No matter where you are from your dreams are valid is the powerful way that Lupita Nyong’o ended her speech when she won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 12 years a slave.

As I reflect on those words I think she was referring mostly to her geographical location; (she was born in Mexico but lived in Kenya as a child) and just what she represented as a Black girl impacting the world in the best way she knew how. I thought about  her words in a deeper sense in terms of ethnicity which encompasses color, race, background, culture, traditions, mores and most of all social hierarchy.

We live in this world which is so superficial with the different stigma/discrimination and beliefs that it places on each of us  that causes us to think that we are different from each other. We then automatically at some point in our lives compare ourselves to each other; resulting in us thinking that we are either better or worse off . This is a lie that the devil has placed within our minds and the sooner we begin to realize this lie is the better we will be. We are neither better nor worse off than anyone. God did not place us here different but placed us here with equal attributes. Some of us have even accepted the lie and embedded it in our being to the point where we live a life of misery.  We think  we are deprived and disadvantaged, not going anywhere. Yes it may seem on the surface that some people are at an advantage while others are a deprived. If we really were to assess ourselves we would realize it maybe how we have positioned our expectations and that we are coveting and not trying to be our very best in our own circumstance. Some of our dreams are unrealistic; we may want to go to the moon when we know fully well that we can’t. It’s all about having realistic expectations and lets not confuse it with limiting ourselves.

For those of us who have children it is important as parents that we share this reality with them and that we do our part in the educating them and not take it for granted that they know.  We have to make them aware of this one thing, that we were all made equal and no one really has an advantage over the other. God’s plan is for all of us to succeed in life via whatever our calling is and no one can stop us from being the great people who God has called us to be. Wherever we are from, all of our dreams are valid. No one can prevent us from stepping into our predetermined destiny; some of us just might be late in realizing our dreams. God has a good plan for all of us while we are here on this earth and we have to start believing.

So therefore start by identifying what it is we are passionate about, and then praying about it in earnest asking God to help us to realize our dreams and make them valid. Don’t worry about the dollars and cents now just figure it out, life is simple and we are the ones who create the drama and complexity that we experience. Once we move towards a simple way of thinking we will see how different our outlook becomes, the changes in our attitude. Stop thinking that it is impossible and far fetched and begin to think it is possible. We have examples all around, Oprah was from a deprived, abusive background, Tyler Perry, Usain Bolt, Joyce Meyer; even Joseph in the bible and so many more examples closer to home. They were able to rise above their inadequacies, why can’t we? It’s all a matter of choosing and putting God first. We are made equal with equal opportunities to make the best and live our dreams.

So we need to look within and assess our lives, are we happy, fulfilled and providing for our families, meaning are we maximizing our life experience and likewise our earning potential? If the answer to any one or both of the question(s) is/are no, then we are not living our dreams . We then need to make a choice and identify our passion.

To make the transition when we identify our passion whatever it is, just start doing it while you are at your regular jobs, when it begins to work then it becomes easier for the transition to take place. See this article for ideas or this.

Whether Lupita got to where she was by luck (I know some are thinking this) does not matter. She must have had the dream first then positioned  herself  and conditioned her mind accepting that no matter where she was from her dreams were valid. That is where it starts, begin to dream, pray about it and watch God work. He wants us all  happy and living fulfilled lives with him at the center.

Lets fulfill our dreams and believe that no matter where we are from (our ethnicity) or what stage of life we are at or even what people will think; we choose to live our dreams and make them valid, acceptable, suitable to ourselves, to our circumstances and the lives of others. Lets begin to live and let’s stop existing.