Moreau Integration 3 Moreau Integration Assignment 3 Write a letter to a younger version of yourself describing the characteristics of a life well-lived. Dear young Annette, It’s me! From the future! And boy do I have a lot of updates to tell you. I’m currently in the second semester of my first year at Notre Dame and learning a lot about the characteristics that will make my life well-lived. I thought I’d write this letter to you so that you can get a head start. It’s never too late to start thinking about what kind of person you want to be. For your convenience, I’ve divided up the letter into seven sections, each section representing a different life lesson I’ve learned. Enjoy! Practicing Self Reflection The first lesson I learned here at Notre Dame is the importance of slowing down and taking some time to simply be in the moment and relax. As you grow up, you will be more and more immersed in the world of technology and social media. As this happens, I hope that you choose to be responsible with the constant notifications you receive. Realize that you do not need to respond to every notification you get right when you get it. Especially in college, when you are bombarded with emails, learn to be still - meditate! Utilize apps like Calm which help you structure time to practice meditation and thoughts of gratitude. I know that you’re a busy gal, but “it’s precisely those who are busiest, who most need to give themselves a break.” It’s important you make healthy habits that will strengthen your mental health. This can only help you in the long run (“Why we need to slow down our lives” by Pico Iyer - Moreau FYE Week One) Inspirations of a Life Well-Lived I also want you to know that you will live through a very critical time in history. There will be a lot of political and moral chaos in the future. Of course, there will be triumphs and incredible advancements in technology and science, but there will also be great tension within the United States. You will experience huge moments in the conversations surrounding racism, sexism, homophobia, and all of human rights. During all this, I urge you to use your voice for good. Be on the right side of history. Do not back down because it is more comfortable and safe to do so. Speak up for yourself and those who need your support and allyship. One quote that was spoken about Notre Dame’s Father Hesburgh stated that “He belonged to the side of decency, he belonged to the side of a fundamental belief in the redeemability of mankind.” I hope that such a quote can also be said about you. Many of the decisions you will be faced with won’t be easy. Still, don’t back down. Create meaningful change in the world. https://ideas.ted.com/why-we-need-a-secular-sabbath/ (“Hesburgh” produced by Jerry Barca and Christine O’Malley - Moreau FYE Week Two) Questions of a Life Well-Lived You’ll also find that life isn’t always so happy. There will be hard moments in your life, times when you feel that the darkness is forever. Understand that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Learn from these dark times. Don’t run away from the pain. Instead, accept them for what they are and frame them in a way that ultimately serves you. Start finding the humor in everything, even the most stressful situations because you’ll realize that in the big picture, they aren’t so life-threatening after all. Remember that emotions are just emotions so take them for what they are. If you are feeling a bad one, I promise you that feeling will pass soon enough. (“Meet the Nun Who Wants You to Remember You Will Die” by Ruth Graham - Moreau FYE Week Three) Exploring a Life Well-Lived When thinking about the career that you want to pursue, I hope you choose a job that not only harnesses your talents but makes meaningful change in the world. Don’t just look for the jobs that make us the most money, or that we happened to be the most skilled in, but the jobs that we actually enjoy doing and feel that we can make a good societal impact in. You know what you are talented at, and you know what you aren’t so great at. Use this self-knowledge and awareness to your advantage! If you do so, I promise that you will succeed in whatever field you choose to be a part of. (“Navigating Your Career Journey” from the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development - Moreau FYE Week Four) Discerning a Life Well-Lived One thing I hope you will begin to do more is feeling comfortable enough with mom and dad to sit down and talk to them, not just about how school is going, but about the kind of person you are and the kind of person you want to be. I know that it seems awkward to have these conversations, but I promise you that they will be greatly valuable and rewarding when you do. They’re your parents for Pete’s sake! They know a lot about you and can help guide you to the goals you want to achieve. You’ll have some of these conversations when talking to them about what kind of college may be a good fit for you, but I urge you to have these discussions even earlier. Allow them into your life. You’ll realize that they understand the things you are going through a lot more than you think. After all, they were once kids too. (“Week Five Discernment Conversation Activity” - Moreau FYE Week Five) Obstacles to a Life Well-Lived https://notredame.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=10159379-7eca-4549-8581-ab9500c9ecd9 https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/14/us/memento-mori-nun.html https://undergradcareers.nd.edu/navigating-your-career-journey---moreau/ https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yZ7hqvx-u4EuW2nlK-fRbWFiurQm1mZv_KpoeeiN4So/edit?usp=sharing Probably the most important lesson I have for you in this letter is to be careful with how you introspect. Trust me, I know that we love to self-reflect. And I think that it’s good we do so! However, we need to pay special attention to how we do so because you know that we often fall into the cycle of reflecting the wrong way and feeling trapped in victimhood. One quote I heard from a TED talk that resonated with me said this: “Introspection can cloud and confuse our self-perceptions, unleashing a host of unintended consequences.” To avoid this, remind yourself to ask “what” not “why” questions. Also realize that good introspection isn't easy. It is not just enough to be alone with your thoughts but to be proactive with them - to actively work on yourself and redirect to a positive direction. With good practice, you’ll find yourself becoming a more grateful and overall happier person. (“The Right Way to be Introspective” by Tasha Eurich - Moreau FYE Week Six) Relationships of a Life Well-Lived Finally, I want to tell you that being a good person isn’t as simple as being kind and donating to charities when you can. Sometimes, you need to make personal sacrifices to actually make a difference in the world - that’s just how it is. Mother Teresa once that "One cannot love, unless it is at their own expense." Use your privilege to help others, not to simply benefit yourself. Don’t just do what’s convenient or easy for you. Volunteering for a little just to boost your college application or feel a little better about yourself isn’t true volunteering. Sure, this isn’t easy and may mean that you ‘ll have less time or money to spend on yourself, but only when we love at our own expense is it true love. (“Why the only future worth building includes everyone””by Pope Francis - Moreau FYE Week Seven) Now that you’ve read this letter, I hope you are able to take in everything I’ve told you and more consistently integrate these lessons into your life. I can’t wait to see all the amazing things you’ll accomplish. Until I write again… With great love, (Future) Annette https://ideas.ted.com/the-right-way-to-be-introspective-yes-theres-a-wrong-way/ https://www.ted.com/talks/his_holiness_pope_francis_why_the_only_future_worth_building_includes_everyone/transcript