Capstone Integration Riley 1 Kiara Riley Professor Retartha Capstone Integration 29 April 2022 My Definition of a Life Well-Lived An individual lives a life well-lived if he or she is introspective, maintains trustworthy and meaningful relationships throughout his or her life, and spreads kindness and compassion to others in his or her community. Self-reflection is a huge aspect of living a life well-lived, because it allows an individual to discover the true meaning of his or her life. Pico Iyer elaborates about the importance of introspection: “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 One). This quote resonated with me because it directly aligns with a major aspect of my mission statement. Throughout this year as a freshman college student, I have found beauty in quiet moments of reflection, for they allow me to hear and organize my thoughts. Reflecting on my regrets and mistakes throughout the year helped me set reasonable goals for myself regarding my academics, relationships, mental attitude, etc. Along the same lines, being self-aware and accepting myself through introspection is a major aspect of living life well-lived. I strongly believe that the highest good in life is being true to yourself and accepting who you are as an individual. It is my mission to remind others around me that their differences and unique qualities make them special. When an individual is happy with him or herself, he or she has reached his or her highest good. Accepting yourself and others for their individual differences is an essential part of living a life well-lived. Another aspect of my definition of a life well-lived is taking time to give back to the world through acts of service and spreading compassion. It is my duty as a Catholic and as a Riley 2 human being on this earth to serve others in society and interact with others with genuine kindness. A life well-lived includes spreading my faith and optimism in every encounter and conversation. Encouraging others to find God in their daily lives is a goal of mine because I know how important my relationship with God is in my life and how much I rely on Him every day. I have found strength through prayer during times when I needed advice about how to overcome a personal struggle. It was very difficult being away from my family, especially during the beginning of the year. My relationship and dependency on God strengthened by living on my own. I learned to put all of my worries and anxious thoughts into God’s hands, because He has a plan for me and He knows my purpose. As an undergraduate, I decided to major in political science and I desire to attend law school after I graduate. When selecting my major, I had to make sure to remember that it is not a linear process, but it, instead, is a series of forward and backward steps one has to take to determine his or her genuine passions. I chose political science as my major because it brings me one step closer to living a life well-lived. I desire to use my potential law degree to serve and be the voice of the underprivileged in society. I have been gradually working towards this goal ever since freshman year of high school through volunteering in my hometown, and I am determined to use my future knowledge regarding the law to be the voice for the underrepresented and fight for their rights. I will feel truly successful when my life has been devoted to helping others and giving back to my community. Additionally, something unique about my definition of a life well-lived is that it incorporates a particular mindset one should maintain throughout his or her life. This mindset pertains to the importance of growth. When I think about whether or not I am living a life well-lived, I ponder about my emotional growth. I have grown tremendously in my Riley 3 ability to manage my emotions without my family being in close proximity. Growing is a crucial aspect of one’s life because it allows an individual to feel content and not stagnant. The last aspect of my definition of a life well-lived are meaningful relationships. A meaningful relationship pertains to one where two individuals have unconditional trust between one another. The basis of every relationship is trust, and I, personally, cannot go through life without trusting relationships. I need to have individuals in my life who I can lean on and share personal information with for advice, without worrying that my private information will be spread to other individuals. I am so thankful that I have supportive and loyal family members and friends in my life at all times. Along the same lines, a meaningful relationship does not necessarily only pertain to relationships between different individuals. It also pertains to the meaningful relationship an individual has with his or herself. As previously explained, introspection and self-reflection is an essential aspect of living a life well-lived. However, it is important to acknowledge the fact that introspection can sometimes lead to “unproductive and upsetting emotions”. Tasha Eurich elaborates on this idea in her article: “Sometimes it may surface unproductive and upsetting emotions that can swamp us and impede positive action” (“The right way to be introspective (yes, there’s a wrong way)” by Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week Six). Eurich portrays how introspection may not always lead an individual to more clarity and happiness. This quote from her article resonates with me because when I personally deeply analyze and reflect on my actions and feelings, I almost always become even more anxious than I was prior to reflecting. When Eurich explains how overthinking and an excess amount of introspection can cause feelings and emotions that “swamp us” and overwhelm us, she is correct. Overthinking and an unhealthy amount of internal self-reflection brings even more anxious thoughts into my mind. I kept this in mind during moments of self-reflection, and I learned to Riley 4 trust myself and my feelings by not allowing myself to overthink or over analyze past experiences. I, instead, focussed on how I can improve myself in different aspects of my life in the future. My relationship with myself has become much more meaningful throughout the year; I learned to trust my ability to overcome different challenging situations and personal struggles. Over the next three years, I will continue to live a life well-lived by maintaining meaningful relationships with friends and with myself. I will also work hard in my classes so I can achieve my goal of attending law school and, thereafter, work with underprivileged individuals in my community. Lastly, I will continue to find the beauty in alone time, and I will continue to pray and strengthen my relationship with God. By doing this, I will, at the best of my ability, bring others around me closer to God.