Hi VioletAyame,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful reply. I really appreciate your taking the time to give me suggestions. Mainly it's just that I don't feel like I have good ideas after I read a particular text so sometimes I just really doubt myself as I try to work on my dissertation. I am lucky to be in a very collegial environment though. Anyway, I tell myself to do whatever I can.
Congratulations on your acceptance and wishing you best of luck for graduate school!