As I prepare for my first round of presentation(s), I connect the actual theories of my dissertation study with reaching this ultimate finish line of achieving my doctoral degree …
Challenge the Process ~ minimizing distractions ~ I’ve kept my iPhone on “Airplane Mode” (which has helped so I could dodge notifications from text messages, news and sports while checking email and other information from my computers)
Enable Others to Act and Encourage the ♥Heart♥ ~ keeping around the support system that I endearingly call Team Dr. D, including my Double A-Team, who spread positive vibes through prayer and motivation
Flashback Friday: Acting out a skit for our doctoral program‘s first Halloween luncheon! This was a nice mid-term break from our heavy course load to have fun!
Speaking of PRACTICE, practicing indeed makes perfect in many ways:
from doing Tae Bo to lose the “Freshman 15” (8-min. workout 8x/day)
Satisfaction with Strategy, Ability Utilization plus Training and Instruction ~ taking the tactics necessary to sticking with the program: my professors emphasized our strengths plus accommodated to our audio, visual and kinesthetic learning styles
Satisfaction with Team Integration and Personal Dedication ~ I was blessed to part of a study group who collaborated well and helped out each other, plus when I felt overwhelmed with test anxiety (so I should empathize with my students who experience speech anxiety), I’d work out {Exhibits A and B} to boost and induce my confidence
Plus, I’ve considered mistakes that I’ve made that potentially could have set me back from reaching my goal
What Did NOT Work for Me?
I lost sight of my “prize” when I focused on external forces, such as a social life or romance ~ which probably would’ve been effective if I had a supportive partner
Feline Friday: Sweet Annie the Stats Cat loves her reflection so much that she surrendered to her staring contest and snoozed #SnapCat #CatNap
Reflecting on my growth through this process has made me stronger as a productive person in society, but most of all: one who gives my gifts to GOD!
I could say my faculty of professors, but they’re on my side to succeed, so I’ll have to go with myself on my level of resilience to determine whether I stay and sustain through the game: Yours Truly vs. Yours Truly
Grey’s Anatomy revolves around Dr. Meredith Grey (center), here with her ½-sister from her late mom, Dr. Ellis Grey’s side, Dr. Margaret Pierce, a.k.a. “Maggie” (to her right/viewer’s left) & sister-in-law from her late husband, Dr. Derek Shepherd, a.k.a. “McDreamy‘s” side, Dr. Amelia Shepherd (to her left/viewer’s right) after they demolished a wall ~ as my doc friend–turnedpublished author says, we “build out of bricks,” so here these 3 are, starting over from scratch. #HomeReno#DISPObustAFlow Rando Info: Doesn’t the actress who plays Maggie look like the Special K commercial chick in lumberjack (red and black) plaid on a bus? | CourtesyABC
“There’s a scientific study that shows that if you stand in superhero pose for just five minutes before a job interview or a big presentation or a really hard task, you will not only feel confident, but you will perform measurably better.
^– I most certainly must heed this as I approach my finish line! –^
Side chart note: Without McDreamy and McSteamy in the mix at Seattle Grace (now Grey-Sloan ~ bad-to-the-bone), it’s “Attending Poser” / *NEW* *HOT* Intern who I’ll chase [not really — just making time to rhyme as always all days]! #DISPObustAFlow
When my cohort members and I were admitted into our doctoral program, conscientiousness* happened to be one of the personality traits for which we tested and that we studied in our leadership theories literature. It comes from the (1b) Big Five psychometric assessment that uses the “OCEAN” acronym:
Openness (or Originality)
*Conscientiousness (or Consolidation)
Extroverion ~ I’ve also consistently tested high for this in the (2) Myers-Briggs (as an ENFJ for Extraversion • Intuition • Feeling • Judging) both when I took it as a psych minor for my undergrad and again in doc school
Agreeableness (or Accommodation)
Neuroticism (or Emotional Instability) ~ the reverse of this attribute as leaders and doc students is ideal to deal
According to the (1a) instrument provided by my doctoral degree program, someone who is conscientious is “achievement”-oriented and “self-disciplined” ~ so this implies that conscientiousness involves intentions (definitely something for which I strive).
Currently, my conscientiousness has stuck with me through school ~ as both a scholar and an educator!
If it (Quality magazine) won’t speak to me, it won’t speak to them.
~ Ms. Prescott, Editor-in-Chief
D for
Down * Dreary * Dull * Depressing * Dismal and * Deadly
Banish the Black * Burn the Blue * Bury the Beige
Think pink * Red is dead * Blue is through * Green‘s obscene * Brown’s too boo
Now I know that my advisor wasn’t trying to flatter me, but her acknowledgment meant encouragement … of the ♥heart.
I challenge you fellow servants and leaders to consider which personality traits that you have in order to enhance your strengths and improve from your weaknesses!
Oldham, J. M., & Morris, L. B. (1995). The new personality self-portrait: Why you think, work, love, and act the way you do. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
I devoted all weekend long (including today ~ and still going) on my dissertation: my Labor of ♥Love♥ … My goal is to finish writing my drafttoday and prepare my defense!
I luckily found a blank page in my stats book to jot down these blessings ~ I’m guaranteed to glance at them every single day since I study it anyway!
Here’s more stats comic relief… As I analyzed more results on the relationships between my research variables, I thought about the series of three numbers that I report in terms of body measurements.
Before this Fall term and my Birthday, I was able to travel for my recent family reunion!
☼#SundayFunDay just what I need: brief breather from my doctoral dissertation #FreshAir #AllTheGolfBallsICanHit #UnclesBackyard = #BombDotComb #BirthdayTrip2015 #RnR #ReyesReunion + #SelfieSunday “Ate” Elaine at “Auntie” Mary Jean a.k.a. “Tita” Inday! Yes, I’m older than my gorgeous aunt & about to be more w/my bday next wkend! #Countdown2theBiG #MagandaKaTalaga #SundaySelfie #WorkingOnMySwing #GoingGreen #GoingWithTheFlow #ChillaxinMellow #DISPObustAFlow🌞🌼🌻🌅⛳️ 🎓💣👑💁🏻
If you’re a passenger on the road🚙 or in the 🌌air, my tip would be to tote👜 yourself with
🎥Films (saved on your digital device or DVDs💽 if you have a portable 📻player)
👓Literature (electronic📳 or in 📇print)
🚘Travel🚗 💞workouts💓 (do with what you got or follow along videos)
Regardless of my so-called 🌴R&R, as a mad 🔭scientist🔬 I couldn’t resist bringing 💼study📖 materials!
While many may be 🚢traveling🚤 around Labor Day since the 🌼summer-to-school🍎 transition, I’m taking every single off day to work on my 💻dissertation📇 ~ which was the story of my life throughout the second 1/2 of this past 🌿summer. Now that the we’re back into the swing, I’ve resumed teaching🎓 and really need to set aside extra time exclusively for my 📜paper…
Before returning to the college🏤 for 🍁fall🍂 term, my parents flew✈️ me to visit family as my 🎈🎁💝🎂birthday🎆🎇🎊🎉trip! Despite needing a brief 🌴vacay getaway, I still reviewed👓 and revised✒️ my draft📝 every single day, whether in flight🚁 or during down time.
However, I still had plenty of entertainment🎬 on my 📱iPhone, laptop and hard copy📚 to keep me occupied while I was in the friendly skies🌐 or on my own:
I would’ve added more movies🎥 to the mix, but not all of my apps📳 are up to par. Either way, I stayed occupied when I wasn’t 😲😵asleep😴💤 or visiting with my relatives ~ my Mami Aya‘s siblings for their reunion (that was the plan, but I ended up just referring to those at bedtime and did my dissertation during the day)!
Plus, I packed👜 light💡 with only one pair of shoes👡 to match my 👗outfits!
Paired both of these OOTDs with white sandals before Labor Day! Skirts and scarves galore! 👛🎒
Fun ⌚️Times⏰ were in store ~ now I ☝🏽️aim🏀 to 🏆score!
#DISPObustAFlow 🎤
👣FYI: Happy Trip was a saying from my Lola 💐Rosa🌹 ~ my beloved maternal grandmother👵🏼
Btw, in between flights, I treated my layovers like shopping sprees and strolled the terminals like I was on a mall walk! Honest & Benefit kiosks * Dallas Cowboys store * Mini*Starbucks$ Lovers♥
With my smaller home office space during my sabbatical, I make the most of my workstation with eye candy ~ so *ASIA* adorns the side of this desk! 💺😻📷💻📇
💡Scholar⚡️ 📓Mode: revise my working document for as many as 12h/day
Shower: taking a cold one on these hot dog days of summer can energize me between my workout and study session or I’ll relax in the bath between my scholarshift and bed time to snuggle in clean sheets
🌈Pleasure🌟👓Reading: I haven’t read as much non-scholarly material as I used to love to before college & grad school, but I’ve found that a little bit helps to ease my mind & unwind lately ~ my current reads are relevant to my research in an unconventional way (stay tuned this Study Saturday)
💭Choose😴 to 💤Snooze: as a chronic insomniac, I must make a conscientious effort to hit the sack ~ while I tend to stay up late reviewing and proofing my paper, I find that I’m more effective when I work on it earlier in the day with energy!
Just like Vince Carter had discipline with the Dallas Mavericks a couple of seasons ago, I also didn’t take break days! Yes, it’s essential to have some R&R, but at this point, I’m
Once I kicked👟 my dissertation📖 work into high gear transitioning from July into August, I’ve actually resisted turning away from my work💼 after several-hours⌚️ worth of “shifts” lately!
But to prevent myself from 🍳frying⚡️ my 💡brain💭 from dozens of hours⏰ in front of my 💻computer ~ executing💥 my challenges while exercising my 💪🏽strengths:
Beachy Scene: I call this bad boy my Myrtle Beach Iced Tea (as opposed to Long Island) that calls for Arnold Palmer (tea & lemonade named for the golfer) spiked w/your spirit(s) of choice ~ mine was Midori for melon flavor and green color ~ + a cherry on top … Or to sink this ship! 🌊🌴🍹🍋🍈🍒⚓️🚢
That can be served ❄️chilled🍧 and 🍉chunky🍌
Peachy Keen: Other fruit to add to the mix (sweet if they swim in the drink while you sip): peaches * pineapple * strawberries 🍑🍍🍓🍒🍹
Flashback *Feline* Friday: My grad cat keeps me company through this cube at my desk! {Fun fotos taken when we lived in Cali then when I taught in the Valley}
Asking and answering questions ~ which also involves the powers of persuasion
Committee, Faculty and Public Defense ~ all for which I’m preparing to get into defense shape (also involved when I initially applied to my doctoral program, my final and comprehensive exams)
Crunching numbers on these 💻devices📱 with my 📔manual📙 on hand👋🏽
I now can empathize with my speech🎤 students who consider public speaking to be 😅nerve-racking, while I encourage them to step outside of their comfort zones!
Add something with which you’re comfortable into the 🔬mix so it’s an easier pill💊 to swallow!
{Just like a re-run of Tia & Tamera that I caught today when new mom Tia introduced her son to new solid food ~ he loved butternut squash while she tried to get him to warm up to peas}
Now that I’ve gotten the hang of it more after going through it in my grad classes plus one-on-one tutorials, I’m actually enjoying it on both my
laptop
and
desktop with the much larger screen!
Bearing in mind all of the above, my PhD program has been the hardest undertaking that I’ve ever experienced, and not simply because I initially anticipated stats with dread …
During my doc degree, I’ve encountered many emotional highs and lows:
Experiences
Emotions
Preparing for my final and comprehensive exams plus my statistics
Anxiety, Nervousness
Passing my final and comprehensive exams
Accomplishment, Achievement
Failing my first stats course and having to retake (never let this happen before)
Disappointment, Failure
Getting kicked out of my first study group (never gave anyone reason to want to before)
Rejection
Celebrating my luminary and candidacy convocations
Welcome/Mabuhay/¡Biénvenidos! I am a USAF brat who was born in Germany and grew up State-side while celebrating my Catholic and Filipino heritage. ☼Sunny☼ DISPOsition Elaine’s Eye Candy/DISPhotos ~ I love GOD & His creations, so I take photos @ any given opportunity. Elaine DISPOrts ~ I am passionate about sports, which is my research focus on my ... Continue reading →
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