Beliefs that Define Me Oscar Anzola-Schnell Beliefs that Define Me To start to determine my root beliefs, I believe that it is important to be vulnerable as in this state is when one can truly search within. Dr. Brown states in her Ted Talk, “One of the big sayings in social work is lean into the discomfort of the work,” and while this search for internal truth is not social work, the message still applies. If I do not reach discomfort and doubt through my inner reflections then I did not go deep enough. For this reason, it is critical to be open to examining your own imperfections and doubts. Furthermore, it is important to decide what we value in life. In his talk, David Brooks asserts, ‘We live in perpetual self-confrontation between external success and internal values” Through internal values, we achieve a real sense of achievement in life. Through friendship, family, faith, and moral values, true value is added to our lives. It is important to always remember that life is ephemeral and external success is mostly unimportant. It is more beneficial to focus inwardly. I believe that true joy and success in life should be measured by how well we live up to internal values. Tying to that point, I believe that faith is a critical aspect of life and without it, inner satisfaction cannot be found. Emphasizing this point by describing people who truly believe in faith, David Fagerberg says, “Their very voices and faces are different from ours; stronger, quieter, happier, more radiant.” In this quote, faith is shown to have a positive effect on people. These people manage to bring meaning to their lives constantly through faith, hope, and love. Although I am not religious I still believe these concepts can be applied to my life in a less obvious way. I think following the philosophy of treating others with respect and kindness can only improve your personal life. Furthermore, having hope for the future allows you to be more optimistic about any problem you may encounter in the present regardless of faith. Faith is not the only important factor in having a meaningful life. I believe that meaningful friends are a pillar of happiness. We are social beings and being around others will bring us joy. This quote by Olivia T. Taylor exemplifies why friendship is important, “Friendships should make you feel positive and like you’re investing in something long-term. Think back to a time where you felt uplifted, hopeful, and happy after hanging out with a friend.” A long-lasting relationship is incredibly powerful and should be able to provide meaning to life. This extends further than the traditional notion of friendship to family, co-workers, teammates and others. Strong bonds with others brings a sense of belonging and community. However, sometimes in our communities, we end up in bubbles of privilege. Many times, we do not realize the value of things we take completely for granted and the sacrifices others made for us to be in the position we are in. For example, Father Sorin wrote back to France and said, “Assuredly, we are far from complaining of the poverty of our lodging. God knows that we think little of it; and if we have desired - as we do indeed desire - to build a larger and more convenient house, it is solely that we may be able to accomplish some of the immense good we are called upon to do.” In this quote, he shows how we must approach even our most humble items. It is important to be grateful and not complain. Furthermore, this passage demonstrates how we must focus on helping the lives of others through doing good in the world. I believe that we must recognize our privileges and do anything in our power to provide charity. Coming from Venezuela, my perception of privilege has been heavily influenced by where I come from. I have seen people in absolutely abhorrent conditions. Venezuela was one of the richest countries in Latin-America and is now by far the poorest. While I have been privileged enough to immigrate to Miami, many people have not gotten that chance. Desperate people need to scrape food from trash cans and walk thousands of miles to other countries in order to survive. I personally know people who are still stuck in poverty there, not knowing where their next meal will come from. I think this gives me a very unique perspective on both the world and giving to others. I believe that we should always be charitable and try to be unselfish. Through charitable acts, one can also derive joy, but the value you give to others comes first. By recognizing our privileges, we must also confront problems that plague our own country. For example, racism is still going on and we must use our power to attempt to stop it as much as possible. “Field experiments demonstrate that real-world discrimination continues and is widespread. White applicants get about 50 percent more callbacks than Black applicants with the same resumes…” This quote demonstrates that implicit bias does have real-world effects. However small each individual’s bias is, subconsciously the effects are felt by those most marginalized in society. As society, we must do a better job of recognizing this as an important issue and do more to fix it. This starts with individuals reflecting on their own bias through tests and other possible discernment methods. After this, they should consciously keep track of their actions and thoughts to determine when they are being biased. If we all do our part to recognize biases, their impact on real-world outcomes diminish. I believe that we all have an obligation as a society to recognize bias and try to suppress its negative effects. In conclusion, I believe that our own inner beliefs must shape the way we view the world. From faith to friendships to charity, we must not forget what is important to us. I believe in fighting for a more equitable world through faith, community, and kindness. Works Cited “The Power of Vulnerability” by Brené Brown - Moreau FYE Week One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&list=PLmiPsabET-W_hjesjTZaITh2s1WbM- Kd0&index=4 “Should You Live for your Resume or your Eulogy?” by David Brooks - Moreau FYE Week Two https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM “Faith Brings Light into a Dark World” by David Fagernerg - Moreau FYE Week Three https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark-world/?utm_source=fall_ 2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau “5 Signs You're a Toxic Friend” by Olivia T. Taylor - Moreau FYE Week Four https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ “Fr. Sorin Letter to Bl. Basil Moreau” by Fr. Sorin - Moreau FYE Week Five https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o56woQDq3QrRkziT8eYrvYly5CQaP2Vb/view “How to Think About Implicit Bias” by Keith Payne - Moreau FYE Week Seven https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&list=PLmiPsabET-W_hjesjTZaITh2s1WbM-Kd0&index=4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4Qm9cGRub0&list=PLmiPsabET-W_hjesjTZaITh2s1WbM-Kd0&index=4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlLWTeApqIM https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark-world/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau https://grottonetwork.com/keep-the-faith/belief/faith-brings-light-to-dark-world/?utm_source=fall_2021&utm_medium=class&utm_id=moreau https://grottonetwork.com/navigate-life/relationships/signs-of-toxic-friendships/ https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o56woQDq3QrRkziT8eYrvYly5CQaP2Vb/view https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-think-about-implicit-bias/