Name:  

Course: Moreau First Year Experience, FYS 10102-106 

Instructor: Prof. Catherine Wagner 

Date: March 4, 2022 

Integration Three 

 

Prompt: Write a letter to your younger self, explaining the characteristics of a life well-lived, 

using the integrative learning skills. 

 

 

Letter to my younger self, about a life-well lived 

 

Dear younger self, 

 

How are you doing? I admire all your efforts to make yourself a better and more successful 

individual. Keep being you. I hope that this letter finds you well. If not, I want you to stop worrying 

about anything deterring you from being happy because you will be fine. Trust me, I would know. 

You must be wondering, for what reason must I be writing you? Well, I am writing you talk to you 

about something essential, which I want you to think and reflect on a lot, every now and then, as 

you grow older. I am writing to discuss what a life well-lived entails, explaining its characteristics. 

I will also reference works and examples by transformational individuals to help paint a vivid 

picture of the definition of a life well-lived.  

I would like you to pause now and grab a piece of A4 paper and a pencil. On the paper, I would 

like you to take a moment to sketch a picture of what comes to mind when you think of a life well-

lived. There are no boundaries; own your drawing. When you are done reading this letter, I would 



like you to reflect, flip the paper, and make a new drawing of the same. Afterward, analyze, 

compare, and contrast both illustrations. 

 

 

How do we define a life well-lived? If you surf the internet, you will find so many definitions for 

what a life well lived is. While all of those are valid, you will realize that most definitions have 

similar messages and even words. They express that a life well-lived is lived at an excellent 

standard level by one’s degree. They primarily connect this to being successful, having an 

enjoyable career, and outstanding work-family-life balance. While this definition is true, I would 

like to give you a definition I came up with from the drawing I did in college (similar to the one 

you just did) when asked to illustrate a life well-lived. I know you must be curious to find out what 

drawing I made. I drew a man in space with a bulb in him, whose light illuminates and shines on 

the rest of the world. From this and upon reflection, I defined a life well-lived as one that entails 

leveraging one’s knowledge, talents, skills, opportunities, and resources to be a force for good by 

striving to create a positive impact and the lives of those around them. This way, that individual 

will further be able to leave their footprint on the soil of time and thumbprints on the pages of life, 

inspiring others who come after them to strive toward being a force for good. 

 

 

After coming up with this definition for a life well-lived, I reflected a lot on the kind of life I am 

living and how I have been living. During that period, I read an article by Pico Iyer that talked 

about why we need to show down our lives. Let me give you a brief analogy. Picture yourself as 

an adventurist embarking on a journey through a large desert or wilderness, trying to find your 



way to an oasis. You have nothing on you but a map and a compass. If you don’t pause, at proper 

intervals, to look at your map and the compass to ensure you are moving in the right direction, 

you’re most likely going to get lost or take a way longer time to get to the destination. 

Similarly, when moving through life, we need sometimes to slow down. In the article, Iyer talked 

about Mahatma Gandhi’s friends being astounded that he would not be meditating for an hour on 

a uniquely busy day as he usually does. However, they soon realized that he would be meditating 

for two hours instead since the day would be stressful. He wrote, “Yet, it’s precisely those who are 

busiest, I wanted to tell her, who need to give themselves a break” (Iyer). I learned a lot from that 

line as someone involved in a lot and is frequently very busy. It is vital to slow down sometimes 

and reflect on your journey so far, your strategies, and many more as you accomplish the goals 

you have set out. 

 

 

Another aspect I was curious about was understanding what inspires a life well-lived. Soon you 

are going to join the University of Notre Dame, one of the best Universities in the world. There 

you will learn about a man called Father. Ted Hesburgh, a leader who did live a life well-lived. I 

had the opportunity to learn about his life through films, videos, and books I found on the Notre 

Dame campus. The president of the University in my freshman year, Father Jenkins, explained 

that "Father Hesburgh could talk across differences; created trust, created mutual understanding. 

That's the kind of leader we need today" (Hesburgh Film). I urge you to do your research into 

diverse people who had a well-lived life, intending to understand how they could have such a 

fulfilling life and learn from their experiences, character traits, and values. As you go through life, 

you will have to make many decisions. For instance, when you get to college, you will have to 



discern what major or career path you would like to pursue. In making those decisions, I 

recommend that you go easy on yourself. While it is a brave thing to decide for oneself by one's 

self, I want you to know that there's nothing wrong with letting yourself be inspired by others or 

involving other people in your decision-making process. Father Himes, from Notre Dame, touched 

on this in one of his writings. He explained that "other people help us discern whether we are good 

at what we do. This is enormously important because often we are not the best judges of what our 

talents and abilities are" (Fr. Himes, Pg. 2). So, be open to letting yourself be inspired by others. 

 

 

As you navigate through different journeys, there may be obstacles along the way. However, I 

want you to know that you are more than capable of beating any challenge that comes your way. 

Additionally, there are many resources that you can utilize to solve those issues. During my major 

discernment process at some point in college, I wondered if I was making the right decision. I 

explored many resources on campus. For instance, I learned from the center for career development 

on campus that "There is no 'best major' out there - but there is the best major for you... If you are 

in a major you enjoy, you will be more motivated to go to class, get better grades, and overall be 

happier - all of that leads to better post-graduate outcomes" (Meruelo). Also, I engaged in different 

discernment activities on campus. One of them was the "IrishCompass (platform) Conversational 

Activity," which helped me understand how to reach out to others, Notre Dame Alumni to be more 

specific, and enlist their help and advice in my discernment process. It also helped me reflect on 

how much I should factor in their opinions in my decision-making. Again, there is no obstacle that 

you cannot overcome. Constantly remind yourself to stay focused on what you can do instead of 

complaining about things out of your control. This was something I learned from Dr. Jihoon Kim, 



a leader with a disability who said, "So, I was always so focused on what I cannot do. I complained 

that I could not move my fingers or legs. But I begin to realize that some of the things that I can 

do, and the movements I have learned can be of a lesson to others" (Dr. Kim). Similarly, I urge 

you also to help others learn and grow from your experiences. 

In conclusion, one of the most essential qualities that one must have to successfully have a life 

well-lived is humility. Especially as one who aspires to be a transformational leader, you will find 

that most of the most outstanding leaders who ever lived possessed this trait. Humility will take 

you far. Pope Francis explained in a TED talk, "Tenderness is not weakness; it is fortitude. It is 

the path of solidarity, the path of humility…the more powerful you are, the more your actions will 

have an impact on people, the more responsible you are to act humbly" (Pope Francis). Younger 

self, do not be too hard on yourself and know that everything is working together for your good.  

 

 

WORKS CITED 
 
“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One. 

 

“Hesburgh,” video produced by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two. 

 

“Three Key Questions,” by Fr. Michael Himes - Moreau FYE Week Three. 

 

“Navigating Your Career Journey,” by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau 

FYE Week Four. 

 

“IrishCompass Activity,” by Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week 

Five. 

 

“5 Minutes,” video by Aria Swarr, Grotto - Moreau FYE Week Six. 

 



“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by His Holiness Pope Francis, TED 

Conferences - Moreau FYE Week Seven