Mrs. Kelly Moreau First Year Experience 15 October 2021 Identifying My Identity I believe that I am enough. Navigating the world as an insecure teenage girl can be difficult. It is easy to fall victim to lies such as “You are unworthy” or “You need to be prettier, skinnier, smarter, more elegant, etc.”. Reframing this thinking seems impossible, but it is essential to properly living Christ’s call. In Brene Brown’s TED Talk, she stated, “The people who have a strong sense of love and belonging believe they’re worthy of love and belonging” (“The Power of Vulnerability” by Brene Brown- Moreau FYE Week One). This quotation resonated with me. I work diligently in the pro-life movement on campus preaching the dignity and intrinsic worthiness of every individual. However, I realize that it is hypocritical to preach this and not apply it to myself. In David Fagerberg’s article, “Faith Brings Light to a Dark World”, he claims, “Love is to will the good of the other” (“Faith Brings Light to a Dark World” by David Fagerberg- Moreau FYE Week Three). By self-inquiring if I am willing the good of the other frequently throughout my day, I better love those around me. However, I did not think to apply this to myself until my Moreau Instructor wrote to me in a comment, “A quote that another one of your classmates highlighted that I think is important here is "I am enough." I hope you remember that.” This brought tears to my eyes, and I knew I needed to actively pursue feeling worthy. Since then, I have tried to self-correct my thinking and apply “love is to will the good of the other” to myself, and I am beginning to believe that I am enough. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&feature=youtu.be https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark-world/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau I believe I forge life-giving relationships. I have been blessed with wonderful friendships at Notre Dame In her article, “5 Signs You’re in a Toxic Friendship”, Olivia T. Taylor explains, “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” by Olivia T. Taylor- Moreau FYE Week Four). I can tell my friendships are superb by the fact that this quotation applies to them. I am incredibly blessed to have versatile friends. We go from studying to praying to laughing and dancing and singing to having deep conversations so effortlessly. They help me grow to be a better person, and I, in turn, try to help them. I believe I am resilient. As Ella George Lyon discussed the writing of a “Where I’m From” Poem, she advised, “Remember, you are the expert on you. No one else sees the world as you do; no one else has your material to draw on. You don't have to know where to begin. Just start. Let it flow. Trust the work to find its own form” (“Where I’m From” by Ella George Lyon- Moreau Week 6). I definitely listened to this advice, as my poem was creative, raw, and vulnerable. I discussed the many challenges I have faced, but in the end, I acknowledged that I have overcome every obstacle that presented itself to me. Sometimes I ended up a bit tattered and worn, but each difficulty made me stronger than before, and I bounced back. Knowing this about myself helps me face new challenges. I evaluate rough situations, and I remind myself of my previous battles. I lift my head up, and I work my hardest to triumph. A simplistic example of this in my Notre Dame experience thus-far was my taking on the challenge of 21 credit hours. At first, I was terrified, and I pleaded to my advisor to let me drop a course. She reminded me that I got into this program, which is indicative of my previous academic success, and she told me that she knew I would be successful. After much contemplation, I rose to the challenge, and I https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html am currently successfully completing this large course load. I thoroughly enjoy my classes, and I am excited to take another rigorous and full course load next semester. I believe I am Catholic. As a cradle Catholic, it was not surprising to receive “Spirituality” as my number one strength in the VIA Character Strengths Survey (VIA Character Strengths Survey – Moreau FYE Week 2). My spirituality shapes my life. From simple things like prayer before meals and attending Sunday Mass to deeper things like viewing moral issues through a lens of faith, I let my Catholic identity guide me in almost all I do. It helps me decide who to become friends with, which was a huge challenge in the shift to college. When I started regularly attending Catholic events and praying for guidance, my friendships multiplied, and they continue to be fruitful. My Catholic identity also guides me in my treatment of others. I make a conscious effort to avoid gossip and detraction because it defiles God’s creation. In my time at Notre Dame and beyond, I hope to grow in this identity and help others make it a preeminent part of their identity. I believe I am truth-seeking and goodness-promoting. Writing to Father General Moreau, Father Sorin explains “This college[Notre Dame] will be one of the most powerful means of doing good in this country” (“Letter to Father General Moreau” by Father Sorin- Moreau FYE Week 5). I am beyond glad I chose this university. There is something so special about the individuals I meet here; they are almost all seeking goodness and truth. They want to promote the common good and help others grow in virtue. They work to dismantle injustice, and I am fortunate to be surrounded by such great role models. The Scientific American article, “How to Think about Implicit Bias” reads, “many of us are more biased than we realize” (“How to Think about ‘Implicit Bias’” Scientific American Authors- Moreau FYE Week 7). This quotation is https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register?registerPageType=popup https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/account/register?registerPageType=popup https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o56woQDq3QrRkziT8eYrvYly5CQaP2Vb/view https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/ https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/ painfully true. Luckily, the community at Notre Dame works to dismantle bias, and I becoming less biased as a result of it.