BooksChatter: ℚ Smile More Stress Less

Today we have the pleasure of meeting up with returning author Geoffrey Saign to talk about Smile More Stress Less: A Playful Method to End Anxiety, Be Calm & Achieve Happiness with Awareness (10 November 2020, Geoffrey Saign, 201 pages), a Self-Help book.

"Geoffrey Saign's Smile More Stress Less will be my go-to guide for years to come and I will use it to support my clients, many of whom are concerned about the lows in life that are part of the everyday human experience." ~ Dr. Charlene Myklebust, Psy.D., named "Educator of the Year" by the National Alliance on Mental Illness--Minnesota, and a Hawn Foundation MindUp consultant

"A quick read that has the potential to transform your life! A practical and playful guide that skillfully teaches self-awareness. I highly recommend it for adults of all ages."~ Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD, RN, FAAN, Director, Center for Spirituality and Healing (CSH), University of Minnesota~

|| Synopsis || Teaser: KCR Preview || Author Q&A || About the Author || Giveaway & Tour Stops ||

A very warm welcome back to Geoffrey Saign; thank you for joining us on BooksChatter!

What was the inspiration for Smile More Stress Less?

"A lifelong journey, which began at age 15, for a very stressed, and bullied, young man (myself), ended in a breakthrough in consciousness in 2020.

Philosophers, therapists, Buddhist monks, qi gong masters, Eckhart Tolle, J. Krishnamurti, biofeedback professionals, meditation experts, hypnotists, Reiki masters, and many other strategies and methods never seemed to provide a clear way to get to the root of the problem—which is changing consciousness—how you can experience and respond to the world in a calm manner.

Everyone talked about it, but I needed a blueprint, a path. And once I found it, I wanted to share it with anyone who had interest."

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in writing Smile More Stress Less?

"I was learning as I wrote the book. Trying to express my understanding brought me clarity, and trying to help others move their own negative patterns moved mine.

Over the many months that the book was in progress, I changed, the book changed, and all for the better. I have never felt so satisfied as I have in writing this book."

Why should we read Smile More Stress Less and what sets it apart from the rest?

"This book uniquely presents, as far as I know, the Power of HERE vs the present moment or the NOW. It articulates the illusions all humans are creating nonstop daily worldwide and how to end those illusions, and not replace them with others. This book also talks about intelligence in the body, mind, and action in a clear way that is difficult to find elsewhere. And it provides examples of how to get there.

When you look at all the methodologies, gurus, and professionals, they don’t give you a way to get at the source of the problem and challenge/change it. A way to permanently reboot your brain, limit your thought patterns with INTELLIGENCE, and have clarity in all your relationships—with yourself, others, and the planet. The material in this book is a living methodology, a roadmap, that you can change and alter as you see fit. But it will get you there. You can leave all negative emotions behind, and make room for joy and happiness. You can become your own best master ‘guru’—if I can do it, anyone can. And you can do it with a smile, humor, and fun—an adventure to rekindle the child in you in everything."

What has been your greatest challenge in Smile More Stress Less, its story and characters?

"The biggest challenge was making the material clear, with straightforward progression through the book, and to make the structure and flow easy to follow without repetition or blah blah blah. Lol I wanted it to be fun."

Can you share with us a favourite passage from Smile More Stress Less?

One way to change rote, stressful thought patterns is to use playful exaggeration. It is a simple, repetitive method that will produce immediate and significant results, and we will use it often in this book in different ways and situations.
Let’s try it with dirty dishes. You see the dirty dishes in the sink. Thoughts enter your mind about how irresponsible the person was in leaving them there. You feel annoyed and irritated. You notice this Self-Created Stress reaction inside yourself, and you interrupt it. You say out loud or think:

Oh no! My hands will never recover from this!
This is going to ruin my whole life!
It’s the end of the world as I know it!

Smile as you do this. Smiling brings about a strong positive emotion, and strong emotion helps change the brain by wiring a new neural pattern that’s even stronger.
It’s worth repeating that your brain pays attention to everything you focus on. If your intent is to end illusions, the brain will work on it, even if you don’t see an immediate change in how you respond to situations with illusions.

Who would you recommend Smile More Stress Less to and what should readers be aware of (any warnings or disclaimers)?

"Anyone who wishes to end daily stress, anxiety, worry, disappointment, anger, fear, loneliness, and other negative emotions can benefit from this book.

The material is aimed at all areas of life, all relationships (including the one you have with yourself), and there is no limit to how far you can take it. If you want clarity about confusion, about violence, about conflict, this book has it. Anyone from teens to older adults can benefit. "

Which do you think you have the most of: talent, intelligence, education, or persistence? How has it helped you in your life?

"When I was fifteen, due to stress and fear, I began looking inward for solutions. Fear and unhappiness spurred me to be persistent, and persistence was my salvation.

I’m a turtle in learning things sometimes, but I always cross the finish line. In my 20s I practiced kung fu 4 hours/day for 5 years. That entrenched persistence in my psyche, balanced the brain and body, and helped spur the changes that eventually led to body intelligence and intelligence in action that occurred 40 years later in 2020.

I never gave up, and I’m reaping the rewards of that now in many ways, which are only increasing. I’m so excited about everything! Not out of naivety, but out of clarity."

What has been the worst advice you received as a writer? What has been the best?

"I was told by someone I had put on a pedestal to dump a great agent and a contract, both of which would eventually prove to be hindrances to my success as a writer.

The best advice is this; listen to everyone, follow no one, make no one your guru in any advice in any area of life."

Do you feel differently about yourself now from how you felt when you were younger? Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your younger self?

"Of course! When I was younger I lived with constant background or overt stress and fear. Now I’m calm 90% of the time, excited, joyful, happy, relaxed. What a difference clarity and wisdom make!

To my younger self I would say this; you did everything right, the best you could, with no regrets--way to go!!!"

Which would you say you enjoy the most: to write, research, or to read when you can?

"Writing! I research while I write to fill in details I’m not sure about. I read less these days because I’m writing all the time. 😊"

Can you tell us about your writing process, and does this change depending on the focus of your current piece of work and who you are working with?

"I write usually with short outlines for nonfiction, very little outlines for fiction. If I’m working with my producer on a pitch bible, as we are now, then I write it, he edits and changes, and I’ll go over it for missing details."

If you could have three wishes, what would they be?

"End all domination and control of women by men worldwide.
End all violence and wars.
End all pollution and destruction of planet Earth."

What’s the one thing you’ve always wanted but still don’t have?

"Tricky question! I would say now everything is ‘ongoing’. I.e. I’ve always wanted clarity and wisdom, and I finally have it, but it’s always expanding. That’s the same thing with writing success, better relationships, health, and everything else.

I’d say ‘I’ve arrived’ and want for nothing at this time—the irony is more is coming!"

What’s in store next for you as a person and writer?

"I’m leaving education shortly to work fulltime as a writer. Movie deals have arrived and this year will most likely see 1-2 sold to streamers and my participation in the film process. I will also become involved in the effort to save the planet from human activities."

And as a final quirky thing, to get to know you a little bit better... do you have a pet or something that is special to you that you could share with us?

"I love wildlife and have a wildlife photographer friend and a sister who paints. I have their art on my walls. I love it and love looking at wildlife all the time, to remind me of how precious it is."

Wow! Both your friend and your sister are very talented. Thank you for taking the time to take pictures of these and sharing them with us.

We hope you are having a great tour!

Want one easy method to end anxiety, stress, sadness, loneliness, fear, & anger? While maximizing happiness, inner peace, and self-awareness?

One quick way to cut through all negative emotions? And have fun doing it?