In everyone’s life a moment comes when they realize that something is wrong. Sometimes it is the whole way of life that must be changed. We begin to ask ourselves, what brings us down?

The things which were important for us no more make sense. We lose interest in everything, feel useless and helpless. So then we recollect our life the way it was before and realize that it seemed to be not very sophisticated. But something has happened that made our dreams and aspirations fade away. It is our personal identity that has been lost. We all face problems that can pull us down. And if we donu2019t overcome them, the concept that we form of ourselves gets so deeply carved in our conscience that it begins living on its own. We simply forget that we created it and we can change it, too. Our personal identity comprises all the experience weu2019ve been going through since the day we were born. It is very important to have a clear sense of self. Alas, no more than a few people realize that it is necessary not only to develop oneu2019s self but to maintain it, too. If a house is not repaired in time, it deteriorates one day. Similarly, we should take care of our self-identity, if our objective is to be strong and full of life force.

I was born in Cuba to Cuban-Russian parents. When I was a kid, my family moved to Russia. It was a shock for me, I was reluctant to accept the reality andu2026 I created my own world. As a grownup, I encountered many more intercultural problems inside me. The habit of thinking that I was not like the others, that I was a stranger in Russia and that sooner or later I would leave this country affected my personal identity badly. But one day I appreciated that I was really lucky to be the way I was. I realized that we are what we think and what we believe.

Now I tune myself to positive, inspiring thoughts. And music helps me greatly. I consider music to be a reflection of life, a source of energy, joy and enthusiasm. It sometimes has incomparable fusions, and mirrors my inner condition. I stick to two principles which prevent my identity from splitting and help me harmonize the two cultures inside me. They are the following: Choose your own way and respect your dignity.

Once I used to think that I got lost between two cultures. Now I share Socratesu2019 words, u201cI am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the worldu201d. Man is what he believes. The depth of my belief and the strength of my convictions determine the power of my personality.