Zero to Streamlit in 21 Days (A Rabbit Hole Story)
Zero to Streamlit in 21 Days
(A Rabbit Hole Story)
I used to think coding was for a certain type of person — the STEM types, the ones who always knew what variables and loops meant.
But then something shifted.
In the span of 21 days, I went from only knowing how to write print("Hello World") to hosting two fully functional web apps on Streamlit.
And honestly? I'm still a little shocked.
The Curiosity That Started It All
It began with a simple question: What actually is AI? What language does it speak?
I wanted to understand what I was working with — not just use it, but know it.
So I did what I always do: I went down the rabbit hole.
I watched a four-hour Python tutorial on YouTube. I dabbled in Codecademy. I read free eBook chapters. And all I managed to learn was one line of code:
print("Hello World")
That was it. That was the extent of my Python knowledge.
But it was enough to make me curious.
The Question That Changed Everything
I took my curiosity to ChatGPT and started asking: What can Python actually do?
The answer? You can use code to automate things. Tasks you do manually — like uploading 100 files or recolouring pattern designs — you can build a program to do that for you.
My brain immediately started connecting dots:
What if I could automate my surface pattern recolouring?
What if I could build an affirmation bank and turn it into something interactive?
Within seven days, I had built my first affirmation web app.
Within 21 days, I had two live apps hosted on Streamlit Cloud.
🤯 Mind. Blown.
What I Built (And Why It Matters)
Daily Affirmations App
This app uses spaced repetition to help you integrate affirmations into your belief system. You can mark each affirmation as:
Aligned — You believe this 100%. It comes back the same day.
Integrating — You're growing into it. It returns after one day.
Unaligned — You don't believe it yet, but you want to. It returns after two days.
The app learns your behaviour and helps you rewire your mindset over time.
AudioWeaver (Text-to-Speech App)
This one was personal. My eyes aren't what they used to be, and I was tired of paying for apps that read PDFs to me.
So I built my own.
AudioWeaver lets you upload up to 200MB of PDFs and converts them into MP3 or WAV files using Google's text-to-speech engine. I even used it to "read" a friend's book manuscript — and got an hour-long audiobook for free.
📖 → 🎧 Save your eyes. Use your ears.
The Messy Middle Is Sacred Ground
Here's the thing: this month of growth was also a month of mess.
I started a recolour tool and then abandoned it. I wrestled with whether to make my code public or private. I questioned whether I was being generous or greedy.
It was chaotic. Beautiful. Frustrating. Transformative.
And if you're in a season where you feel like you have all this energy but don't know where to channel it — it's okay.
Those seasons of searching build you up. They prepare you for the moment when things finally click — when the ideas come thick and fast, and you get to work on something meaningful.
💭 The ditch you're in isn't a dead end. Sometimes it's the birthplace of your breakthrough.
What This Taught Me About Being a Polymath
I did a skills audit with Claude the other day, and I was genuinely shocked at how many things I've taught myself over the years:
Surface pattern design. Nursing. Writing. Music production. Japanese (seven years of self-study). Coding (21 days and counting).
I never thought I was a "STEM person." But here I am — building apps with AI assistance, even though I only know one line of Python.
Pre-AI coding could never have allowed me to do this.
But we live in a different world now. A mind-blowing, disruptive, democratised world where curiosity and AI can take you from zero to Streamlit in 21 days.
An Invitation: Stop Creating in Isolation
For a long time, I was creating in a vacuum. No unnecessary feedback. No distractions.
But I've realised I'm running out of runway to stay hidden.
So here I am — sharing what I've built, inviting you to explore it, and reminding you:
You don't need to know everything to start. You just need to be curious enough to go down the rabbit hole.
Reflection: Where's Your Rabbit Hole?
Ask yourself:
What's that thing I've been curious about but haven't explored?
What would happen if I gave myself permission to learn messily?
What could I build if I stopped waiting to be "ready"?
If any of these questions stir something in you, maybe it's time to follow the thread.
Try the Apps
🎧 AudioWeaver — Convert your PDFs to audio and give your eyes a break.
https://bythandi-audioweaver.streamlit.app/
🌱 Daily Affirmations App — Rewire your beliefs with spaced repetition.
https://daily-grace-affirmations.streamlit.app/
(Links in the show notes or pinned comment on YouTube)
Final Thoughts
You don't have to be a coder to build things.
You don't have to be a STEM person to explore technology.
You just need curiosity, a question, and the willingness to go down the rabbit hole.
Sometimes, the mess is where the magic happens.
✨ Ready to plan your days with God, not just for Him?
Download your 7-Day Daily Bread Planner Sample — a holistic planning tool that helps you invite God into your daily decisions.
🕊️ Get the free 7-Day Planner Sample → bythandi.com
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