The Beginning of Change Starts Now


The Beginning of Change Starts Now

After doing some thinking and self-reflection, I’ve come up with what I feel best represents my
Root Beliefs. I believe that I grow by staying true to myself and my values and not letting other
people dictate those things for me. I believe that I am made to make other people feel good. I
believe that I pursue truth by never judging others too quickly and always listening to what
people have to say. These three ideals make up my Root Beliefs and accurately define who I
am as a person.

As for my first Root Belief of growing by staying true to myself and my values and not
letting other people dictate things for me, I think that this one was especially important to me
because it emphasizes a way that I can become a better person. In the past and even still today,
I’ve struggled with identifying who I am as a person, or rather, who I portray myself to be to
others. This is due to a few factors, like being more of an introvert and always wanting to please
others. I said it best in my Week One QQC where I wrote, “As an introverted person, I find
myself often conforming to whatever values or beliefs my peers have simply because I feel it will
make them more comfortable with me and so that my own beliefs won’t conflict with others.” I
always find myself saying what others want to hear in order to make them happy, and I’ve
realized that doing so makes it feel like I’m not even my own person, I’m just a combination of
the values and beliefs of people that I meet. In order to grow, I need to rediscover myself and
focus on what I believe and value in life, because doing so will make me my own person.
Obviously this comes with a balance, as I don’t want to only rely on myself. This reminds me of
what Brené Brown discussed when she said “You know who you are when you call your friends
and say “I think I need to see somebody, do you have any recommendations.”” (“The Power of
Vulnerability” - Brené Brown, Moreau FYE Week One) It’s important for me to be comfortable
relying on my friends a little bit, because in the past, I have been known to only rely on myself
and kept that “I’ll do it myself” mentality. Overall, I need to define my personal values and hold
on to them, while still being open to listen to what others believe in as well. It won’t be an easy
transition, but I feel that it will be worth my time overall. As Father Pete said, “The greatest
journey you will ever go on is one of self-discovery.” (“The Role of Faith in Our Story” - Father
Pete McCormick, Moreau FYE Week Three) By going on this journey and discovering myself, I
feel that I will not only benefit myself but others around me as well, as I hope that people I
engage with will want to hear my beliefs and values and not just their own. I’m excited to start
this growth and begin on my journey, though I know it will be quite an adjustment for me. I
remember Father Sorin’s words, “Oh! May this new Eden be ever the home of innocence and
virtue!” (“Sorin Letter to Moreau” - Father Sorin, Moreau FYE Week 5) Father Sorin’s words
remind me of the hope that I need to have on my journey, something that will keep me going
when things get rough. With this in mind, I know I will accomplish my goals.

My second Root Belief, which is my belief that I am made to make other people feel
good, is another one that is very important to me. I feel that I have a gift for making other people
laugh and I always try to use it. No matter how well I know someone, I always try and throw in
some humor into a conversation to put them in a good mood. For me, humor tends to be the
way I show people I love them. If I make someone laugh or put a smile on their face, I feel like
I’ve accomplished something and helped them. This is somewhat like what was discussed in

https://youtu.be/X4Qm9cGRub0
https://youtu.be/X4Qm9cGRub0
https://youtu.be/lcZMeqWWOIs
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o56woQDq3QrRkziT8eYrvYly5CQaP2Vb/view


week four about life-giving friendships. “The best kind of friendships are the ones where you
leave with a smile on your face, knowing you’re both growing to be better people and that you’re
helping each other get there.” (“5 Signs You’re in a Toxic Friendship” - Olivia T. Taylor, Moreau
FYE Week Four) I agree with Taylor in this, as I always strive to keep people in a good mood
when talking to them no matter what they’re going through. At the same time, I realize when
people are trying to talk to me about something serious and I know when not to use humor as
well. I believe that most of my friends know they can always count on me for a laugh, or just as
someone to give them advice and be there for them. However, incorporating humor sometimes
makes me dodge problems by thinking about something else that makes me laugh. It reminds
me of what David Brooks said. “We live in a culture with an Adam 1 mentality where we’re
inarticulate about Adam 2.” (“Should You Live For Your Resume or Your Eulogy?” - David
Brooks, Moreau FYE Week Two) Being humorous isn’t necessarily an Adam 1 mentality, but
when I use it to suppress the internal issues I see through my Adam 2 side, it becomes a
problem. I hope to work on this in order to find a good balance of using humor in my life to
benefit myself and my peers.

And now, my third Root Belief that I pursue truth by never judging others too quickly and
always listening to what people have to say. Ever since I was young, I was never one to be
judgmental or unfair to others. As it says in my poem, “I am from cracked asphalt, The stains
from basketballs and skateboards, Still there to this day.” (“Where I’m From Poem” - Mark
Hennin, Moreau FYE Week 6) Growing up playing games outside in my neighborhood, I was
quick to learn that arguments were commonplace. Often I would be the one to mediate an
argument between two friends during a game and that’s really where I learned how to be fair,
thoughtful, and to always listen to both sides of a discussion. This ties in with what Chimamanda
Ngozi Adichie discussed when she said “I would like to end with this thought: That when we
reject the single story, when we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we
regain a kind of paradise.” (“The Danger of a Single Story” - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,
Moreau FYE Week 7) A single story always has bias to it, whether it’s conscious bias or not.
Realizing that there are multiple perspectives and angles to the same situations is something
that I’m glad to have known for a while, and understanding those perspectives is something that
I hope to continue to grow at.

https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/
https://youtu.be/MlLWTeApqIM
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XrT1Vdb1iXXvGxxeXSNd4SiNr7pkQcyL3eb75cONPpM/edit
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_ngozi_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare