Capstone Integration Living My Life to the Fullest Am I living a successful life and how do I determine what a successful life is made up of? It has always been my biggest dream to live a life well lived. One where I can look back on my life and feel happy about how I loved the people around me and used all the gifts that God gave me for the better. This semester of Moreau really made me realize many factors of how to live a life well lived and made me reflect on things I must improve on and change. One activity that made me reflect on my life and values was writing my personal mission statement. The mission statement that I wrote was, “As a first generation college student who is currently attending one of the greatest universities of the nation, I am in pursuit of an education which will eventually lead me to one of the greatest goals of my life, which is to attend medical school someday. As a Catholic student, I believe in the integrity of hard, honest work and all the many benefits that come along with it. I believe that everyone has a purpose in this school and in this world and that people should use their gifts and talents to inspire and help others. I believe that it is my duty to continue with my education and to follow all of the great examples of perseverance and hard work that my parents have instilled in me. Attending the University of Notre Dame has allowed me to encounter many intelligent and inspiring people who encourage me to work harder in pursuit of my dreams. I believe that God has given us the necessary tools to be successful and happy in our lives and we must use them to bring other people up as well. I believe that the true meaning of success is to accomplish a big goal but also building great relationships with people and family along with making a positive impact on the lives of people around us. I hope that through the education I am receiving I can accomplish my life goals but also inspire others to do the same” (“My Mission Statement” by - Moreau FYE Week Thirteen). My mission statement accurately and totally reflects on how I want to orient my life. I know that I want to be successful and accomplish many great things but I also know that I want to take care of myself and my mental health. One way that I can accomplish this is by meditating everyday. “Meditation can lower blood pressure, help boost our immune system, and even change the architecture of our brains” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer, TED- Moreau FYE Week One). I also know that the journey to ultimate success will have its own challenges and hardships but that it is an essential part for character development and strength. One quote that I really liked was, “There is meaning in suffering, but to really understand that you have to first suffer yourself. Test your faith, but in the end I found strength” (“Hesburgh” by Theodore Hesburgh- Moreau FYE Week Two). My mission statement focuses on using the things and people in your life to be happy and I think that it is something important to do instead of always desiring more. I believe that spending more of my time focusing on the good will bring me the most happiness. One quote that I liked was, “Suffering and death are facts of life; focusing only on the ‘bright and shiny’ is superficial and inauthentic. ‘We try to suppress the thought of death, or escape it, or run away from it because we think that’s where we’ll find happiness,’ she said. ‘But it’s actually in facing the darkest realities of life that we find light in them’” (Meet the nun who wants you to remember that you will die” by Ruth Graham- Moreau FYE Week Three). Others will be able to see my mission in action once I am using the gifts that I have for the good of myself and the world. “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” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by Meruelo Family Center- Moreau FYE Week Four). I understand that the key to a successful life is using your gifts that one already has to achieve goals and dreams. Goals and achieving them while overcoming obstacles and growing in character are also keys to a good life. While having a conversation with my mom, she said, “You value hard work and never give up when you know what your goal is” (“Discernment Conversation Activity” by Yulma Acevedo- Moreau FYE Week Five). I know that I will know I have lived a good life when all my dreams have been obtained and I have built many strong relationships with my family and friends and understanding that when times get tough I can rely on the people I love and especially on God. Like this quote said, “God is good and God loves us but the purpose of my life is not about overcoming suffering, it is about how to overcome suffering with God” (“5 Minutes” by Aria Swarr- Moreau FYE Week Six). It is difficult to live a good life and follow my mission statement once a rough time in life is happening. I hope in the future to not only understand that I am never alone but also to have hope and faith for what the future has in store for me. One quote that I really liked was, “Hope is the virtue of a heart that doesn't lock itself into darkness, that does not dwell on the past, does not simply get by in the present, but is able to see a tomorrow” (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone” by His Holiness Pope Francis- Moreau FYE Week Seven). So far I have focused a lot on living a good life through the successes that one has, but living a good life is also determined by the relationships one makes and the love that one shares and has to offer. One quote that I really liked was “They did not see their grand caring for me as a grand gesture of generosity; they simply did, in the moment, what needed to be done” (“Teaching Accompaniment: A Learning Journey Together” by Professor Steve Reifenberg- Moreau FYE Week Nine). I liked it because it showed that by giving someone all you have to offer, you are experiencing true love and happiness. Even though it can sometimes be hard to understand others and love them, it is a fundamental part in becoming a better person. One quote that stood out to me was “Each of us needs to get to know people who differ from us. We must all make a conscious effort to expand our circles” ( “I am George Floyd. Except I can breathe and do something” by Marcus Cole- Moreau FYE Week Twelve). It is important to surround yourself with other people in order to maintain a common understanding that you are not always right and to expand your views on other opinions. Another quote that I thought was important was, “By surrounding ourselves with people who agree with us we are losing our sense of how someone might reasonably disagree which is accelerating political polarization” (“How to Avoid an Echo Chamber” by Dr. Paul Blaschko- Moreau FYE Week Eleven). Most importantly, I want to learn to live a good life by loving myself and being appreciative of all the work that I do. I want to continue doing this by deepening my relationship with God. One quote that I liked was “I think you don’t believe God loves you because you don’t love yourself” (“Growing up Gay and Catholic” by Jacob Walsh- Moreau FYE Week Ten). I think that it is very important to love God in order to love myself. The goals in my life have not changed. I mentioned in my past integration paper that I want to be remembered as someone who didn't let the challenges of life deter her from reaching what she truly wanted in life and that still holds true (“Integration Three” by - Moreau FYE Week Eight). In conclusion, I am very grateful for all the lessons that Moreau offered me this year. I hope to hold my mission statement close to my heart and continue expanding it with my values as I move forward through my career at Notre Dame.