No matter who you are, life has a way of bringing you down. It can throw so many obstacles at you while also sprinkling some good fortune along the way as a test. It’s not meant to be easy. It’s not even meant to be simple. However, it does allow for you to build some determination and be strong in ways you never thought you could be. I can’t say that everyone’s life will have the same obstacles. Some stumble upon good luck early while others must still go through the fog of the unknown before reaching an opportunity. Either way, I can tell you that it can bloom inspiration.

I am no stranger to the little obstacles in life and yet, I still have so much time left in my journey. I know that and it’s because of that realization that I fashioned my very own mantra to go by whenever I’m feeling down (it may even adorn my graduation cap someday, stay tuned).

It was a normal day, last year actually, and I was home during my winter break from college. I had been thinking about a certain Facebook post that I had made a week or so before and how surprisingly creative it had sounded. It was about a special way that those in theatre could tell someone that they loved another person. “You are my front row center,” it said. In the theater world, the best place to sit during a show is the seat in the center for the front row. There, you can see everything perfectly. It’s quality. Therefore, the phrase was meant to affectionately compare someone you like or love to the best seat in the house, which is a very creatively crafted compliment.

However, before I knew it, I’d tweaked it a little to be, “You are front row center” instead. Why?

This world is full of opportunities and missed chances. It’s full of those who are good to you and those who go out of their way to bring you down. Giving up is not an option. Your dream are out there. My phrase “you are front row center” is meant to bring a spark of confidence by placing yourself in the best spot of a theater. Whether that means you are under a single spotlight in the front of center stage or sitting in the seat that’s literally in the center of the front row, the imagery evokes a sense of high self-esteem that many people need once in awhile.

I’d been so proud of the made-up mantra that I’d put the quote on a T-shirt to share with the world because more people need to be brought up. I didn’t create the phrase to grab attention and it certainly doesn’t have to appeal to theater people exclusively. The phrase applies to everyone who needs it and honestly, that’s all I could ever hope for.