An Introduction to TSLD
Good afternoon!
As some of you may know, I really love to write. It was my first passion ever since I started my schooling, where I would hide away in the back of the class, rushing through my assignments so that I could use the school-issued computer to conjure up another story. Covid-19 took most of my junior year of high school, and while we were bunkered in our homes, I took it upon myself to write. And write I did—knocking out a 600-page, 240,000-word book in only three months. So, it stands to reason that although I am still getting used to the learning curve of content creation on both Instagram and YouTube, a blog would be no problem. In fact, to my gratitude, it makes my entrance into the content creation realm quite frictionless.
It will be a place for me to share more thoroughly expressed ideas—an expansion of my Instagram (short-form content), a written translation of my YouTube videos, and a personal glimpse into my journey as I continue into adulthood and my new marriage, create my first business, and launch a music non-profit in years to come.
I want to take this opportunity before there is an expectation upon my content to explain what it is I’m doing here—because there are multiple storylines at play. First and foremost, I am a young opera student who decided to forego traditional education and travel to New York to pursue my freelance teacher, Conrad Osborne. As of writing, I have been here for exactly one year—and the learning curves I’ve traversed are never-ending. My work and content will be sprinkled with the lessons I learned here, all the way from apartment-hunting to creating my own curriculum and schedule (and funding it), and finally, to getting married (all at 19!).
The second represents the reason this website even exists: the creation of The Self Learning Database. As I created my own curriculum, I was halted due to a horrid relationship with motivation, procrastination, discipline, and everything in between. I think this is true of most people who go through the American public school system, where we are taught to regurgitate information and not to internalize learning systems. These are things we are expected to conquer on our own or not. That being said, my opinion of the public school system is not entirely negative—but that will surely be something I explore in later posts.
Ironically motivated by a true detestation of my situation, I researched. I found thousands of pages of accredited articles and case studies that broke down why we do things the way we do and what helps to influence our behavior. I thought it was it quite interesting that the explanation for all of these phenomena was right in front of me—but in all the self-help advice on the internet, all you saw was a quick tip to help you with something not quick in nature at all. The “solution to all of your problems,” in a way.
But after trying to implement it, the viewer always felt more drained. They didn’t truly understand why they were struggling in the first place, so how could they effortlessly fix a problem they didn’t understand? This is the problem I have solved for myself, and I wish to solve it for others.
However, my interpretation of success has changed since starting this. Before, I was distraught with the inability to follow my meticulous to-do list to the last detail. Although I have intense goals and things to accomplish, my day is no longer structured in ten-minute increments. I am realistic about my limitations and have learned when to push myself.
This kind of self-awareness is our best tool regarding our education and our place in society. I hope that The Self Learning Database will be the bridge that helps you cross from where you’ve felt trapped to where you can truly fulfill your potential while also accepting who you are at your foundation. Not who society tells you to be, not who your family wishes you were, but who you are at your most candid.
The first public course I will release is about flow theory—the idea that work becomes effortless under the right circumstances. Afterward, I plan for courses on the deep psychology of motivation, productivity, hustle culture, passion, and so much more. Every course I create will be a subject I have had to twist myself inside out to solve, made accessible for you to apply to your own life. I am hopeful that as I grow my brand and my audience and continue to have personal discussions with you, I will continue to explore the other struggles for which people crave a solution. It is through my love of research and analysis and my own personal necessity that this project is brought to you.
So, although how I direct my musical passion could be considered quite niche, I have built this program and my social media brand to apply to everyone. Even if a DIY curriculum isn’t for you and you require accreditation for something like medicine or law, the fundamental rules of learning, happiness, and passion will still apply. I also aim to help those who could benefit from leaving the well-walked path behind and forging their own. There is a gold-mine of possibility to explore here, and I hope to rescue every last piece.
As we continue into November, I will pick back up where we left off on Instagram (@theselflearningdatabase, linked on the website) by providing small glimpses into this course's value. An official launch will follow in the New Year, as well as a podcast/discussion-style YouTube channel that explores in-depth takes on controversial educational topics and a personal rendition of my path thus far. If you are interested in hearing about my journey in New York, marriage, and creating my own curriculum, YouTube (along with this blog!) is the place to look.
We have established the basics. In finding my own path for pursuing my love of music, I have discovered a secondary pursuit—teaching others to unveil how they are programmed to learn, pursue, and enjoy information. To find a way to stop fighting the responsibilities in life that we aren’t keen on. To find a way, not to destroy our bad habits as so many gurus would claim, but instead to redirect our attention to why we are the way we are and how to handle it. My dream is for this blog to be a personal place of discussion between myself and my audience to help shape my brand. It is not for me but for those I hope to serve.
Faithfully yours,
𝒜𝓃𝓃ℯ𝓁𝒾ℯ𝓈ℯ 𝒮𝓉ℯℯ𝓁ℯ 𝒯𝒶𝓎𝓁ℴ𝓇
Comment below for any topics you would like covered, and don’t forget to connect on Instagram if you are able!
