming on my arms. That amazing feeling of inspiration begins to stir inside me and I know I have to start writing.

As I'm sitting here listening to these strong independent women who “flew the coop,” my mind is going a hundred miles an hour. I’m asking myself, what am I passionate about? What do I want to do with my life after graduation? How can I fly the coop straight out of college? Is that even possible?

After a few minutes I decided that yes, it is possible; it may not look like what you expect, but it is possible.

After college, you’re expected to go out and get a salary job with paid time off and benefits. While that all sounds nice, I’m not sure what I want to do. I can't decide what I want to do for the foreseeable future. I tried making a list of all the things I like to do and then look for jobs based off of that, but I just don't see anything that calls out to me.

I believe that for me, flying the coop would mean following my heart. I'm not sure where my heart wants to take me, but I do know that I love to help people, to inspire people, and to make a difference. I want to leave this world a better place.

I’m not sure how to go about doing so, but I do know that I have the ability to do it if I just believe and let my faith be stronger than my fear. And that is what “She Flew the Coop” is all about.

Life is too short to be overcome by your own fear. If you feel unfulfilled or like something is missing in your life, I dare you to dig deeper and figure out what is holding you back. Chances are you’re holding yourself back. Not all of us are able to drop our jobs and fly the coop, but you can figure out your own way to fly the coop.

Maybe you’re the hesitant bird who waits to fly, and that's fine - make a plan and prepare yourself to fly. Maybe you’re more spontaneous and ready to fly, and that's cool, too - someone has to encourage the other birds to fly. Whether you’re a brave bird or a timid bird, I hope you decide to spread your wings and soar.

If you want more information and inspiration, check out the "She Flew the Coop" meetup page and our website.