Photo: Pixabay
One of the biggest challenges with research is the distractions. My situation is likely no different than any other researcher. You have a giant field of interest. You have beaten yourself into narrowing your focus in order to make your work something that can be completed within your lifetime. And then you find yet another interesting thread of study that is valuable, but not absolutely specific to your research question. It’s almost like a puppy. You can’t not pick it up and spend some time with it, and then it’s an hour later and you haven’t found the information you actually needed to find. I believe the dives into these rabbit holes enrich your work ultimately, but it’s really hard not to let them take you astray. My research question is:
How might we seed a meaningful shift in Canadians’ perceptions of people who are homeless?
Today, while driving, I was probably a bit too lost in my thoughts about homelessness and what I perceive may be a sense of hopelessness in not having a safe, consistent housing situation and having people look at you as if you are less than human. Added to my reverie was the thick mist pouring down around the car as it and others around me churned up rooster tails of water that splashed on the cars around them. It seemed so cold and bleak, a dystopia of homelessness in grey. The combination of the weather and my thoughts were not only discouraging but made me question everything I was doing with my life. Fortunately, I’m old enough to know that devil on my shoulder and shook it off. I’ve worked many hours today, lost in my computer, writing, searching and thinking. Time to take a break.
ChangeCatalyst 