Say Yes to No: Using the Power of No to Create the Best in Life, Work, and Love

Beautifully written with life experiences and humor. A spiritual guide that leads to recognizing when to say "yes" in your life.

A great book to sit down in a comfy place and feel like, "yes", I can relate to Cootsona's journey. The power to to say "no" helps to refocus everyday life.

Jazz Improvisation

I teach "academic" philosophy which means that smugness toward "self help" books is virtually part of my job description. But Cootsona, being both a jazz drummer and a reader of Plato and Aristotle, breaks such stereotypes. He obviously understands the Greek notion of virtue as the only path to lasting happiness. But creating an excellent life requires "practical wisdom" (not more rules!). It requires, says Cootsona, the skills of a jazz musicians. You must know what's going on around you; you must master your instrument; you must listen to others; and then-improvise!

Say Yes to No. A quick read with lasting results.

I just finished reading Say Yes to No. I dove into the introduction, gaining instant insight into the author, feeling friendship from this pastor, author and theologian. It was more like a conversation than a read. I felt that the author opened himself up, so that together, we could try to feel the rhythms of life. I was taking a Sabbath of sorts in Carmel California. Through descriptive example and the easy to use exercises in the book, I found myself paying attention to the spaces in life more that the substance. Those spaces were filled with quite and offered a place for reflection.
Dr. Cootsona also weaves theology throughout the book, offering the right amount of insight on how God enters into our decision making in life. We certainly should not say no to the Lord, but we sure do! The last chapter of Say Yes to No, does a good job of explaining what is meant by saying yes to the Lord.
I thank the author for his many years of hard work which has allowed me to begin to understand that we can synchronize our lives with the rhythms of Gods' creations. Whether it be interactions with our families, our businesses, our faith or simply feeling our personal purpose, we need insight on the intangible.
I look forward to conversations with others on how the book may have guided and directed individual lives. An extra bonus, I am listening to jazz more often so I can enjoy the improvisations and apply them to my life.

The Principles of Jazz Improvisation Can Change Your Life

Greg Cootsona (http://www.gregcootsona.com) is not only Pastor of Adult Discipleship at Bidwell Presbyterian Church in Chico, CA; he's also a drummer and jazz aficionado. "Jazz improvisation," he writes, "illustrates some keys to a successful life. First of all, say no to chaos: By mastering your instrument and knowing the changes. Say no to overplanning: Life is not fixed. You cannot predict every detail. Relax, stay loose, and take in what life gives. Finally, say yes to improvising a life of spontaneity, creativity, and beauty." One's highest calling is to say yes to God.

That means removing the obstacles, such as submersion in technology or work, that hinder our flourishing. You'll find no better guide than "Say Yes To No: Using the Power of NO to Create the Best in Life, Work, and Love." The book is addressed especially to those who may not have a religious identification but who are spiritually open. It's for those caught up in the quest for wealth, fame, position but who long for a life of integrity.

As a young pastor at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City, the pressure of work and a series of family challenges began to affect his health. The chest pains, "a racing heart and shortness of breath, my head spinning with unfinished tasks at home and at work," led him, at age 38, into a doctor's care. That was in March 2001. Not many months later the church became a haven in the aftermath of 9/11. He realized the higher priorities in life required a series of nos to lesser ones.

Saying no, with grace and conviction, doesn't make one a negative person, but one who has the freedom to be "on the right road." That road includes Sabbath, the goal of which "is not idleness but a proper rhythm of work and rest." It's about finding the greatest yes of all.

"In Jesus," Cootsona writes, "I found the big yes to God. And that great yes now defines all my nos."

"Say Yes To No" is a practical companion to a vibrant, jazz improvisational life.

Copyright 2009 Chico Enterprise-Record. Used by permission.

No text was provided for this review.