Moreau S2 Integration 3 The First Step to a Life Well-Lived I believe that the starting point to any life well-lived is to surround yourself with people who make you happy. As Pope Francis puts it, “life flows through our relations with others” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by Pope Francis - Moreau FYE Week 7). If our lives flow through the people we surround ourselves with, why not make those people ones who make us happy? If we are happy every day of our lives, aside from our accomplishments, great or small, then our lives have been lived well. If someone lives a very modest life without much material wealth, but enjoys their childhood and goes on to raise a family they love, then they have succeeded far more than someone who is rich but unhappy. It is not always apparent which direction we must go in order to be our happiest selves. The journey to being as happy as possible is “a dynamic process with movement back and forth between stages” (https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ by the University of Notre Dame - Moreau FYE Week 4). It takes some trial-and-error to find what makes you happy. The important thing is that we try all that we can, whether that be different jobs, hobbies, friend groups, or places to live. Thinking about ourselves in this way, we gain insight into who we are. The insight helps us “develop a vision of a life well-lived that is uniquely aligned with [our] most authentic sel[ves]” ("Week Five Discernment Conversation Activity" by the University of Notre Dame - Moreau FYE Week 5). Channeling this to our surroundings, if we “possess greater insight… [defined] as an intuitive understanding of ourselves — [we] enjoy stronger relationships (“The Right Way to be Introspective (Yes, There’s a Wrong Way)” by Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week 6). I compare this quote to the saying “you cannot love others until you love yourself.” If you do not know everything about your inner self, you will not be able to connect with those around you. In summary, knowing more about https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yZ7hqvx-u4EuW2nlK-fRbWFiurQm1mZv_KpoeeiN4So/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yZ7hqvx-u4EuW2nlK-fRbWFiurQm1mZv_KpoeeiN4So/edit?usp=sharing 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/ ourselves helps us choose which paths to take in order to be happy, so that we can live our lives well. Expanding on what it means to be happy, happiness is the exuding of joy. Joy is a product of having certainty that one has “a genuine rightness [in] how one lives one’s life” ("Three Key Questions" by Fr. Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week 3). This confidence embellishes the way you feel about yourself, raising your self esteem and allowing you to fully embrace and exude the joy and happiness that comes with it. A lot of people struggle with having enough self confidence even though they have no reason to underrate themselves like that. If someone feels confident in every one of their actions and the way that they perform those actions, then they have no reason to not be totally sure of themselves. I like to say, “stick to your gut”. Having that swagger is important in having a good time and being happy. At times, in order to be your best self, you need to settle down for some quiet time with the people closest to you. Having insight about yourself is undoubtedly important, but knowing that you are fueled by your relationships with others, growing those relationships is necessary for happiness. Occasionally, make a firm decision to remove all distractions and go somewhere conducive to a great conversation, where you can avoid “just doing something… [and] sit there” (Text: "Why we need to slow down our lives" by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week 1). The benefits of a long and deep conversation with your companions are limitless. It is a good time, you grow your friendship, and you practice growing relationships in a natural way. Nevertheless, indulging in this too often can be taxing on your free time and activity level, and it is equally important to stay busy in order to achieve happiness. Completing activities with other people creates memories that last forever. Often, people complain of being too busy and living “fast” all the time. Contrary to what they complain about, I think that is the best way to live. Doing things and https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40306/files/475736/download?download_frd=1 https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/40306/files/475736/download?download_frd=1 https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ staying busy helps with the self confidence and joy mentioned above, along with the benefits it brings to our relationships with others. One of the Domer Dozen, Michael Hillmer, is busy all the time. Despite being deployed while simultaneously taking night classes, Michael utilized every bit of his free time in interesting ways, such as “volunteering in the local Hawaiian community and playing guitar with the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Mass Choir” (Notre Dame Alumni Association's "Domer Dozen." by the University of Notre Dame - Moreau FYE Week 2). Applying all of this to my own life, which I consider to be “well-lived” for the most part, there are definitely still things to improve on. Looking at the part with other people, I never find myself alone, so I think that my relationship-building on that front is great. In fact, I probably spend too much time with other people, leading to lots of fun but also the occasional lack of addressing one of my responsibilities as a Notre Dame student-athlete. Therefore, spending quiet time to get in tune with myself and my closest friends is something that I could devote more time to. This rerouting of my time will also help me to complete my schoolwork to the best of my ability and get enough sleep. Part of what drives my self confidence, necessary in being joyful and happy, is maintaining an outstanding report card. I take pride in excelling in my classes, although I will admit that I say that currently holding a C+ in Moreau. That was a product of not getting my work done and forgetting my responsibilities, having been lost in spending time with my friends. Moving forward, utilizing my time effectively to get my work done and find time for deep thought and reflection will help me to be a better and more self confident friend, building those friendships and fueling the happiness that drives a life well-lived. https://domerdozen.nd.edu/ https://domerdozen.nd.edu/