There’s a big difference between growing up in survival…
and growing up in opportunity.
In the U.S., people are taught to build.
In Cuba, people are taught to survive.
And that difference shapes everything:
how you think, how you act, and what you believe is possible.
Changing countries is one thing…
changing mindset is another.
💠What do you think makes the biggest difference:
environment or mentality?
NegriroMidwest🇺🇸
Having lived experiences from different cultural backgrounds, I can personally attest to how deeply upbringing shapes our worldview. Growing up in a survival-oriented environment, like many do in Cuba, instills resilience and a focus on immediate needs. People learn to navigate scarcity and uncertainty daily. However, this can limit long-term thinking because the priority often becomes just getting through today. When I moved to the U.S., I noticed a dramatic shift — the cultural emphasis here is on building, growing, and creating opportunities for the future. This mindset encourages people to think beyond survival, fostering innovation and ambition. The psychological impact is remarkable; your environment constantly influences what you believe is achievable. Reprogramming this mindset is challenging but possible. It requires surrounding oneself with empowering communities, such as those mentioned in #TheFlavorAgency and #TheCaimitoCollective, and consciously shifting focus from scarcity to abundance. An environment that nurtures growth helps reshape thinking patterns from reactive survival mode to proactive opportunity seeking. Ultimately, both environment and mentality are intertwined — changing your surroundings can trigger a mental shift, and consciously altering your mindset can help you thrive even when conditions are tough. For anyone transitioning between cultures or striving for personal growth, recognizing these dynamics is the key to unlocking new possibilities.