Reflections on my change in research focus

My research focus has changed quite a bit since I presented it in January. It has changed because I have improved my thinking, but also because I realized that I had written it for others; in other words I wrote it trying to set up arguments in a smart, ‘descriptive’ manner, and attempting to incorporate what important academics have said on key subjects related to my theme. I do need to build on what others have said and done, but after thoroughly hating my proposal—because it was written in a way that doesn’t reflect who I am, and doesn’t draw on my own experience and worldviews enough, and doesn’t speak to me in general—I have redone my concept and am in the process of re-writing my proposal. Significantly, I am doing so with the goal of telling a story of which I am a part of (and I would say an intentional protagonist in) and have lived; not describing some distant reality that I have observed. Since I changed my focus it has gone much better, and I am feeling pretty good about the start of my research process next month.