Execution is a wonderful thing

I'm off.

Like this bird, not off my nut.

From Pixabay

Okay, I haven't posted here in several weeks. But I have actually been working. That's saying something, after having spent a full year stuck in the mud as far as working on my qualifying paper and dissertation research and writing.

Here's a summary of what I've accomplished since my last post:

1. I've been meeting regularly with my chair, usually every two weeks. This has been very helpful, getting her feedback, having the recurring accountability, starting to make some sense out of the looming blob of the project ahead as it takes shape and I start to see my way through.
2. I've been emailing with my committee members. This, too, has been very helpful and motivating: the insights, guidance, questions, and affirmation of three professors investing into my progress. 
3. After a few weeks of re-orienting myself to my previous reading, writing, and conversations with professors and colleagues, as well as getting my bearings, I finally started mapping out my qualifying paper, which will become the beginnings of my dissertation project, and began writing about three weeks ago. 
4. I've been searching for, identifying, bookmarking, and filing new references and categorizing them according to aspects of my project: Twitter-based research papers and tools, foundational theories, mixed methods, and more specific subcategories of each.

All of this has happened amid my very busy life back and forth--across four states--of working in my two businesses and being along for the ride of my husband's work in ministry and business, traveling between mothers and children to visit and help, and barely being home once a week. Oh, and taking care of my own self! Very important! Prayer, Bible study, sleep, nutrition, enjoyment of various kinds, and trying to fit in more exercise...but I digress.

It's happening. And for that, I'm very thankful to be finally feeling myself moving forward in this global leadership research journey.