Develop your emotional intelligence to move forward

Introduce yourself in a few words…

Gergana Nikolaeva is the opera singer who believes that not only can everyone sing, but everyone should sing, because it is an expression of the soul. Five years ago, Gergana launched her author project "Everyone Can Sing...", with which she successfully proves that music possesses immense power. A power that delights, inspires, makes one fall in love, heals, and changes life in a constructive, positive direction. By the end of 2025, the 7th and 8th (Christmas) seasons of the magical format are upcoming. On the stage of Sofia Live Club, the next brave people will step up, who believe in the motto of the opera singer and want to turn their lives into a song.

What did you dream of becoming in your childhood?

It is very strange that I did not have time to dream as a child. I sang a lot, traveled, my childhood was spent in the Children's Choir of BNR. And when someone asked me: "What will you become when you grow up?" — I answered: "I am already a singer!" For me, everything was clear even then.

At what age did you earn your first money? Tell us an interesting story.

I was very innovative. I always had ideas on how to make money. I remember when I was 6–7 years old, my best friend and I stood in front of our house on Gogol Street — my favorite little street in the center of Sofia :) — and we sold postcards that we had drawn. We did quite well, and when we got home, our grandmothers, of course, scolded us a lot and made us return the money to the people. We returned the money, of course, but we left with candies and new friendships.

But I will never forget my first moment in life when I earned money from real work. This was in America, and I was 17 years old — 50 concerts in two and a half months with the Children's Choir of BNR. Every week they paid us 105 dollars. It was quite exhausting. But I happily spent everything.

What is your recipe for curiosity, sources, and wells of information and inspiration at this stage of our human development?

For me, family is an extremely important factor in the development of children at an early age. It is a guide that leaves the most serious mark in shaping worldview and interests. Of course, then comes school and the socio-cultural environment. Personally, I would say that I am lucky because I had the opportunity to grow up in an environment with quite a musical interest, and this has undoubtedly directed me towards my profession. But not only that. Contact with high art at a young age shapes, educates, directs, and provides a solid foundation for every individual, which helps in the development of the emotional-intellectual world, opens a broader worldview, builds cultural taste, which later contributes to a more qualitative development in the spiritual sphere.

Has there been any significant change in your perceptions in more mature age regarding what motivates you to do or not do something?

We are in a constant movement. Change is inevitable, and, of course, necessary. With the accumulated knowledge, experience, and lessons, our feelings towards the world change. I manage to preserve the depth and purity of emotions and feelings. And when I have a surge of inspiration — I write poetry.

Whose decision was it where to pursue higher education and what to study? Was this decision correct, looking at it from today's perspective?

In my life, I always make my own decisions. And my parents have always supported me. For me, this choice has been somehow the most logical. And when it comes to talent — it is not right to waste it. It may not be the most profitable, especially for Bulgaria and for the time we live in. But for me, art stands above matter. It gives immense meaning to human existence, and I am grateful that I walk this not easy path.

Share with us more about your interests, knowledge, skills, and hobbies.

I love to cook. I come up with recipes. Since childhood, I have an affinity for this. Not accidentally, my first book of poetry is combined with a six-course menu by Leo Bianchi. Life is love, and this love should be felt in food.

I am also preparing my second book, in which again, besides the poems, I will include recipes for selected dishes.

They say that your personal brand is everything that people say about you when you are not in the same room with them. What would you like to hear today?

Through the format "Everyone Can Sing..." I really hear a lot of things said in my absence. Fortunately for me — positive. This joy and gratitude that the participants share after the one-month course makes me feel extremely satisfied, with a fulfilled mission.

But there are probably rooms where other things are said in my absence. But that is an inevitable part of the path to success.

Emotional intelligence, adaptability, and flexibility, as well as our soft skills, are key conditions for success in recent years. How do you cope with the daily challenges of life to stay in good shape and mood?

There are many factors that contribute to achieving the desired success. The more we learn to balance everything we touch, the easier it will be for us to move forward.

I increasingly realize that I enjoy communicating with people who have paid special attention to developing their emotional intelligence. And I think that this part of the puzzle of life is so important that if we do not manage to take time for education, it may suddenly turn out that precisely because of it we have gone in the wrong direction.

What are the most important conclusions you have made so far about maintaining proper communication considering the different characters of the people you meet daily – colleagues, friends, relatives?

I am quite communicative. And with my profession, I have to communicate with quite different types of people. What I have managed to cultivate in myself in recent years is immense patience and respect. When we manage to give enough time and treat others with due respect, I believe we can always enjoy a good dialogue and relationships.

What do you think about money? What is their influence on your life? What is your advice to people who often ask themselves questions related to money and how sufficient they are?

I think I am not the right person to give advice about money. :)

I love to spend them. :)

For me, they are a means of moving in a constructive direction on my cultural and spiritual path.

What is the most valuable career advice you would give to people?

Dream and set goals! Believe in yourself and work. Never forget where you started from, and if you meet someone whose eyes tell you they need support — don't pass them by! Be grateful and do everything with a lot of love! It is the foundation of life.