Can you believe that summer is almost over? Oh man… I started to write this blog yesterday on the 16th, but here we are on August 17th. I just needed the time to be a person… to rest… and to recalibrate. So… HELLO MONDAY!! I got up early, had breakfast, and finished one task for my course in the fall. Feels great!! I did my physio exercise as my mid-morning break, and now I’m back to my laptop to complete my weekly blog and reflection. Although the intention of this blog post is not about how fast summer is passing me by, I am somewhat alarmed by the idea that summer is passing me by. I had lots of intentions for “my last” (albeit my second) non-teaching term during my time in academia… so that I can get my writing done, I should never underestimate how long it takes to do things, and how easy it is to feel overworked or overwhelmed to realize how much rest plays a role with productivity along with productivity itself. I love to rest!!
Sadly, I’m not the best at resting… but I know that rest plays a role in how I approach my work. I am no longer driven by the hustle, and I love to do work, much like blogging, because it feels good and it’s aligned to who I am and what I would like to do and achieve. I am also cognizant about burnout and not losing myself in the work at the expense of me. That said, I also have to make sure that I don’t take too much on so that I can find a balance between work, play, and rest. Another aspect of my life is my physical well being along with my spiritual and mental wellness. I need to take care of myself. When I was in the hustle, I totally neglected and betrayed myself to get “the job done.” In hindsight, it feels horrible, but also my body over time has taken on the brunt of this neglect. Now, I am at age where everything now is unravelling… and needs addressing.
Over the last handful of months, I’ve been in physio. At one time, I thought my hip bipped out of place after a fall on the ice in February and Thai massage in April. Oh no… it’s a problem that had be accruing over time… a long time, I suspect… and it’s taking a long time to get my hip back. I appreciate the physiotherapy and thank goodness for experts in the field, but it’s taking a lot of time to get myself back. I have daily exercises to do… and then I participated in a pre-diabetes study to learn about what I need to do to get my body back. Damn. I am so far away from where I want/need to be. What I have learned from the physiotherapist and coach at the gym… make small doable goals, be consistent, and take small steps… be patient and persistent. OMG. Habits are so hard to change, but it’s something that needs to be done. I spent many years working on my mental and spiritual health and wellness… now it’s time focus on my physical health.
As you can see in the image above, I’m trying to focus on portion control and a balanced diet. Sadly, it’s my leftovers from the BCNE (northern exhibition) in Prince George. I ate some at the fair, I brought the leftovers home, and there is still another portion in the fridge. I am definitely noticing the “seniors” portioning of my food. I say that, but I am also cognizant of what I am eating and how much I am eating. I am not on a “diet” per se, but I am focused on what I need and my overall nutrition, keeping in mind of being pre-diabetic. Anyway, I am very aware that I don’t need a lot of food and I can still eat what I want to eat… within reason, of course. Anyway, we are not at the the crux of this blog post… being a senior. At the BCNE, I did not go out of my way to see that the ages were for the seniors rate. Although I am close, normally the senior age is out of my reach. When buying my entrance fee to the fair for my and my kid, the vendor asked if it was for two adults. I said yes. My kid go offended that she asked. “Don’t I look like I’m over 18?” I said, “Yes, you do… but I think she was asking to see if I was a senior.” As it turned out… I could have got the senior’s rate at HALF THE PRICE. And for seniors day, one-fifth of the price. UGH. I could not get over it. Money lost. Dang. Next time, I will look.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, August 17th, 2026 | No Comments »
August 1, 2026 – The metaphor is ironic and iconic
I can write about this now because the eggs have hatched and the three baby birds and their momma have left the nest. Soon after, I went to the car dealership and asked the service department to remove the nest. It was situated between the front grate and radiator. Once removed, I am now hiding my car in my garage. My kid has moved out of my townhouse and bought her own town house one building away from mine. So, we are still living in the same strata, but she has her own place. I am so proud of her. She made executive decisions to get her to this point in her life. It’s not to say that she had this exact plan, but she has always been independent and she knows what she wants.
Anyway, as for the momma bird and her babies, I pretty much spent the last four weeks NOT driving my car, thus bumming rides from my kid, borrowing her car, or just staying home. I had mixed feelings about the momma bird. On the one hand, I wanted to “punch her in the face” for disabling my use of my car. On the other hand, I wanted her and her babies to thrive. She choose an excellent location to make her next and have her babies. It’s covered, it’s temperature regulated, and it’s safe from any predators (like myself). She was a smart momma bird and worked very hard to create a comfy place for her babies to rest and grow before leaving the nest. Much like my kid, they have left the nest.
Of course, I had to get the nest removed and find ways for the momma bird (or her babies) to return to my car as a familiar place to build a nest. The kid had to move from my place, so I was 10% anticipating to clean up the garage on moving day so that I could park my car in there. The timing was perfect. My car appointment was on the same day as moving day. I was so grateful for the service department for removing the nest, but also to my kid’s friends who helped move her stuff from my place to her place. They were the “Triple A’s” on the first day, and “Triple A and J” on the second day. The A’s and J were the first initial of their names. They were so efficient and they had fun moving too.
Back and forth they went with their SUV’s. Some items, like the dresser and dining room table, they just carried it to her place. That’s how close she is. LOL. As they moved her stuff out, I took the time to clean up what was left in my place, and my kid was unpacking her stuff at her place. It was a crazy 24-hours, but much like the baby birds, all of sudden, all of her stuff (well, most) was gone and out of my house. OMG. It was my time to move into my house. So weird. The cleaning was horrendous, and then building a few shelves were enduring. I am so physically tired, but I love how now all of MY stuff is spread throughout my place… like it fits. Her bedroom became my office, and I love it.
Writing this blog post is the first “real work” that I have done in my office. Now, I don’t have to go downstairs to take a Zoom call, or work in my bedroom (and sometimes on my bed). I have clear boundaries now in my place for sleep, work, and rest/eating. I love that. I made the move into my house a “spring cleaning” opportunity. My placed needed it. My cat was somewhat bewildered by all of the mess and changes within the home, but I think she has adapted. I love that I have my own place, and I am happy that my kid has her own place too. She is truly out of the nest… with graduation, a new job, and now her own place. Much like the momma bird, I prepped my kid to leave the nest. Woohoo!!
My kid loves her place and I am loving my place too. She did mention that this is the FIRST time that I have lived alone. I had to really think about that. There was one year when I lived in a studio apartment at UBC on campus… but in hindsight, that was a mess. I will make no comment about the details of it except to say that I am going to enjoy living alone and having my independence. I love the silence. I love the view outside my office window. I love sleeping in the middle of my bed wrapped around my cat (who is lying dead-centre of the bed). And, I love my work, my kid, and my friends. This place has served me well in many ways. I cannot complain. I have a lot to be grateful for.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, August 01st, 2026 | Comments Off on Shifting Gears
Oh my goodness… I have so much gratitude. I start this blog reflection, sitting at my desk at home, on a sunny day, and the warm breeze seeps through my window onto my face. Can it get any better than this? I also love that I choose to maintain a reflective practice via blogging and my portfolio. Often, I would refer back to my websites to see what I have done to update my CV, but also track my thinking and ways of being as I move forward in this pedagogical journey I am on. I am learning so much, and I am grateful for the mentors, friends, and family along the way who have been part of this journey, and I am excited for new people who I will meet along this path. Admittedly, the journey has some dips, some rough patches, and well… FAILURES… of which you learn and grow from. There are also successes, wins, and JOY!! Thank goodness. đŸ™‚
Of course, I had to add an image of my updated Bitmoji to this blog post. I took the time to revise my digital image for the fall term, but also, I got my hair cut, I’m wearing Crocs, and the outfit includes a hoodie. Can this get any closer to who I really am in cartoon form (without using gen AI). I updated my Bitmoji while my kid was at a meeting and I’m sitting in the waiting room. Fun, right? Anyway, I love that these images, like Bitmoji, are more reflective of who I am and how I feel. This journey of self-discovery or self-actualization has been a long one, and I am feeling much more comfortable of who I am and what I have to offer to the world. It feels great, and somewhat rewarding to move through the world as who I am, and not what I think that people want me to be. This pedagogical journey started in 2010 when my world literally took a left turn. Ever since, I’ve been peeling back the layers of who I am or who I thought I should be to discover who I really am, what I love to do, and why it’s important to me. I am feeling grounded.
“You don’t know what you don’t know… until you know.”
I said this statement above at a recent meeting in context to mentoring, asking questions, and feeling informed. How can one navigate a new way of being, a new place, or a new orientation when you don’t know what you don’t know, and thus know what or whom to ask. I have also learned recently, and in a hard way, the only person who cares about your life or career is YOU, so don’t depend on others to get to where you want to be. It’s all up to you. Finally, at at doctoral oral defence, one of the committee members read part of a poem that spoke about the unknown, knowledge, and the journey. Basically, you can run to the edge of the pier to realize that there is a large body of water still in front of you. The poem passage was a lot more eloquent, but the imagery of that was definitely impressionable. I love that though. Looking back, being the youngest of three, I was always taken care of. Now, I feel very grateful for that. However, I did forage forward in FEAR… fear of the unknown… fear of failure… fear of success… fear of not belonging. The last one is a doozy, so I navigated through life doing what I thought others thought I should do and disregarded my wants, needs, and intuition. I did not belong to me.
But, now I know. You’re not going to know what’s out there, but you have to try and find what works best for you. Rejection is only feedback to say… hey, not this way. I’m good with that. For a long time, I tried to compromise and cater who I am so that I could be accepted by others. Let me tell you… that’s not sustainable. What’s sustainable is being ok with yourself, accepting yourself, and belonging to yourself. Do good work, do what you love, and love what you do. Although I did not think I would ever do what I get to do, I am doing what I want to do… and this is only the beginning. Understanding this limitless and unforeseen opportunities make me hopeful and optimistic. I am worthy. I have value. And, I love what I do. That’s all that matters. I often wonder about the paths we take, the decisions we make, and what we learn from these experiences. My friend calls it karma. It’s hard to believe that I am making decision as I blog and it will impact what will happen to me in the future. That kind of freaks me out, but on the other hand, if I am aligned and authentic, all should be good. Now, I am in a solid place of HAPPY. I am slowly but surely working on my physical self and enjoying the process, but mentally and spiritually, I am on track. My mantra has been of late is… “one step at a time.”
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, July 17th, 2026 | Comments Off on Feeling Joyful about the Work
Wow. My head was down for a few weeks… and it’s been a hot minute since I have blogged and engaged in reflection. It’s been a hot minute and when everything happens, it seems to happen all at once. I had to make a deliberate decision to take a rest this weekend. Even returning to the blog took some intentionality. I started this blog on Friday, thought I would write this blog on Saturday, and here we are on at 4pm on a Sunday afternoon getting to this reflection. One of my criteria for blogging is feeling good about blogging. Right now is the right time. I love listening to and watching Chef’s Table on Netflix and slowly but surely, I’m grounding myself in preparation for next week.
Gosh. Where to start. So much has happened since my last blog post on June 19,2026. I almost feel that I might have a list of things that I’ve done, but overall, what’s been working in my favour is FINDING THE JOY IN THE EVERYDAY. Things that happened in the last month: (1) completing a contract with another institution and doing the best I can despite the circumstances; (2) rewriting a chapter submission, of which totally took a left turn and “rigour” was had; (3) presented at an international network session and made a few new contacts; (4) organized and facilitated the School of Education Retreat; (5) attended a conference on deeper learning and (re)connected with many likeminded folks; (6) reviewed a dissertation as an external examiner and provided formative feedback; (7) reviewed a master’s thesis as committee member and pleased with its transformation; and (8) collaborating with a former colleague to co-write a chapter.
I’ve been working on some other projects… one I am leading, one I am a member of, and anther of which a play more of a supportive role. Other things on the personal side includes participating the Relay for Life (that my daughter was one of the directors co-leading the event), going to physio to work on my hip, and being a part of a study focused on pre-diabetes. Oh… and my kid will make me an empty-nester soon, so there is a tonne of stuff there related to supporting her but transitioning to be living on my own (as an empty nester). It’s a big deal. Some highlights over the last month: (1) meeting a professor from Oxford University who was super supportive of a project I am leading; (2) meeting some incredible students who modelled and taught me more about student agency; and (3) my friend driving me up and down to a conference and we went to the taco stand in Cache Creek where I found my people, place, and food. All good things.
One lesson that one person who has been always a teacher or guide for me… over the last years in Prince George… and he has taught me a valuable lesson about the myths or false narratives that are not true, they are lies that we create in our minds, and they do not serve me. It happened THAT DAY when we had talked. I was humiliated and humbled at the same time… all my doing… but damn, it was/is a lesson I needed to learn. I was shocked by the lesson. Cognitively, it made sense, but when you catch yourself doing it, you have to call a spade, a spade. I could not believe how often I do it and how it’s so important to be authentic and true to oneself, so that you can live in the energy and integrity that you are meant to live in. This way of being takes lots of trust, vulnerability, and humility. Oh man… I am learning. What I am learning is, you have to do what makes you happy and brings you joy. Be true to yourself, be kind, and love life as it comes.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, July 12th, 2026 | Comments Off on Finding Joy in the Everyday
I remember that it took me a year to tell people I was a doctoral candidate (which meant passing the comprehensive exams), many years to complete my dissertation (because I kept spiralling in the research problem without making much progress until I quit my job, became a school trustee, and realized that my job as a doctoral student and researcher was to answer the research question.). Once all the pieces seemed to make sense (as I struggled with my identity, my value within the profession, and what to do next in my professional career), I completed my research. At that time, I was a sessional instructor (commuting from the Sunshine Coast), I was a two-term school trustee, and my mom was dying (I needed to take care of her).
What can I say? Life was turbulent to say the least, and my sense of self was at an all time low. It’s hard to hear things like, “hey, do you want to publish your dissertation?” from your supervisor. I had no idea what he was talking about. He offered to help and to be a co-author (many, many years ago), and I said, “sure.” I had no clue what this meant or involved. He took the time to reduce my dissertation down to a word-count less than 10,000. He managed to do it, and added his flair to the manuscript to to bring some of the ideas together in its condensed form. Now what? It did take some time to get the manuscript completed, but once it was in my hands to review and submit, I was lost again. What was I suppose to do with this document? Where does it go? Academia is very much what my dissertation was about… being out-of-field, learning-by-doing, and experiential learning. I did submit it to one place, but the editor quickly returned the manuscript to me saying that they did not like the convenience sampling approach and that it needed a literature review. I can say that now, but what I internalized then was, this work is garbage and you can’t read or write. Sounds extreme, I know, but that was the headspace I was in. It was not good, so formative feedback was difficult to receive.
Time lapsed. I could not fathom submitting this work to another journal. First, it was a long manuscript. Most journals accept 5000-7000 words. I’ve attempted to shorten the manuscript and edit it, but I could never get passed the first page. I was so devastated by the editor’s reply that I could not even think about subjecting my work to anyone, despite the blood, sweat, and tears incurred by both myself and my supervisor. I did not have the strength, confidence, or heart to do it. I just wanted to keep the work to myself. So, what did I do? Pursued academia and engage in studies that had NOTHING to do with my doctoral research. OMG. At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do. I loved returning back to teaching, and I love learning about research. I am really enjoying working with others on some research projects, and I am getting some publications out that are aligned to teaching and learning. Lots of what I am doing at the university through teaching, research, and service are related to what I love, but none of it is directly correlated to my doctoral research. CRAZY. Until one day, I went back to that manuscript and realized that my supervisor referred to the literature review in the discussion as a strategy to reduce words, and my student did engage in a form of convenience sampling.
HELLO? I’m not a bad person.
Other life events have happened since then, like ending my marriage, moving to a new place, becoming a full-time single parent, navigating the academia world (and not really doing a good job at it), buy a new place, a new car, a new way of being. Why not through a pandemic in there as well as a strike (that was a turbulent year). The brighter side, my kid just graduated from university and working a full-time job, I am a cat-mom, and I love teaching and learning about math and math education. Ah yes… back to my OG love. I get super stoked attending professional development sessions about math education, and I have opportunities to put my doctoral work into practice. I’m not sure if this is serendipity or that I was always meant to. It’s been an incredible journey to get to where I am today, and YES… I submitted that manuscript to a different journal, that accepted up to 10,000 words, and I feel 1000-times better about this work and realizing that the research is still relevant. I want to do a replication study. This work is interesting to me, and I feel like I’m coming home… in a good way… and it feels GREAT. I have overcome my fears. And, even though I have another chapter, and another chapter to write (with timelines), I needed to take today to submit that manuscript, regardless of outcome.
I feel good. I am not hung up on the outcome, or the feedback. Everything is formative, and I really understand that. It’s taken many learning experiences to get to where I am with this mindset. Not only did coach teacher candidates this understanding in their upcoming and recent publication as a conference proceeding, but also to graduate students I am mentoring and supporting in other ways and roles. But now, I get it. I really understand who I am, my doctoral work, and MY WHY (of which I wrote in my last blog post). This ALIGNMENT has been something that I have always been striving for, and now I see it, I can feel it, and I know it. I feel that the floodgate has opened and now the water can rush through. I want to use the metaphor of a salmon swimming up stream, but my arrival is not my death, but rather the opportunity to lay eggs and spawn birth to new ideas and possibilities. I had to write this blog post soon after I sent my manuscript, co-authored with my supervisor. I know that we are colleagues, but he will always be my supervisor. For that, I am very appreciative. Onwards and upwards… to the next chapter!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, June 19th, 2026 | Comments Off on Overcoming My Fears
June 18, 2026 – Trying to Catch Up on My Reflections
There was one thing that I loved so much when I was teaching in K-12… many decades ago… it was PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. I loved going to different conferences, I loved learning new things and ideas, and I loved being the Professional Development Representative for our school. And now, I love presenting at conferences, I love attending conferences, and I love connecting and reconnecting with people at these conferences. I just LOVE conferences and professional learning. There is no surprise that my dissertation centred around professional learning, as well did my major papers during my masters program as well. I never thought that I was a “good learner,” but rather, now that I’m thinking about it, I was “not a good student.” Wait a minute, let me unpack that…
I love chatting with my brother and sister who both reminisce about high school and how both of them went to the Mayor’s Lunch. I had no idea that they went to the “Mayor’s Lunch.” I was very aware that my twin-bro won lots of awards, at least a contender for many of them when we were in high school. I’d consider him to be one of the top three students in my graduating class. I knew that my sister loved high school (but she also likes going to the dentist too). Anyway, they were so good at school, that they got to go eat lunch with the mayor. I never done that, nor knew that was even a thing until I was in my 50’s. That is so sad, but also, not surprising. Why would I know about the mayor’s lunch. I think I was above average, at best. I was a solid “B+” student in high school.
I did not find school particularly easy, or interesting. In hindsight, I should have stayed in my typing class, continued with band, and maybe follow through on the Calculus 12 course. I think if I had stayed in all three courses, I could have been on a different trajectory. I did stay focussed on curling, and committed to the sport until the end of grade 12 when my team won the Alcan High School Provincials, and runner-up in the BC Provincials. That was a pretty good year. Reading and writing were not my strength, and as you can see, I kept on pursuing things that I was not very good at… for some strange reason. And, I stepped away from things that I thought I was not good at, caved into my ego’s needs, and quit. Hmm… this finding is very insightful. How can I stay the course?
I’m still overwhelmed with some other work that needs to get done in the meantime and the house is mess. Right in the middle of composing the blog post, I had to take a pause and clean the hallway, of which my daughter consumes, do her laundry because I have to for my own peace of mind, and vacuum the floors that needed it months ago. Ahhh… just those little things (aka., huge tasks) frees my mind to really enjoy things like writing and professional development. I loved how I heard on one podcast where the guest said, RESEARCH IS ME-SEARCH. I think I heard that before, but it reminded me that this work that I am doing is also about self-discovery and understanding. One co-author I am working with reminded me that I LOVE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. She ain’t wrong.
Strangely, I never considered myself curious, but lately, folks around me are describing me in that way. Huh. I guess I am. You know that I am in the midst of turning a page onto a new chapter because I do feel a level of liberation. I’m not sure if it’s because my daughter has graduated from university and is now working as a full-time nurse, or that I’m engaged in physio and paying more attention to my physical self, or if it’s because I said no to applying for promotion because I know that I am not ready yet. All of these acts are powerful and also play a role in my professional learning. Self-knowledge, according to Parker Palmer, is an important component to good teaching along with knowledge of the subject matter and knowledge of the learners in the classroom.
I had such a good time at the University of Winnipeg at CSSE (Canadian Society for the Study of Education) Conference 2026 . I presented twice for CATE (Canadian Association for Teacher Education), and I was the Program Manager for CAARE (Canadian Association for Action Research in Education). It was a good balance between presenting, connecting, and organizing. I had a tonne of fun in Winnipeg. I was so glad that I went there a few months ago for WestCAST 2026 with a few teacher candidates. We really explored the city then. This time, I was focused on the conference, being with good people, and enjoying my time learning from others. I did walk away from the conference feeling like ACTION RESEARCH is m JAM. That’s exciting too. I can’t wait for the next conference.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, June 18th, 2026 | Comments Off on I Love Conferencing
I started this blog post at the start of my day… and now, it’s the end of the day. Classic. I got motivated, then distracted. I say that, but there are so many things on the go, everything seems like they have to be done at once. Ironically, multitasking is a myth and today is Saturday. It’s “be a person day.” So, I can move along my day without any guilt. What will happen, will happen. If anything, I am so grateful that I got my recycling done today. Recycling has become a ritual on Saturdays. I live in a townhouse complex where we don’t get garbage pick up, or recycling. Honestly, I don’t mind. I took out the garbage when I needed to when I lived at the apartment, and had to go to the recycling depot then. And now, I’m still doing the same thing. I don’t mind. I kind of like it. Maybe it’s the routine. Maybe it’s the sorting. If anything, I feel a lot of satisfaction when my recycling bins are empty. I am also feeling a lot of joy sitting at my office desk in my bedroom that looks out the window. I love that it’s 10pm and there is still some light outside… almost like the sunset… lingering. It’s just beautiful. There are some clouds, some blue sky, and hints of orange too. It makes me so grateful to be where I am… and to be alive.
Wow. This blog post is taking an existential direction. I am filled with a lot of joy and gratitude. My kid is graduating from the School of Nursing with her BSN next week. Next week, she is also turning 23-years old. DAMN. Where does the time go? She’s a grown adult, and I am so grateful that we spent the last 5-years together in Prince George being roomies. I know that I’m her mom, but I feel that we had the opportunity to grow up together, be together, and support one another. I feel very lucky that I got to be with her during these formative years. She has accomplished so much, and by living together, I can support her with living expenses, schooling, and anything else she needs. I feel so fortunate that I could have supported her in this way. Otherwise, I don’t think we could have had the quality of life we had if she had lived and went to school somewhere else. Honestly, I am filled with gratitude. I mean hey, the photo above is a picture of guacamole from Earls. I needed to slow down my work week and end it with a good meal. With one text and invite, we are having dinner together. I love that. It’s a chance to connect with her, but also to wind down with her, a yummy dinner, and ice cream.
It’s been a busy week, much like the last few weeks, and I was reminded the other day when folks were coming over for a work meeting and dinner, that my mom would often say to me, “you always have to learn the hard way.” I get what she means. I am an experiential learner. I just can’t use common sense or reason to understand something about myself, others, or the environment… I have to experience it… maybe a few times over, before I really get something. Moreover, I am the worst risk-taker. I thought I was a risk-taker, or at least I wanted to be one, but really, my steps forward are tentative at best, and I am better walking forward with someone than alone. That’s something good to know and learn about myself, but damn, it can be very frustrating too. I can get caught in my own mind, overthink, and do nothing. That’s not fun. I had another aha this week when thinking about the fall and planning my courses. I was thinking about who could guest speak in my class, and the flow of the course. I realized that I choose the person or persons. The people I want to work with me and in my classroom are folks I have a relationship with, of whom I have a high regard for, and who are aligned to my thinking.
Whoa… can you believe it? I AM RELATIONAL. My leadership style is relational, transformative, and service-oriented. I don’t know why this is a surprise to me… but it is. However, if I look at my actions and think about what brings me joy in my work and personal life, that pretty much sums it up. I love service, I love people, and I love seeking or challenging people to take action. So, of course, I’m going to ask my kid to go out for dinner on a Friday night after a long day and week of work. Of course, I am going to order the food I love that makes me happy. And of course, we are going to end a yummy dinner by going to the local ice cream shop by the bowling alley to buy some “made in BC” ice cream from a young guy and support this local business. The ice cream is really good, and my kid likes it. Why not? We then went to Shopper Drug Mart to maximize on the points, then go home to rest and be with my cat. I can’t ask for anything more. What I do know is, my joy is in doing, trying things out, and making mistakes… but with people I trust and respect. I’ve been information gathering, wondering what my next steps might be. What I have realized, I am doing exactly what I need to be doing. Now that’s joy.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, May 23rd, 2026 | Comments Off on Finding My Joy in Doing
I cannot believe that it’s already been a week since I was in Toronto visiting with relatives on my mom’s side of the family. It was my aunt’s 80th birthday and with sheer grit and will power, my aunt and planning committee of cousins (that included my twin bro) organized a weekend event in Toronto. One of the highlights of the reunion was my nephew’s camera. It was pretty cool what kind of photos it could take, so here are a couple of them with a few members of my family. This first photo of us in a circle was taken at the University of Toronto visit a memorial bench that honours the memory of my grandmother and grand father. The second photo below is all of us who went to the reunion visiting and paying respect to my grandparents at the cemetery. My grandparents from my dad’s side are also buried near by, so we went there as a little family to pay our respects as well. I was so heartened that many of my aunts and uncles from my mom’s side also came over to pay their respects. What I did not realize is that our families were connected because of my parent’s marriage and one of my aunts on my mom’s side went to school with my uncle on my dad’s side, and she also knew another one of my aunts as well. That was so cool to learn. What was even more exciting was reconnecting and connecting with cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. Many of them I did not see since my mother had passed away in 2018. Most I have not seen in decades. While others were brand new to me, and I was meeting them for the first time. There is something magical about families. Because you are family, you are just going to connect and get to know each other. It was a wonderful 3-days. Lots of memories.
The Chik-family reunion started with a get-to-know you session at my aunt’s condo in the multipurpose room. We wore name tags, there were games, food testing, gift exchange, slideshow, and food to eat. Although I was admittedly apprehensive of a 4.5-hour event, the time flew by. The event ended with my artist-aunt sharing a big image of a tree blossoming to my birthday-aunt, and there were smaller prints that were framed for each of us to take home. What a present!! In the image is a stamp with our Chinese name, and the image is titled, “To plant. To grow. To blossom.” So beautiful… I am looking at it on my window sill (a temporary location) as I write this blog post. Later that night, we went to the Pearl Restaurant, which is close to my birthday-aunt’s place. We had a 10-course Chinese meal. It was absolutely delicious. It’s be awhile since I had peking duck and a full formal Chinese dinner. We had 3 large round tables for our group, and a gorgeous view of Lake Ontario. The next day, we went to the cemetery in the morning, my little Ho-family went back to city centre to have Shake Shack for lunch, and then we all reunited at the CN Tower for dinner. Wow!! What an amazing experience. Very memorable. Beautiful views of the city. And, it was stormy that day… so depending on where the storm was or direction we were facing, sometimes we had sun, clouds, and everything in between. After dinner, we went to the observation deck as well. The CN Tower is a MUST DO in Toronto. Finally, on day 3, we concluded with dim sum and professional photos at the Pearl again. Another AMAZING meal!! Many flew out that day after dim sum. We also got a CN Tower glow-in-the-dark coin and personalized travel tags with our Chik-name on it.
The Chik-family reunion was amazing and I am so grateful that we had this moment to connect and reconnect. In lots of ways, we have not changed. One of my aunts said that I am still the same. Hmm… disturbing, yet reassuring. Thank you to the organizing team and my cousins, birthday-aunt, nephews, and everyone who came to Toronto to make this event possible. My heart is full, and I was so grateful to spend time with my little Ho-family as well. My kid and her boyfriend took me out for Mother’s Day dinner on our final night in Toronto. Miku would have been fabulous, but they were completely booked. Instead, we had Italian food, and the meatballs were delicious. I also want to say a big thank you for my roomie for the 4 days… my big sis… and to my twin bro for all of the points he collects from the Marriott and Air Canada that heavily subsidized the hotel and flights to Toronto. For some reason, all the parts fit, and I could briefly step away from my work and enjoy the company of my family. I had so much fun. Kudos to the Chik-family!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, May 16th, 2026 | Comments Off on Family and Feeling Grateful
It took me some time to condition myself to NOT work 7-days a week and around the clock and reprogram myself to take Saturdays as “be a person day” and to go to bed at a reasonable hour. It helped to have an almost burnout situation almost two-years ago and adopting a cat when I moved into my townhouse. Yesterday was a pleasant reminder that “be a person day” is so essential for me to REST and recalibrate for the upcoming work week. I’ll admit, it took some time to get myself to NOT work, guilt-free on Saturdays, but also setting and creating boundaries so that it does not bleed into other days of the week. Because I am not working everyday of the week, and around the clock, I have to be mindful of what I can and cannot do, make the most of each work day, and self-care is not selfish. Yesterday, the kid and I end the day with ice cream at Ice Cream Express. It’s a seasonal, small business run by one ‘very active’ young man. We both got a kid-sized ice cream, and it was HUGE. The one-scoop and two-scoop options are equally generous. I got burgundy cherry, and it was delicious. I just needed to slow down I was so wound up over the weeks with still a tonne to do, the messiness of changing one’s habits is a given so forgiveness is also part of the process. It’s Sunday morning and I feel good. I feel renewed. During the week, I was putting myself aside because I’ve been overwhelmed or overworked. I can’t do that anymore. I’m important. This self-love has been incredibly challenging to achieve, but in doing so, I can make better choices for myself and my work. I’m not getting any younger, and I am realizing that life, my wellness, and my health cannot be taken for granted. I feel that I need to take hold of my life… almost for the first time. I feel more rested and empowered. YAY!!
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, May 03rd, 2026 | Comments Off on Be a Person Day
In this photo, my kid and I went to get pho. She had soup, and I had this prawn and roll platter. It was absolutely delicious and a huge portion. This meal has held me for 3 meals. I enjoyed every bite, and thank goodness for air fryers. What was life like before the air fryer. This appliance is the MOST used appliance in my household next to the coffee machine. Another thing I love… COFFEE. We have a Keurig and a Nespresso. I love both of those appliances as well. Expresso or a drip coffee in one cup… it can’t get any better. Yes… there are a few things I love. They do lean onto the food spectrum, hence the many food pics. I just enjoy the food, the experience, and the memories. I feel so loved and joyful when I am engaged in eating or drinking something I love and often times, the company I keep. I am so grateful for the food, the love, and the people. I am very lucky.
I think as a child, I feel that food was a privilege. We did not have a lot of food and I was given food that I was given. My parents worked very hard to put food on the table. My mom made the most of the dollar to maximize the food in our house. I don’t know how she did it. I have very negative memories about food. The fridge was almost empty, my mom bought “x” bread (aka., day old bread), and my made many stir fry dinners with meat she cut off a chicken leg (aka., the cheapest cut). My dad worked at the pulp mill, underemployed, and worried about being laid off from month-to-month. My mom worked at the cannery and pulp mill cafeteria at one time and worked around the clock, then in the food industry as a coffee shop owner, caterer, and delicatessen worker. I often think about how many sandwiches my mom had to make to ensure that my siblings and I are educated, working in places where we thrive, and living “the good life” in Canada.
This blog post is the fourth time I have with this title. It does not surprise me. I’ve been feeling kind of low lately and have been resistant to complete some of work I need to do because I am not in the right headspace. I feel that I am finally seeing myself through this heavy space but still have a tonne of stuff to do. I will get it done today. I have no choice. What I am learning is, to feel the feels before proceeding. I don’t want to react, and I don’t want to numb myself and plough through the work without feelings. I just recently did the Myers-Briggs test lately. I was talking about it with my sister. She is INTP. My kid is ISFJ. I used to be ESTJ when I was first introduced to this preference test, but now with a new life, a new way of being, and therapy… LOL… I am now an ENFP, the campaigner. I am enthusiastic, creative, and idealistic. When I read this description, I feel like it’s telling my story (when before I was doing what I thought I should do).
Why does this matter? It’s so important to be who you are and celebrate it. Everyone has strengths, and everyone has stretches too. For many years, I was trying to be someone who I was not to “fit in” and often compromised who I was to “belong.” BAD MOVE. I lost myself in doing that. The people-pleasing, the self-betrayal, and the hurt that equated to numbing was HELL. I won’t do that anymore. The person I belong to is ME. I am so grateful for Brene Brown’s work, but also the work of my therapist, and now, the work of my physiotherapist. Be yourself. Love yourself. And, ask for help, if you needed it. Ah yes, vulnerability, acceptance, and love. These virtues are so essential to our ability to experience joy, happiness, and doing what you love. I am not motivated by money, but rather I am motivated in helping (or lifting) others to be their best selves. I love listening to other people’s jam. I love slowing down and savouring in the joy.
Written by Christine Ho Younghusband, April 26th, 2026 | Comments Off on Do what you love
Oh my goodness… I have so much gratitude. I start this blog reflection, sitting at my desk at home, on a sunny day, and the warm breeze seeps through my window onto my face. Can it get any better than this? I also love that I choose to maintain a reflective practice via blogging and my portfolio. Often, I would refer back to my websites to see what I have done to update my CV, but also track my thinking and ways of being as I move forward in this pedagogical journey I am on. I am learning so much, and I am grateful for the mentors, friends, and family along the way who have been part of this journey, and I am excited for new people who I will meet along this path. Admittedly, the journey has some dips, some rough patches, and well… FAILURES… of which you learn and grow from. There are also successes, wins, and JOY!! Thank goodness. đŸ™‚
I will say, imposter syndrome is REAL. Understanding my worth is CHALLENGING. And, being ok with rejection is NORMAL. Wow. It has taken me a load of time to figure this out, but I guess that is the journey. I am sitting here on a Friday night, looking out my window and watching a thunder and lightning storm. The metaphor did not escape me. Big changes are a happening, and it’s taken me a long time to accept who I am, love who I am, and love the work that I do. I guess I am going to cite BrenĂ© Brown again to say that “I am enough.” I do remember the words of my supervisor saying, “we don’t give out doctorates to anybody… you’ve earned it.” (PS. may not be the exact words, but it’s close).
I cannot believe that it’s already been a week since I was in Toronto visiting with relatives on my mom’s side of the family. It was my aunt’s 80th birthday and with sheer grit and will power, my aunt and planning committee of cousins (that included my twin bro) organized a weekend event in Toronto. One of the highlights of the reunion was my nephew’s camera. It was pretty cool what kind of photos it could take, so here are a couple of them with a few members of my family. This first photo of us in a circle was taken at the University of Toronto visit a memorial bench that honours the memory of my grandmother and grand father. The second photo below is all of us who went to the reunion visiting and paying respect to my grandparents at the cemetery. My grandparents from my dad’s side are also buried near by, so we went there as a little family to pay our respects as well. I was so heartened that many of my aunts and uncles from my mom’s side also came over to pay their respects. What I did not realize is that our families were connected because of my parent’s marriage and one of my aunts on my mom’s side went to school with my uncle on my dad’s side, and she also knew another one of my aunts as well. That was so cool to learn. What was even more exciting was reconnecting and connecting with cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews. Many of them I did not see since my mother had passed away in 2018. Most I have not seen in decades. While others were brand new to me, and I was meeting them for the first time. There is something magical about families. Because you are family, you are just going to connect and get to know each other. It was a wonderful 3-days. Lots of memories.
It took me some time to condition myself to NOT work 7-days a week and around the clock and reprogram myself to take Saturdays as “be a person day” and to go to bed at a reasonable hour. It helped to have an almost burnout situation almost two-years ago and adopting a cat when I moved into my townhouse. Yesterday was a pleasant reminder that “be a person day” is so essential for me to REST and recalibrate for the upcoming work week. I’ll admit, it took some time to get myself to NOT work, guilt-free on Saturdays, but also setting and creating boundaries so that it does not bleed into other days of the week. Because I am not working everyday of the week, and around the clock, I have to be mindful of what I can and cannot do, make the most of each work day, and self-care is not selfish. Yesterday, the kid and I end the day with ice cream at Ice Cream Express. It’s a seasonal, small business run by one ‘very active’ young man. We both got a kid-sized ice cream, and it was HUGE. The one-scoop and two-scoop options are equally generous. I got burgundy cherry, and it was delicious. I just needed to slow down I was so wound up over the weeks with still a tonne to do, the messiness of changing one’s habits is a given so forgiveness is also part of the process. It’s Sunday morning and I feel good. I feel renewed. During the week, I was putting myself aside because I’ve been overwhelmed or overworked. I can’t do that anymore. I’m important. This self-love has been incredibly challenging to achieve, but in doing so, I can make better choices for myself and my work. I’m not getting any younger, and I am realizing that life, my wellness, and my health cannot be taken for granted. I feel that I need to take hold of my life… almost for the first time. I feel more rested and empowered. YAY!!