The most basic of ideas that we should strive to obtain in order to live a well-lived life is the idea of betterment. This can come in many forms, as it involves both betterment of oneself but also the betterment of others. In my time as a first year at Notre Dame, I have come closer to the understanding that in order to make myself happier, it is best done by making others happy as well. My mission statement can be summed up with the fact that in the next 3 years, I want to use my skills and talents to better the lives of others, so that I can make a positive influence on the people around me. I believe that doing these things are the best way to approach a well-lived life. 
One of the ways that I think it is important to first consider these ideas is through the lens of religion. Specifically, for me, I can connect to the idea that “The social teachings of the Catholic Church promote a society founded on justice and love, in which all persons possess inherent dignity as children of God.” (“The Spirit of Inclusion at Notre Dame” by University of Notre Dame – Moreau FYE Week 10). As a Catholic myself, it is my responsibility to further these ideas, and one of the ways of doing that is to being respectful and inclusive of others. One of the best ways to make yourself feel happy about what you are doing in life is to be helpful towards others. Feeling like you made a difference in someone’s life is one of the best ways of making yourself feel like your actions matter to others, especially when they are part of the change you can make. 
To do this, you must have a deep understanding of the desires and wants of the other side. This involves working with the other person in order to build a bond with one another. The best way of doing this is through accompaniment, which “reframes the idea that we’re working to help people “over there,” in recognition of the fact that “over there” and “here” are intertwined. The beauty of using accompaniment is in the blurring of the lines between us and them, doctor and patient, donor and recipient, expert and novice. Instead, we are partners, walking together, towards a better future.” (“Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together” by Professor Steve Reifenberg – Moreau FYE Week 9). It gives the proper idea that instead of trying to change the way of life of someone else, you want to uplift their way of life. What makes this so rewarding is that you feel like you can really, truly make a positive change in the lives of others, because you understand the other person’s needs and can appropriately respond to them. “How wonderful would it be, while we discover faraway planets, to rediscover the needs of the brothers and sisters orbiting around us.” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by His Holiness Pope Francis – Moreau FYE Week 7). It is important to not get ahead of ourselves when thinking about where we should be focusing our attention and remember that it is those around us who sometimes need the most help.
At a very basic level, something I consider very important to life is making sure everyone feels welcome. To do this, we must understand that it is something that everyone can be involved in. “Each one of us can choose to finally end hate, by ending this separation. We must do something. This is something each one of us can do.” (“Dean G. Marcus Cole: 'I am George Floyd. Except, I can breathe. And I can do something.” By Marcus Cole, Dean of Notre Dame Law School – Moreau FYE Week 12). Something I have always been interested in is being active in the community through service, which can work towards this goal. One specific example of working with the community through service was when I did my Eagle Scout project, where my mom recounts that “One time when he demonstrated exceptional leadership was he was running his Eagle Scout project. At that time, he was managing the adults, even those who were off-task. he was leading everyone, including kids and adults. Despite it being complicated and difficult, he was respectful, This episode showed that he was still a good leader despite the obstacles that came at my way, and that he was still able to demonstrate my best self. – (Reflection done with my mom – Moreau FYE Week 5). Doing service work and being a leader also gives one satisfaction because empowering others to work with you towards a positive end goal makes you feel like you make a difference in the lives of not only the people you are helping, but also helping those who are working with you understand what it is that they can do to help others. 
Many times, everyone won’t agree with you when you are speaking about something. The most important thing in those cases is to believe in your own beliefs, and despite others maybe not agreeing with you, staying strong. Fr. Hesburgh “spoke extensively about breaking barriers, and overcoming the expectations that people have of you in order to improve the world around you.” (“Hesburgh” - by Jerry Barca and Christine O'Malley – Moreau FYE Week 2). It is with this simple recommendation that we can understand the idea that we should have about how we should remain strong in our ideas which can help people improve their lives, and despite others not agreeing with us, it important that we can commit to our beliefs, and not back down in the face of opposition. This is one of the best traits that makes a good leader. 
In general, one of the best ways of living a well-lived life is having an understanding of the world around you. Often times, being too focused on something can limit our perspectives and ideas that we can consider, which is of course a detriment to our ability to have a positive influence on society. “It’s easy to feel as if we’re standing two inches away from a huge canvas that’s noisy and crowded and changing with every microsecond. It’s only by stepping farther back and standing still that we can begin to see what that canvas (which is our life) really means, and to take in the larger picture.” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer – Moreau FYE Week 1). Being able to take a step back from the business that surrounds our daily lives will allow us to see what is going on around us more clearly. However, doing this too much can cause problems because it makes us so focused on other things that we get distracted. “Introspection can cloud and confuse our self-perceptions, unleashing a host of unintended consequences.” (“The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There's a Wrong Way)” by Tasha Eurich – Moreau FYE Week 6). Being able to find the right balance is what makes us able to contribute to society in the most effective manner.
This is especially relevant in the world of politics because many times, the disagreements that start between people are due to politics. To have an adequate understanding of opposing points of view, you must be able to consider where their point of view is coming from. “We live in a 24/7 cycle of political news that saturates every corner of our culture. It seems like this has led to increased engagement in politics, but Eitan Hersh says that engagement with politics for many of us has actually become more shallow.” (“Passion Isn’t Enough” by Hidden Brain Media – Moreau FYE Week 11). Because of this crazy world of politics, often we forget that many times, people have a reason for the beliefs they have. In order to further our connections with other people, we have to first understand where they are getting their beliefs from, and that is the first step to being able to make relations with them.
At the end of the day, the difference between simply helping ourselves and helping others as well is the difference between satisfaction and joy. With satisfaction, this comes when we are only helping ourselves. “Satisfaction is a lowly thing. How pure a thing is joy.” (“Meet the nun who wants you to remember that you will die” by Ruth Graham – Moreau FYE Week 3). Joy comes from seeing other people be happy as well. I think that true joy cannot simply come from oneself, it also has to come from other people as well. Being able to see the joy on others after you have helped them in some way is one of the best feelings that anyone can have. That is why I want to focus on living my well lived life in a way where I can help others so that I can make them feel joy. As I have mentioned many times before, it is the relationships that you build with others that create the core of who we are. Doing that in a positive and effective way is the best way to live a well-lived life.