January 4, 2025 – Starting a New Term

This image above is my brunch meal from new year’s eve. Ichiban with bok choy, one egg, and chilli crisp oil. It really hit the spot that day and it was a meal that I wanted to have for quite some time. So, why not? I made it. And, it was delicious and easy to make. That day, I took off, slept in, and appreciated a day SLOW. I really enjoyed New Year’s Eve. I stayed home with the cat and kept it very simple that day. I did not have to go out (and I didn’t want to). It was a good opportunity to reflect on the year and think about what I have learned.

In 2025, I have learned that “I am enough” (Brown, 2010). Looking back at life, I can see now that I spent a lot of time and effort to prove or demonstrate my worth to others. Thus, what other people think of me (and my work) matter. It some ways, other people’s opinions and perceived expectations defined me. As a result, I have great anxiety around course evaluations, blind peer reviews, and any formative feedback. I can feel my nervous system go wild, and overthinking takes over my soul and way of being. During that time, sadly, I was not myself.

As I am learning more about myself (in the last chapter of my life), I am learning how to be more my authentic self. Understanding Where do I come from? Where am I going? Why am I here? and Who am I? (Sinclair, 2024) matters. Maybe it’s mid-life unravelling for more than 15-years, but I am slowly learning and understanding what makes “Christine.” I guess this is why Palmer’s 1997 “Heart of a Teacher: Identity and Integrity in Teaching” is central to my teaching practice. Not only is knowledge of the subject matter and of the students matter to teaching, but also self-knowledge is equally important. I have been working on acquiring self-knowledge of the past 5 years or so, and I am still learning.

I was brought to today’s blog post with the intention of talking about making “reasonable goals” for 2026. I feel that the more you know yourself, the more you will know your value, which in turn lends to setting boundaries and goal making. I also approach this blog post with a tonne of things to do, but spent much of the day crafting what I wanted to say today. One of the wondrous and wonderful things about writing is… it’s a form of THINKING and reflecting. Often I write about things that are different from what I intended. I learn a lot too.

Lorna Earl (2003) would call this “Assessment AS Learning,” where students take ownership of their learning and “empowers students to become their own expert assessors, monitoring their progress, setting goals, and making adjustments to improve learning” (Google AI Overview, January 4, 2026). Blogging and critically reflecting on my day, week, or practice is a form of this assessment to help me make sense of the world and way of being and living. I am hoping that I am able to assess and reflect often to make reasonable goals.

What 2026 brings for me is an opportunity to PRACTICE… my #OneWord2026. I think that I am a recovering “people pleaser” where self-betrayal was a way of being for survival, acceptance, and perceived success. Now that I am learning how to be “Christine,” I am understanding that I don’t have to be someone else to “fit in.” Lots of this thinking stems from my childhood, my Chinese-Canadian heritage, and cultural norms that were not aligned to who I am. I will say, I have succeeded in some way. I have a doctorate, I teach at a university, and I live independently and autonomously as a homeowner, single mom, and cat mom.

To set realistic goals for 2026, I like to follow what Christopher William says on the DOAC podcast: (1) What would have to have to happen in 2026 to look back on 2026 for it to be a success? (2) If you have to pick something up, you have to put something down. What would that be? And, (3) if your life was a movie, what would the audience be screaming at you with what to do with your life? As quick responses to these questions, (1) write and submit manuscripts that I am too scared to create or send; (2) more things need to get off my plate, so once something is done, I will not add anything new to replace it; and, (3) get off your phone and be present with your life. Focus on health and practicing new habits.