“Art is choosing to do something skillfully, caring about the details, bringing all of yourself to make the finest work you can. It is beyond ego, vanity, self-glorification, and need for approval.”

—Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being

Last week I wrote about “expression service of…” This week I am giving a few examples of how communicating “in service of” invites a bold and strong presence because our sense of purpose, our intention, is connected to something bigger than ourselves. …Read on.

Ultimately, saying NO is simply setting a clear boundary.

We say no to say, “stop.” We say no to say, “enough.” We say no to say, “this is my time/space/body/voice/energy/priority/choice.” Saying no, is not being mean or rejecting others. It is simply creating clarity. And clarity is good for everybody involved.

There are three different kinds of “no” I want to explore: the Structural No, the Yes-No-Yes, and the Definitive No. Read on to play with saying NO!