Integration 3 Moreau FYE March 4, 2022 To Be Determined1 A “life well-lived” is hard to define because everyone has a different opinion on what life should be. It is currently common practice in society to focus on material accomplishments and to live a “Go! Go! Go!” lifestyle where you are constantly working toward something society wants you to achieve. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that life is more meaningful when you can take the time to slow down and make life what you want it to be. I believe that a key step for me in living a “life-well lived” is taking the time to experience the world as it is presented to me and to evaluate what I would like to make happen out of the opportunities I have been given, as well as spending time with those around me. Although there are many valuable things in life, time is the one thing that trumps all else. Nothing in life can be appreciated without the time to reflect on and develop it. As I have grown up, the plan for my life was always to achieve good grades to be accepted into a good college to get a good job. Pressure from society, my parents, and myself forced me into the fast-paced lifestyle that many people find themselves in. I came to believe – not in my heart but in my actions – that school mattered most in life, and I spent the majority of my time in high school stressing about – though not necessarily improving – my performance in school. I was, and still am, constantly overwhelmed with the idea that I am running out of time to make my life what I want it to be. 1 I chose “To Be Determined” as my title because an important part of living a “life well-lived” is understanding that you cannot be sure of the future – that the future has yet to be determined – so it is important to focus on what matters to you and those around you in the present. In Week One of Moreau this semester, we reflected on our first semester at Notre Dame, and I was made aware of this constant time pressure I feel. “The World Health Organization has been widely quoted as stating that ‘stress will be the health epidemic of the twenty-first century’” (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer – Moreau FYE Week One). So many people are stuck in a constant cycle of stressing about what they need to accomplish that they do not take the time to understand why they want to accomplish those things. After learning this, I believe that the best way to know if you are living a “life well-lived” is to understand what your true beliefs are and to integrate them into your life. Material accomplishments matter so much more when you truly resonate with why you worked toward them. As the Center for Career Development stated, “It is imperative to take time after an experience or conversation to think intentionally about how it impacted you and how it aligns with your [values, interests, personality, and skills]” (“Navigating Your Career Journey” by the Center for Career Development – Moreau FYE Week Four). For example, one of my biggest life accomplishments so far is being named a Notre Dame Stamps Scholar. On the surface, this was an incredible achievement because it made it so much easier to attend a good college, and it meant that I had succeeded at my high school goal. However, when reflecting on my values, it becomes clear how much more this accomplishment means. I think that one of the reasons I was named a Stamps Scholar is because of a project I did in Summer 2020 where I studied the effects of COVID-19 on women-owned businesses in Hawaii. I interviewed lots of female business owners on their experiences, and it was such an eye-opening experience to have conversations with members of my community. In addition to learning from them, I learned how happy they were just to have someone who wanted to hear their story, and I realized how much I value that sense of sharing ideas and stories within a community. Because this Stamps Scholarship stemmed from me https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ engaging in a project I really value, it is an even bigger accomplishment. I believe that when you understand what you value in life, your achievements, no matter the size, contribute greatly to a “life well-lived.” Another key aspect of the importance of time is deciding what to spend your time on. In Week Seven, we focused on relationships, something people do not always take the time to develop. (“Tattoos on the Heart” by Fr. Greg Boyle – Moreau FYE Week Seven). I learned the importance of relationships and sharing ideas through the Summer project I previously described, but relationships are something that I have always put tons of effort into developing. I have been shy my entire life, and with anxiety on top of that, talking to people has always been a struggle for me. Because of this, my parents and teachers have always made it clear that I would need to learn to speak to people to succeed. I have spent time on learning how to communicate with people throughout my entire life, and I have realized that it is important to spend the same amount of time building strong relationships with others so you can learn and grow from them. I have also realized that as a freshman in college, I cannot possibly know exactly where my life is headed. I may know what I am currently focused on, but the only thing I can be sure of is the present, not the future. This idea enhances the importance of building meaningful relationships in the present. I may not know where I will end up, but I do know the people who are around me now, and by learning from my experiences with them, I can understand more about myself and where I want to end up, contributing to me living a “life well-lived.” I think that the most important aspect of a “life well-lived” is spending time focusing on those around you. Week Three focused on death, which is a really hard topic for me to talk about. (“Meet The Nun Who Wants You To Remember You Will Die” by Ruth Graham – Moreau FYE Week Three). The most life-changing event I have dealt with was losing one of my best friends https://canvas.nd.edu/courses/41005/files/523987?module_item_id=168024 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html in the whole world in November 2021. While I still cannot wrap my head around the details of his death, I also cannot believe how much time with him I lost that I always thought I would have. We had big plans for world changing projects that I will now have to do in his memory instead. A “life well-lived” cannot focus on the future because it will completely miss the present. You cannot ever be sure of what life will bring you, so you have to enjoy what you have. The time aspect itself of life is not a guarantee, but the relationships you currently have and can continue to start and develop are certain, which makes them the most important part of a “life well-lived.” I believe that a “life well-lived” cannot be strictly defined because life is so unpredictable. Overall, the best way to ensure your life is everything it could be is to take the time to understand your own values, keep these values in mind as you live and accomplish things, and to build and maintain relationships as you go because you can never be sure of what a relationship will turn into.