Can you believe that this is the third time I’ve blogged with this title? “Do what you love.” I’m not surprised. It never hurts to remind myself, but also I’m in that mindset, particularly when my #OneWord2025 is LOVE. Gosh… it took me months to commit to that word and now I’m “in love” with my one word. It takes time for the one-word to take hold, but I am realizing that LOVE was a natural next step from HAPPY. So, this blog post is going to talk about a few things that “I love” to do. It’s fun to do this.
First, I am so happy to be doing my weekly blog only on one website versus two. I was maintaining two websites, thus two blogs, for a year or so because I lost access to this website a few years ago and I was making a website for some courses I taught at the university. Now, I have access to this website (due to serendipity and good luck) and I’m no longer teaching portfolio in the M.Ed. or B.Ed. programs. I don’t need a work portfolio. It has taken me a few months to “let go” but I’m good with only one blog.
Second, I am really getting into thrifting. It was something I did out of utility when I first moved to Prince George, and my kid liked to go thrifting to buy clothes and such when she was younger. We both stopped for a few years and now I’m just getting back into it. I found some flower vases, led crystal pieces, and some unexpected wins. Just the other day, I bought a Corningware set on Facebook Marketplace as part of an estate sale. (See photo). I love these pieces and got a great deal on them. It’s too fun.
Finally, my last mention of “doing what I love” is beading. A former student of mine reached out to me and asked if I wanted to go out on Wednesday nights to bead. It’s a 3-hour session and I just LOVE IT. I know in the fall that I will be teaching a night class, but for the spring and summer, this connection with the former student and all those in this beading group has been absolutely blissful. The 3 hours just fly by and I’m enjoying returning to what brings me a lot of joy and time to hone my beading skills.
I have so much to be grateful for and these are only a few examples of “doing what I love.” It feels good to prioritize my interests and learning how to embrace change and navigate in ways that go with the flow and be open to the present. I’m just in LOVE.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, May 24th, 2025 | No Comments »
I started this blog post yesterday and it quickly started a tangent. I’m not sure if it’s because I was being avoidant or if I was distracted. There is nothing like the act of procrastination, a new day, and a redo. So here I am again to start this blog post over. My dear friend passed away on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. She was 10 years junior. She just turned 45 years old on April 20, 2025. I am not sure what to make of this. She was diagnosed with glioblastoma in October 2023. I remember the phone call. It was like 430 am and she was texting me. She could not sleep and so I called her. She said that she was diagnosed with brain cancer… or brain tumour. She did not tell me the exact diagnosis although over time, thanks to Google, I was able to figure it out before she told me her diagnosis. It’s heartbreaking and shocking at the same time.
She was struggling for awhile. It was often contributed to tiredness and workload because she was in a doctoral program at UBCO, and she commuted to Kelowna from Vancouver via plane, most times, to attend class. She was working full-time at the university, she was an RA, and she was a full-time parent to two young adolescent children. If anything, she was busy, so I can see that it was easy to make a correlation of her workload to her headaches and tiredness. However, when certain deadlines had ceased, her symptoms did not. I remember her at WFATE 2023 in Victoria, BC. She was presenting, organizing a dinner for BCTEN, and doing life as a PhD student. She was not feeling well that week and again, seemed very busy, but managed to keep up with everything. Keeping a brave smile, her headaches persisted. Luckily, she has close friends who encouraged her to go to the doctor to find out what’s wrong.
She was so determined to stay alive and be with her children. She underwent 3 brain operations, radiation, and chemotherapy. Nothing worked. The tumour kept growing and her body (and mind) slowly fading away. I spoke to her a few times and messaged some other times. You could see the rapid decline. Each time, I thought it would be the last time I would see her. I even went to go visiter once with another mutual friend at her place. She was still hosting even though she was not well. Her strength and stamina were unsurpassed. I would not believe what she was willing to endure to extend her life. According to the websites, without treatment, she had 3 months to live. With all of the interventions she took, she lived for 19-months after her diagnosis. She was aiming for 10 years, but what she has achieved was a testament to her and the fight for her life. Over time, she was able to make peace with family members and strengthen key relationships, and say goodbye everything.
I cannot believe that it would be easy saying goodbye to everything that she worked so hard for. She had to say goodbye to her job in teacher education at the university. There are photos of her packing up her office. I was happy that she made that choice for herself. She had to say goodbye to her doctoral work. She worked so hard to get into the PhD program. She was in the program of her dreams and had a very supportive supervisor. Her career was on the rise, and her identity and sense of self-worth were deeply embedded in getting into that program. For awhile, she had ambitions to complete the program while she was ill, but over time she realized that it would not be possible. Letting go must have been incredibly difficult to do. She even stepped back from BCTEN, and she loved that work. Finally, I can only imagine, that she had to say goodbye to her life and her family. Honestly, I can’t even imagine, but she spent her last moments in hospice with her close family and friends.
After 19-months of struggle, pain, and goodbyes, I am relieved she is at peace.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, May 20th, 2025 | No Comments »
The fair came by last week. My kid and I walked over to the fair to walk around and pick up a bag of mini-doughnuts. We shared the bag before heading out for lunch. It was a gorgeous day and the doughnuts were pretty good too. It was the last week my kid “off” from school before starting her summer job at the hospital as an ESN (employed student nurse). She’s on her night shift as I write. It’s a new way of being for me. Not only have I splurged on a Nespresso coffee maker (for Mother’s Day) and enjoy an espresso con panna anytime of day at home, I am also in love with my cat (of which I am watching in the corner of my eye playing a new toy I got her earlier tonight). Is this how life is going to be? Me… the cat lady!! My kid will also be going away to complete her 5-week clinical as well as part of Year 3 of her program. I think that will be the real test. She will be leaving “the nest” soon… Year 4 will come and go. I am so grateful that my kid chose to come with me to Prince George during the “turbulent years.” I could not have transition to “my independence” without her.
I can’t believe that this is my 21st Mother’s Day. It doesn’t feel like 21 times. I can celebrate this day every year with LOVE and joy. As mentioned, I bought myself a Nespresso (and LOVE it) and I got myself a pottery mug from the art gallery as well (for Mother’s Day). As you can see, I’m not shy. But, my kid will be coming home after her shift at 7am on Mother’s Day and likely sound asleep when I wake up. Please note, I’m writing this blog post in the middle of the night because I am WIDE AWAKE from my expresso earlier tonight. I needed a boost to get on with my day, but now I’m alert. LOL. Hence, I’m writing about Mother’s Day in the future tense. Yes, it’s Mother’s Day right now… but it’s just after midnight. My cat is not a fan of me staying up late, but I realized tonight that I love being going out for a walk in the evening (ie., going to Walmart or the Superstore in Prince George) and I am truly a “late to bed, late to rise” kind of person. As much as I would like to be an early to bed, early to rise person… it will NEVER happen. Trust me, I’ve tried. But what I am realizing is, I am on my own.
There is nothing wrong with being independent, but I am acknowledging that my kid is growing up. She’s an adult and she too will be independent. Parenting… no one really talks about these transitions. My kid taught me so much about life (i.e., having an Nespresso… I don’t think I can go back to the Keurig, which is hers as well). Sigh. So, with this change in momentum with my kid and me as she continues to engage in her nursing program and work, I am learning how to be the “new” me. I am also trying to wean myself off my phone. I’m so done with that thing, but I am have horrible habits to break. I was inspired by a YouTube video done by a fellow BC Educator’s kid, Makari Espe, “How I cut my screentime by 80%.” I will start my Mother’s Day with having my phone charging downstairs, that is, one floor away from my bedroom. So much time is SUCKED away when I have my phone near my bed. I have took off some apps already, but I will be replacing my phone with reading. Let’s see how this goes.
Mother’s Day is about celebrating yourself… and LOVE my kid. I have also decided to commit to my weekly blog with this WordPress site and I am taking a break from my other WordPress site related to my work at the university. I am no longer teaching any courses that has EdTech and portfolios, so modelling how to create and develop a website as a platform for reflective practice is no longer needed. Again, change. I think the real gift I can give myself is creating change rather than respond to change (that happens to me). It’s not one or the other, but what I want to say is… I’m moving forward. And, I can do this!! HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!! PS: I love being a mom!! xo
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, May 11th, 2025 | Comments Off on Onto the Next Step
My kid made this for me… it’s all the rage… Thank you AI.
Hooray… it’s the end of the winter term. I loved every one of my classes… EDUC 201 (Educational Theory and Practice), EDUC 376 (Numeracy Foundations in the Elementary Years), EDUC 421 (Assessment and Motivation), and EDUC 656 (Instructional Leadership). I loved the folks who were in the classes and I loved the subject matter of each class. I think what challenged me the most was the schedule. I had two 4-hour teacher education classes back-to-back on Mondays and 3-hours night classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I was also balancing meetings, service work, and research. With my schedule, It sounded like a strong start on Mondays and coast for the rest of the week. I would not disagree with that as a description of my workflow, but because I had such a full Monday, I spent a good chunk of the weekend working or thinking about work. Rest was not an easy task, and if I did, I spent the whole week catching up. I am not complaining by any means, but I am grateful that that schedule is now over, my marks are submitted, and I have a few more tasks to complete the Winter 2025 term. I feel like I am reaching “the top” of my teaching career, much like I did in 2010 in teaching high school mathematics. The difference is this time is, I’m not 100% stressed out and rest is part of my way of being. I am learning how to write about my work at the university such that it appears “dreamy” and “productive”… I am not one to brag, but it’s the nature of my work to show value in what I am doing. In order to do that, I need to learn about my own value and believe it’s important. Anyway, I am digressing… I am super happy with the conclusion of the Winter 2025 term I have learned a lot with and from my students as well. I LOVE MY JOB and I love what I do. I wish I could just say that about my work, but I believe they want evidence of this “love” and a means to evaluate this feeling through some metrics to make a fair judgement. Nonetheless, I am so grateful to take a few days off this long weekend to REST and do things for myself because it makes me happy. I finally bought a small desk that a built last night to got in front of my window (it was on sale for $89), and I bought a leather chair from the Bay (which was also on sale for $64). Oh my gosh, am I happy. Cheap, but not cheap… and I’m blogging as we speak facing out of my window. I love the natural light shining on my face as I type, but I also like to people watch. There’s just enough distraction to keep me focused. It’s much like being in a coffee shop, without the barista. I did not write in my blog last week. I was cognitively paralyzed by the marking I had to do. Strangely, when I got to my marking, I loved every minute of it. As soon as I stepped away from the mindset of evaluating and grading to LEARNING (what am I learning and what did they learn), the marking process was a joy. So, I’m setting the stage… first, with a big blog ramble… and second, with my desk oriented in my room to promote creativity, joy, and writing.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 20th, 2025 | Comments Off on A New Beginning
Oh geez… it’s the end of the winter term. I have such mixed feelings about it. I loved my classes. I was teaching EDUC 421 (Assessment and Motivation), EDUC 376 (Numeracy Foundations in the Elementary Years), EDUC 201 (Education Theory and Practice), and EDUC 656 (Instructional Leadership). Honestly, I loved all of these courses for different reasons. Two of the courses are in the teacher education and my classes were focused on the Elementary Years Cohort. The other two classes were in the undergraduate and graduate programs respectively. I learned so much from each of those classes, but also I got to share what I love and love to learn with the students as well. What a gift!! I think that I am about 90% there with feeling good about my pedagogy and honing my craft in a way that is authentic to who I am. Looking back at my former teaching practice, many elements are similar upon reflecting on how I taught secondary mathematics near the end of my time in K-12 schools. But what’s different between my two practices in teaching is taking the intentional time to REST.
One of the things I was working on and developing in 2024 is taking Saturdays as “be a person” day. What I mean by that is, do what you want to do to move life forward without feeling any guilt or shame for not doing work on that day. Often, the work for educators is endless and its often in the mind with no off-switch. I practiced this way throughout my time in K-12 education. I worked around the clock. I remembered working at 2-3 am and I was a new mom, but had returned back to work with new prep. In the dark, I heard a thump, thump, thump. It was my kid coming down the stairs with her blanket and she just stared at me wondering… what the??? Then, she hopped on the couch behind me and went to sleep. Of course, I kept on working. All nighters was a “normal” thing for me to do. I can only imagine the quality of my work after an all-nighter. This story does not mention all of the times I went to work sick. A part of me is very thankful for the COVID-19 pandemic that insists that people to STAY HOME with any symptoms that resembled COVID-19. Strangely, it was a blessing.
Admittedly, I did do a couple of all-nighters this term. My schedule was somewhat brutal in the sense that I had 2 courses back-to-back on Mondays (i.e., 8-hours of instruction) and I had conditioned myself to take Saturdays (which often included part of Fridays and Sundays) off to rest and “be a person.” Even though I know the course content, it takes about a 1:1 ratio of time to prep. I like to make the learning relevant for the learners in my class. And as you know, no person and no class is the same from year to year. The intention to cater each class so that it creates a “scope and sequence” that is personalized for those ho are in the room. A full day of teaching on Mondays, then a night class on Tuesdays and another night class on Thursdays made my schedule for the week. To prepare for and teach on Mondays, everything else is parked. I parked so much stuff that I did not catch up on what I wanted to catch up on during the 5-weeks I did not have this class due to practicum, a long weekend, and weeklong break. I’m astounded. There is so much to do and so little time.
I’m not complaining. I loved these classes and I think it took me the whole 13-weeks to figure out my flow for the term. That is so weird, but it’s true. By the time it came to my last class on Thursday nights, I felt like I got my rhythm. Unfortunately, the term ended. What I do commend myself for is recognizing the need for rest. So, what I noticed is, I cannot do any work after I teach. So, no emails, marking, or meetings on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. I just didn’t have the energy. I would make myself a yummy dinner at home, rest on my recliner, watch some TV, and go to bed (at a decent hour). I needed to do that for myself to regulate my time and work output. I also noticed that a 3-minute email the next morning would take 3-hours to write the night before. Moreover, I noticed that my brain could only hand certain things and information when it was ready and had “space” to think about those things. It made for more sound and reasonable take-action and decision making.
If anything, I wanted to not only do this balance between rest and work viable for me to stay sustainable and happy in my work, I wanted to model this way of being for my students, regardless of what program they are in. I also designed my classes so that they would respect student voice, rest, and activity. I think the “old me” wanted to keep ploughing ahead because I thought that was what was expected from me. Now, I understand, I can plough at my own pace. People can provide feedback, but I needed to be very clear about putting the students (and my wellness and wellbeing) at the centre of my practice. So, I took this weekend off. My last teaching day was last Thursday night. Assignments are due this week. I took the weekend to REST… despite the pile of work and timelines that are ahead of me. I didn’t even blog on the weekend. I did enjoy the company of a friend over breakfast and engaged in a few tasks for my home (i.e., recycling, laundry, food shopping, etc.), and I feel great!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 07th, 2025 | Comments Off on Valuing Rest
March 16, 2025 – Remembering My Mom in Different Ways
Last week I visited my mom’s resting place in the Lower Mainland. I’m not even sure if that’s what it is called. Her ashes are in an urn, in a glass enclosed shelf, in a building at the cemetery last week. I had visited Vancouver a few times over the last few months, but mostly those visits were related to work and I did not have the opportunity to go visit her. Last week was a weekend trip FOR ME and my brother had borrowed my dad’s car and we went out there to go visit her. I like to keep her updated on what’s happening and to say hello. It’s strange to go visit her. The photo of her that’s by her urn was taken before I was born. It’s not how I remember her as a child, but it’s a photo that she chose that she thought that best represented her. I remember when my mom was alive when she first invested in this resting place for her and my dad. She got name plates and everything. She wanted to take each of her children out to this site complemented with a lunch out at the golf course. By the time it got to my turn, I said… NO THIANK YOU… and that I would visit her when she was at the place, I had no desire to check out her resting place otherwise. So, there I was last week saying hello. A few thoughts shared and a few bows, all was good.
Now that I’m back home and lots of uncertainty with the economy, etc., I am very conscious about what I buy and how much I am spending. I have to pay utilities and property tax right now, and I have no idea what I have to pay for income tax, who knows what I will have to spend in the next few days, months, and years. The idea of going into a recession does not put my mind to ease by any means, but I will admit that I am more conscious about my spending habits and how much things cost as we anticipate rising costs and how much I used to spend. In the end, saving money and minimizing my spending is going to be key. I’ve cancelled a few memberships, and I wanted to cancel my cable package, but it seems like the company is no longer providing a basic cable package. I just need to find places to spend less, even though I am investing dollars in self-care. Strangely, I am just understanding it’s importance and the value in investing in those things like massages and therapy. Nonetheless, I am feeling very aware of money, with my mom whispering in my ear the importance of saving money. It was incredible how much money she was able to save. She was amazing at it. It almost reminds me of “extreme coupon,” the TV reality show.
As a kid, I remembered when we went shopping that my mom would by X-bread. This bread was found in a basket at the supermarket and it had a black X written on top of the price tag. Now as an adult, I know that the X-bread was day-old bread. Stale bread. And this bread was on sale for 50% off. I could never understand why she chose this bread. It almost seemed like she was insistent in buying this bread and I really did not like it. My dad would wake up every morning to have this bread. He would toast it, add peanut butter and honey to them, and he would eat it with a cup of Red Rose tea with milk and sugar. That was his morning ritual. I clearly remember him doing that and sipping from his tea cup. Til this day, I’m not a break-fan. It’s not my favourite even though I find myself toasting it as well, but to have an open-faced egg salad sandwich (of which was not my mom’s favourite). She was saving money. I know that now. So, when I bought this loaf of bread from the Superstore a couple of days ago, I thought of my mom. It was almost a compromise. I’m thinking about how much things cost and it was a fresh loaf of bread, but it cost $1.25. It this economy, it’s a steal. This loaf of bread will last us a long time. On the counter for a few days while it’s fresh, then it goes back into the fridge to have toast like my dad did.
Bread is still not my favourite, but I respect my mom who did what it took to make things happen. I have a huge regard for her and I realize now that I may not have acknowledged a lot that she has done. Admittedly, I never noticed until she had passed away 7-years ago. All of what she used to do for me, my siblings, and my dad are astounding. I had no idea. It’s moment like these when I am reminded that I want to write about my mom… maybe as an autoethnography or biography… not sure. As each day passes and I am “doing the work,” I am building up the courage to bring pen to paper. I will wait for this term to end and make a plan soon after. I had no idea how much of an impact my mom has made on me. I guess you don’t know until you know.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 16th, 2025 | Comments Off on Almost Like X-Bread
March 2, 2025 – What does it take to do a self-study
I have written to date 9 journal reflections for a self-study with two more on the horizon to “feel like” I am caught up. I might tackle them after this blog post but each journal reflection takes about 2-hours each to complete. Oof. It’s a bit much. I’m not sure why it takes that long, but it does. Although I thought I would talk more about the subject matter, I am finding that I am more focused on social dynamics, agency, and leadership. Maybe that’s what my learning is, but I did not realize that until I worked my way through these reflections. Moreover, I had to figure out “my flow” with the suggested template. I tried several times, but felt restricted or guided in my thinking. As a result, I had procrastinated or avoided doing these journal reflections.
Now that I have found my flow with the template, I did not anticipate how much time it would take to complete. I have invested about 16-hours so far and underestimated the task. I thought I could finished my journal reflections on Friday, they flowed into Saturday and now Sunday. I’m not sure if I can do it, but I would like to take a moment to reflect on the remaining journal reflections to feel “caught up.” I will have to continue contributing to these journal reflections as part of this self-study but I have not idea if I’m contributing what I need to. Each journal reflection is about 3-4 pages single spaced. Not a small feat, but in the next few weeks, I need to catch up on these journal reflections and other work to catch up on. This is the time!!!
It’s practicum, so I am not teaching a couple of classes on Monday. As a result, I have a workload pause so that I can catch up on these journal reflections and other work. So, I’m glad I took a moment to contribute to my blog post to see that light, rather than my aching forearms due to typing on my laptop. Life is good and really… I’m grateful to do the work that I do… and it’s ok to rest on the weekends too. It will be a short blog post for this week, but I am happy that I’ve landed in a place of gratitude.
PS. I love my cat too.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, March 02nd, 2025 | Comments Off on Reflecting Like a Pro
Here is a photo of a food pic that I have not yet posted onto social media. This blog post seems like a good place to share this image. I went out for dinner this weekend on “be a person day” and we went to a restaurant that serves green curry. Now that my gall bladder is out, I can return to this kind of food without fear of having a gall bladder attack. Damn. This dish was delicious and comforting. It was not too spicy, but rather tangy with bits of mango in random bites. I approached this beautiful meal by mixing it all up so that every grain of rice was covered in green curry. I ate the whole bowl and ended the meal with a dessert. Best of all, this place had diet coke. It was a meal that I really enjoyed and really wanted. Yes, the meal brought me lots of JOY. I LOVE eating a great meal. I was HAPPY to know that I can get a meal like this, but also pad Thai, if I was in the mood, in Prince George. I loved a place in Vancouver where their chicken green curry dish had eggplant in it. Green curry just hit the spot.
When i was in Vancouver, I went out to dinner with family. We went to a place that I wanted to go to. It’s family-style eating where you order a bunch of dishes to share. It was not a Chinese food place, but rather western, and I love the vibe and food of this place. To make a long story short, one person did not want me take pictures of the food. I normally do, but this person was trying to convince me, or shame me, into not taking food pics. I replied by saying I did not care about what other people in the restaurant thought of me. In the end, this person did not want me to take pictures. I complied and did not make a big deal out of this situation but what disappointed me was the fact that the person could not tell me that me taking photos embarrassed them. Nonetheless, the meal was good and I ended up paying for the meal. I enjoyed the experience and I wanted to express my gratitude for the evening. Anyway, what the evening taught me is, I like taking food pics because food is part of my identity.
I took a bunch of food pics of the congee, turnip cake, and tea from The Boss when I went to Burnaby/Metrotown and of the Chinese food I brought home from Vancouver to Prince George. I took pictures of the soup dumpling lunch and hot pot dinner with the teacher candidates in Burnaby (before and after the WestCAST conference) and I generally like taking pictures of food. You never know when you are going to use these images, just like the one above, but also I love sharing pictures of food I love and food that reminds me of my mom (which I also love). I was teased by my siblings by going to the same places when I come to Vancouver. Of course I do… I love going to the ocean and I love going to Chinese restaurants… and Thai too. Anyway, the food reminds me of my mom, but also I can’t get this food in Prince George (nor am I close to the ocean in Prince George). The food connects me to my ethnic identity, just as being by the ocean. Last year, I was focused on doing things that make me happy… but now, I will do things that LOVE. Food pics is one of those things. It’s who I am. 🙂
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 24th, 2025 | Comments Off on Food Pics Represents Identity
February 16, 2025 – A Photo from the CHY’s archives
I just finished writing my Professional Activity Report (PAR) for 2024 on Friday. It was due that day. Valentine’s Day. I am more convinced that maybe my One Word for 2025 is LOVE. Oy. Let’s not talk about that again. But, on the day of LOVE, I spent about 11 hours working on and finalizing my PAR. I did spend some time collecting information and updating my CV, but I definitely underestimated the time it would take to compose my PAR and send it to the Chair. Thank goodness, from what I noticed, that there was not a time that it needed to be submitted. I could be wrong, but at least I got it in on the day it was due and found it to be a fruitful exercise.
Despite the time it took to summarize what I have accomplished in 2024 in my work, I found it to be an awesome way to look back at my work in a critical and appreciative way. I did not realize how many professional development or professional learning activities I engaged in, which included beading for 4-months at the art gallery. I also did not realize how many conferences I attended and presentations I gave. I was somewhat astounded. I also joined another research group and I am leading another. I am grateful to my peers for collaborating with me on a chapter I led and co-wrote with another research team. I assisted another team with writing an NSERC grant and a participated in course evaluations. It’s been about 8-years since I embarked on that practice wholeheartedly. It’s not easy, and I have been un- and re-learning life again.
Why this photo from 2009 is so important to me is to recognize and understand that my practice has not changed over the last 30-years. Can you believe that? 30-years. I graduated from UBC with my teacher education in 1994. I look back at old photos and I am reminded that I love collaborative work, I love creating community in my classrooms that were centred around formative assessment, and I loved to try new ways to teach was new to me, non-traditional, or student-centred (i.e., the student does most of the work). I was a favourite teacher to some, and not so liked by others. Overall, I loved what I did and took photos of students then too… in class, during grad, or during prom. I had a connection with students and I enjoyed teaching.
Were there ups and downs in my K-12 job teaching secondary mathematics? Absolutely. Are there ups and downs with my current position? Absolutely. What I don’t want to lose is my love for LEARNING, building community, and having a connection. I may not be “the best” teacher where I am winning awards or ranking 5 out of 5 on course evaluations. I love to learn and part of that in my teaching practice is, I sometimes delve into crappy moments where I’m not great, not certain, or not on top of what I am doing. And, guess what? That’s ok. I left teaching for about 8-years to work on my dissertation and during that time I was an elected official, not teaching. Guess what? It was not where my heart is. I love to teach. I love to learn. And I hope, I can and am leading with that LOVE. Here are are again… LOVE. Surprise!! LOL.
My biggest fear is, I’m not perfect. I feared being “wrong.” Guess what? It’s all good.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 16th, 2025 | Comments Off on Overcoming My Biggest Fear
I know it is February 9th and it’s well past the new year of January 1st and Lunar New Year of January 29th. It’s not to say that being HAPPY and experiencing LOVE are not good things… they are!! I thought about AWESOME a few days ago, but really, I’m coming to terms with the word CLOSURE. I think that’s what I need. That #OneWord just popped into my mind before approaching my computer. I need closure. I have a pile of things to do and all partially done. That is the work context, but I can also apply that word for the personal. What I have learned in the past few years is, there is no separation between work and personal because it’s just me. That’s it. It’s all ME. So, it’s not for me to separate the two parts of my life or compartmentalize them from each other, but it’s only to provide some context to what I am referring to.
There was a time when “getting started” was a huge barrier for me… and another time when “knowing my potential” was another. Over the last year, it was to understand “my value,” which was derived from my #OneWord2024 of HAPPY. I was able to identify what made me happy, what things are important to me, and what my boundaries are. I learned a lot from last year, so I’m putting a lot of unnecessary pressure on me to find the next best word. As I look around, I think that the word CLOSURE makes a lot of sense to me. It has nothing to do with LOVE or HAPPY, but it has everything to do with LOVE and HAPPY. I have started many projects that need some closure, I have a lot of intentions that need some closure, and there are some crappy things that needs some closure too. Achieving closure equates to “letting go” of some things, “making space” for other things, thus self-love and happiness.
Let’s get things done!!
Even sitting here and writing this blog post, my mind wants to wander and do something else. I am being very intentional with writing this blog post and “getting it done.” I feel that when you get something start, GET IT DONE!! This idea of closure is resonating with me. It’s like that big homework assignment that needs to get done… I procrastinate (or put it in the “to do” pile)… and then something else is added to the pile. It becomes a burden. It feels like extra weight that needs to unloaded. I need my FREEDOM and have the FLEXIBILITY to do what I want. I have got the “get started” idea going… I have got the “your ideas are worth it” going… and I have many, many things on the go that need to get done!! And, there is no good or bad… just things that need CLOSURE. This feels great!! And, I feel that this alignment will help me in 2025. Look at that… I’m at the end of my blog post. Tah dah!! It’s done!! Brilliant. Closure.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, February 09th, 2025 | Comments Off on Still Pondering
