Capstone Integration Selm 1 Josephine Selm Alison Thigpen FYS 10102 29 April 2022 Reflections on a Well-Lived Life: How Can I Pursue One? Throughout this semester of Moreau classes, we have tackled issues in the realms of well-lived lives and shaping one's personal ideals and beliefs. Week 13 tackled a summation of these ideals through the production of a personal mission statement. This activity proved insightful through its combination of the semester’s ideals and identification of my own beliefs, and this work will serve as a means for me to further develop this mission statement, utilizing content from the last 13 weeks to do so. As a student at the University of Notre Dame, I seek continual knowledge and learning. It is important that I continue to expose myself to different beliefs and viewpoints so as to gain a better understanding of the world, as “[w]e should be intentional about the information we expose ourselves to, seeking out intelligent people with whom we disagree, and attempting to fully understand their argument” (“Big Questions 2, Part 4: How to Avoid an Echo Chamber” by ThinkND - Moreau FYE Week 11). This exposure enables one to learn and grow – to become more well-rounded. It is my belief that through interactions with others of different beliefs and backgrounds, one grows in wisdom and experience. I strive to live a happy, fulfilling life that ultimately aids those in my community who are in need. This aspect is important, as “the farther we go in giving the more we stand to receive. Our broader experience allows both the appreciation and the critique of every culture and the disclosure that no culture of this world can be our abiding home” (“Constitutions of the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaIVxQcqnLs&t=1s https://holycrosscongregation.org/holy-cross-resources/constitutions/2-mission/ Selm 2 Congregation of Holy Cross” by the Congregation of Holy Cross - Moreau FYE Week 12). Aiding those in my community provides not only a way for me to help those in need, but also for me to grow and learn as a result, as “[o]ne cannot accompany without being accompanied, in the same way someone cannot be a good friend without being open to friendship … Not only is it important to walk together with somebody, but one must also learn how to be accompanied – to participate in the reciprocity of accompaniment” (“Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together” by Professor Steve Reifenberg - Moreau FYE Week 9). Accompaniment in particular is an interesting topic, as it sets key characteristics of accompaniment – aiding those in the community should not be done from the mindset that I am helping this person or group from a place of superiority, but from a setting of equality, as we are all human beings at the end of the day, and we will all struggle from time to time. Despite the good in the world, there are still evils present, and it is necessary to respond to this suffering by aiding others without viewing these hardships as demeaning or a form of self-empowerment. I believe that it is necessary to approach and accept both the good and the bad in life in order to embrace humanity, both in the world and within ourselves. Although I believe that searching for happiness is an important aspect of my livelihood, I understand that I can not and will not always be in the same state of, and that “[i]t’s actually in facing the darkest realities of life that we find light in them” (“Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die.” By Ruth Graham - Moreau FYS Week 3). Hardships and failings will come around, but embracing these rather than ignoring or distancing myself from them will help me in the long run. Failure is inevitable, whether that be academically, socially, or in a multitude of different sectors – “[i]t’s impossible to have a complete and honest human story if one doesn’t speak of human failings as well as human successes” (Hesburgh by Patrick Creadon - Moreau FYS Week 2). Learning to https://holycrosscongregation.org/holy-cross-resources/constitutions/2-mission/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hZbSdVImfn2hZDqMrdL96dZCNOtHuf6C-lg3sH-Rs30/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hZbSdVImfn2hZDqMrdL96dZCNOtHuf6C-lg3sH-Rs30/edit?usp=sharing https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 Selm 3 embrace my failures and grow from them has been one of the hardest challenges for me to face, especially through my time here at Notre Dame, but I hope to continue to grow in this skill and to become a better version of myself as a result. I stand for inclusion of all, and I hope to build close relationships with others around me as I continue through my life. As Pope Francis said, “[n]one of us is an island, an autonomous and independent “I”, separated from the other, and we can only build the future by standing together, including everyone” (“Why the Only Future Worth Building Includes Everyone.” by His Holiness Pope Francis - Moreau FYS Week 7). I believe that everyone is better off by the act of inclusion of all, whether that be through portrayals of people in media to interactions with those of different beliefs and backgrounds in one’s life. Advocating for this inclusion is an important step to take to achieve this belief. I strive to continue to grow in love for myself as well as love for others. I have struggled a lot through the years with self-confidence, and a quote from the material in week 10 stood out to me that I feel pertains to this aspect of my mission statement: “‘I think you don’t believe God loves you because you don’t love yourself,” he told me. “You don’t believe you can be loved. You think if people knew the real you, they wouldn’t love you either’” (“Growing up Gay and Catholic” by Jacob Walsh - Moreau FYE Week 10). Developing a strong network of friends has helped me, especially throughout the semester and all of its ups and downs. Week 5 of Moreau involved an insightful look into my life from an outsider perspective through an interview with my close friend. Although this interview highlighted issues that I face, such as stress and perfectionism, it also provided a different perspective on my life and my interests, also displaying that I do have a support network that I can rely on during hardships and that I do have those around me who love and support me, no matter my failings or setbacks. Week 8 involved a https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/community/reflective-narrative-about-being-gay-and-catholic/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/community/reflective-narrative-about-being-gay-and-catholic/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 Selm 4 similar introspection into my life through the writing of Integration 3, which was a eulogy. This project provided a lens for me to view my life in a different way, as I chose to approach the topic from the viewpoint of a friend writing about me after my passing. This task allowed me to see different areas of my life that I excel in, as well as what tasks and aspects I truly am happy in pursuing. In terms of success, I define success through one’s own experiences and circumstances. Success will look different for everyone, and it can interact on a wide scale, from small to large. I believe that happiness in one’s situation is the best thing for me to strive for, especially in regards to my goals. This happiness stems from interactions with others, and it is one of the highest goods I can strive for in my life. Looking towards my current career plans and goals, I am still unsure of what I want to pursue exactly, but I know that whatever I choose, I ultimately want to be happy. Additionally, I want to pursue a career that incorporates a number of my different interests. “The idea is that the best career choices for a person are those that allow him/her to implement as many parts of his/her self-concept as possible. If a person only focuses on one or two parts of his/her self-concept for a career, that person will eventually hit a wall” (“Navigating Your Career Journey - Moreau First Year Experience Course.” Undergraduate Career Services - University of Notre Dame - Moreau FYS Week 4). Looking towards the future, I hope to employ this mindset as I continue to search for my career path, and to become confident in this journey. This continued introspection into my life is important to pursue, as I continue to grow and develop my own beliefs and ideals. As I continue, I strive to incorporate the utilization of what questions rather than why questions, as “Why questions are generally better to help us understand events in our environment and what questions are generally better to help us understand ourselves” (“The Right Way to Be Introspective (Yes, There’s a Wrong Way)” By https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ Selm 5 Tasha Eurich PhD - Moreau FYS Week 6). Introspection is important to continue as I process through my life, approaching my successes and failures from this different perspective. All of these beliefs have been strengthened in my time here at Notre Dame – from new experiences and surroundings, and from learning more about myself throughout it all. I have found that I have a tendency to hyperfixate on miniscule tasks or setbacks; however I have come to the belief that “[i]t’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). As I continue to grow and develop through my time here at Notre Dame, I hope to grow and develop these beliefs, acting on them both for my own sake and for the sake of others to enact a difference in the world that is beneficial to all. https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ Selm 6 Works Cited “Congregation of Holy Cross Ave Crux Spes Unica.” Congregation of Holy Cross, https://holycrosscongregation.org/holy-cross-resources/constitutions/2-mission/. Francis, His Holiness Pope. “Why the Only Future Worth Building Includes Everyone.” His Holiness Pope Francis: Why the Only Future Worth Building Includes Everyone | TED Talk, Apr. 2017, https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_build ing_includes_everyone/transcript. Graham, Ruth. “Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 14 May 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html. Hesburgh. Directed by Patrick Creadon, Staring Fr. Theodore Hesburgh, 2018. Iyer, Pico. “Why We Need to Slow down Our Lives.” Ideas.ted.com, 4 Nov. 2014, https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/. Marketing Communications: Web | University of Notre Dame. “Navigating Your Career Journey - Moreau First Year Experience Course.” Undergraduate Career Services, https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/. PhD, Tasha Eurich. “The Right Way to Be Introspective (Yes, There's a Wrong Way).” Ideas.ted.com, 2 June 2017, https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/. Reifenberg, Steve. "Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together" ThinkND. “Big Questions 2, Part 4: How to Avoid an Echo Chamber.” YouTube, 12 Feb. 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaIVxQcqnLs&t=1s. https://holycrosscongregation.org/holy-cross-resources/constitutions/2-mission/ https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaIVxQcqnLs&t=1s Selm 7 Walsh, Jacob. “Growing up Gay and Catholic.” Grotto Network, 18 Aug. 2021, https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/community/reflective-narrative-about-being-gay -and-catholic/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022. https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/community/reflective-narrative-about-being-gay-and-catholic/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022 https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/community/reflective-narrative-about-being-gay-and-catholic/?utm_source=moreau&utm_medium=class&utm_campaign=spring_2022