FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington Student Health Center will host a talk on resiliency by Chris Trout as part of its spring Happiness Challenge.

The talk, “Bring It On! The Power of the Rest of Your Story,” is from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, in Lincoln Auditorium in Roberts Learning Center. It is free and open to the public.

In the talk, Trout will challenge young people to see themselves as strong, capable and resource-rich. Too often, life’s adverse circumstances create a distorted picture of who a person is and what is possible. The self-defeating and challenging behaviors that grow out of this distortion make it difficult to see strengths, much less activate them, and thus the rest of the story.

Trout challenges the audience to be the “alternate mirror” and reflect the extraordinary strengths these challenged and challenging young people use every day to survive — the same strengths they use to thrive.

A speaker, writer and adviser, Trout is the founder of Strengths in Focus, a Portland-based leadership organization. He has created model programs for high-risk youths, co-developed a nationally recognized substance abuse prevention strategy and coached individuals and organizations through dramatic and transformative change. He is the author of “Reflecting Strengths: Transformative Lessons from Resilient Youth.”

The UMF Happiness Challenge is a collection of 10 habits that can positively a person’s life. This program originated at Harvard in 2013 based on the latest science that shows happiness is more of a daily lifestyle than big events. One simple decision to take a break, call a friend, or try something new can have a positive impact on a person’s health and well-being.

This event is sponsored by the UMF Student Health Center and inspired by this year’s UMF Mantor Library On Our Minds current book theme “Your Story Matters” and the book choice “The Other Wes Moore.”

FMI: 207-778-7200, [email protected].