We sat down with Farley to discuss his current work and to learn more about his perspective on wellness.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a book, tentatively titled Risk-Taking: From the Highest Mountain to the Deepest Thought. And I’m involved in research on a range of topics, such as the concept of flourishing as related to risk taking. I label risk taking and thrill seeking as Type T behavior. It’s a longtime interest of mine. I’m wondering, for example, whether we can better harness the innovative side of risk taking in ways that help more people succeed. This is in addition to supervising PhD dissertations and teaching.
Dr. Farley on Stress
We all need to be better informed about stress. What should we know to increase our stress IQ?
For some otherwise stressful experiences, it often helps to reframe or reconsider how you interpret them: Can you see them as a challenge that will enable you to grow in some way, or as a novel or thrilling experience that satisfies your risk-taking temperament?
Dr. Farley on Resilience
How do you define resilience?
Being responsive to and surviving or thriving when faced with the challenges of change and uncertainty.
We all at one time or another have a life experience that challenges our resilience. Can you describe what you learned about your own resilience after such an experience?
Upon the unexpected death at a young age of a much beloved person, I found myself more responsive to change and challenge in this short journey of life, more open to pursuing the fully lived creative life and to reframing the inevitable uncertainties and risks as life-affirming adventures.
