Miller 1 Professor Pruitt FYE 10102 04 March 2022 Defining A Life Well-Lived: Introspection, Passion, and Selflessness Introspection is crucial to leading a fulfilling life. Being in tune with our own thoughts and feelings allows us to gain self-awareness and learn from the experiences that we have; this self-reflection enables us to recognize our strengths as well as opportunities for improvement. Taking time to look inside ourselves after entering a new environment is especially valuable. For this reason, I found the “Pause for Reflection” questions during the first week of Moreau FYE this semester to be a meaningful activity (“Pause for Reflection” by the McDonald Center for Wellbeing – Moreau FYE Week One). I was able to take some time to analyze my first semester of college, a time filled with drastic changes and new challenges; I noticed that going forward, I want to manage my time better, but overall, I was proud of myself for branching out and stepping into different activities to meet new people. Questions like the ones in this activity— questions that force us to intimately consider our overall feelings, successes, and regrets—can be applied to any situation that we face in life. Developing a habit of looking back on our experiences and how we grew and changed from them, as well as what we would change about them, is a necessary component of a life well-lived, as this introspection brings us into closer contact with ourselves, the sources of joy in our lives, and our goals moving forward. While we discussed some of the drawbacks of introspection this semester (e.g., ruminating on the why when the what can often give us a more practical answer), self-reflection serves a positive file:///C:/Users/21_bm/Downloads/Pause%20for%20Reflection%20Activity%20_%20Guide%20(MFYE%20Spring%202021)%20(1).pdf Miller 2 purpose if we are not quick to jump to negative conclusions about ourselves (“The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There’s a Wrong Way)” by Tasha Eurich – Moreau FYE Week Six). Honestly considering a situation in our lives, how we felt about it, and how it changed us is a simple practice that, if continued throughout life, can bring us to a better understanding of ourselves and a deeper appreciation for what gives our lives meaning. Deep self-reflection can lead us to identifying what we are passionate about, and I think that digging deep into our passions is another key part to a life well-lived. One of the activities from this semester that focused on career guidance asked a question that hit the mark on what “passion” looks like—it is something we are doing when we lose track of time (“7 Clues to Help You Get Started with the Career Development Process” by the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development – Moreau FYE Week Four). Finding something that we are genuinely excited about is challenging but extremely rewarding. Continuing this passion throughout life, whether it be social work, medicine, sports, or any other avenue that brings us joy, is one way that we can find true satisfaction. My conversation with my mother during Week 5 moved me closer to recognizing where my passions lie in terms of a potential career (“Discernment Conversation Activity” – Moreau FYE Week Five). Regardless of what specific path I take, I know it must be one where I am engaged in something that I genuinely look forward to every day, as developing that discovered passion is needed to make a life well-lived. Our passions are often grounded in what excites and drives us, but it is important to remember that a life well-lived means reaching beyond ourselves. It means taking advantage of every opportunity to connect with other people and use our gifts and talents for good. This notion of channeling what we are good at and what makes us happy into a positive impact on our community forms the basis of Father Michael Himes’ “Three Key Questions” to discern a https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ https://nd.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0NyUlYVK9JdsUrs https://nd.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0NyUlYVK9JdsUrs https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yZ7hqvx-u4EuW2nlK-fRbWFiurQm1mZv_KpoeeiN4So/edit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yZ7hqvx-u4EuW2nlK-fRbWFiurQm1mZv_KpoeeiN4So/edit Miller 3 vocation (“Three Key Questions” by Father Michael Himes – Moreau FYE Week Three). Specifically, the third question calls us to consider how we can respond to the needs of our community. In this way, this question grounds the search for our own vocation in other peoples’ needs and reminds us that we should strive to use what we have to benefit others in any way that we can. By holding to this philosophy of care for our neighbor, we can look back at our lives knowing that we were consistently oriented towards doing what we could to help other people. Conversely, if we are only focused on ourselves and our own success, we miss the bigger picture. Pope Francis’ speech, “Why the Only Future Worth Building Includes Everyone” (Moreau FYE Week Seven) speaks to the value of recognizing that we are all part of a global community and must respect and care for one another. Pope Francis’ emphasis on unity and protection of the disadvantaged serves as a critical reminder of the obligation that each person has to contribute to the well-being of their community. I think that a life well-lived is defined by this constant search for how we can help our neighbor and leave our own personal bubble behind to positively impact other people. Father Hesburgh is a prime example of a person who translated his passions into real, lasting change. Passionate about equality for all people regardless of their race, Father Hesburgh was involved in the civil rights movement throughout his life (“Hesburgh” film produced by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley – Moreau FYE Week Two). His life demonstrates that when we feel strongly about something, we cannot hesitate to act—a life well-lived is not spent sitting passively by and waiting for someone else to take initiative. Furthermore, Father Hesburgh’s involvement in the civil rights commission demonstrates the value of continued commitment to a cause—seeing something through and having the stamina to withstand difficulties is equally as important as that initial excitement and motivation to get involved. It was mentioned in the https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/38593/files/470631?module_item_id=145531 https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 Miller 4 “Hesburgh” film that when it came to matters concerning civil rights, Father Hesburgh would always be around the corner to say, “You’re not doing enough.” Hesburgh stretched himself to take on different projects and make change where he could. To me, this willingness to take on new endeavors in the name of a cause greater than oneself (like equality for all in Father Hesburgh’s case) is a central characteristic of a life well-lived.