Beyond the Basics: Defining Yourself Through Story and Experience

In this episode of the Slow English Podcast, host Tiana Ortiz moves past superficial introductions—like name and job title—to explore the deeper layers of identity. By sharing her own personal narrative, she encourages listeners to reflect on the experiences, challenges, and values that truly shape who they are.

The Shaping Power of Change and Resilience

Ortiz highlights that a person's story is often defined by moments of significant transition. Recounting her childhood move from Nebraska to Mexico at age eight due to her father's deportation, she describes this as a period that turned her life "upside down." This pivotal experience became a masterclass in "loss, adaptation and resilience." She argues that our identity is forged not by where we are born, but by how we handle the moments that force us to "grow up faster." She challenges listeners to identify the specific experiences that taught them who they are, emphasizing that home is not always a permanent place.

Redefining Education and Growth

While Ortiz attended a bilingual school, she maintains that "education does not only live in a classroom." Instead, she advocates for learning through "experiences, through making mistakes, through work and through lots of curiosity." A significant part of her growth involved shifting her mindset from envy to inspiration. She suggests that when we feel judgmental or envious of others, we should treat it as a signal to "take action on what I need in my life." This proactive approach to self-improvement encourages listeners to step out of their comfort zones and view life as the ultimate teacher.

Purpose Beyond a Job Title

Ortiz challenges the traditional definition of a career. While her title is "English teacher," she defines her true purpose as making people "feel safe" and helping them "feel less afraid" of being misunderstood. She expresses a strong frustration with those who discourage language learners, particularly those who refuse to make an effort to understand different accents. Her mission is to "destroy that belief" that learners are inadequate. She encourages her audience to look beyond their own job titles and ask, "What problem do you solve?" and "What kind of energy do you bring to the room?"

Language as a Tool for Self-Discovery

For Ortiz, language is more than just communication; it is a vehicle for transformation. She notes that "every language I learn teaches me a new version of myself," even suggesting that she possesses different personalities when speaking English versus Spanish. She posits that as learners dive deeper into a new language, they may discover entirely new facets of their own identity. She invites listeners to consider which language feels like "home" and which feels like "growth."

The Importance of Slowing Down

Finally, Ortiz touches on the necessity of finding meaning outside of constant productivity. Whether it is "biking through cities" or enjoying "quiet moments" in markets, she stresses that life "doesn't need to be super productive to be meaningful." By slowing down, we can reconnect with ourselves. She concludes by inviting her audience to reflect on what activities make them feel most like themselves, reminding them that they "don't need to be perfect" to start the journey of self-discovery—they simply need to try, make mistakes, and never stop learning.