Have you ever been at one of those big opening night events – where all the important people walk the red carpet on the other side of that red velvet rope? Well let’s imagine that you have a red velvet rope for your life? Who are you going to let inside? What “friends” do you really want to spend your time with? What relatives do you want to allow inside your red velvet rope? If you have a business, what customers will you select?

Don’t just think this is being self-centered or egotistical. If you have no red velvet rope you will find that your life will be taken over by people and activities that may not be in your best interests. In working with a young lady just recently released from prison, she is seeing that her old friends and hang-outs set her up for the same self-defeating behaviors that led her to prison. She needs to break those connections, hold her red velvet rope up high and decide who gets in.
This is just like setting and living by your own goals – if you haven’t identified your goals, I can assure you you’re living out someone else’s goals for your life. If you don’t have a red velvet rope, you’ll have customers stealing your valuable time, family members who just want to pull you down to their level, friends who don’t embrace your desires for a higher level of success, and activities that waste your highest areas of contribution.

So define who and what you will allow inside your red velvet rope:

What kind of people do you enjoy being around?
What goals do they have for their own lives?
How are they enriching the lives of other people or making the world a better place?
Are they happy, creative and optimistic?
What activities do you find energizing and invigorating?
What kind of environment brings out your best talents and makes you feel purposeful and fulfilled?

Now what people and activities will get past the red velvet rope that protects you?

You might just be amazed at the increase you will see in peace, productivity and profits.
Remember the Aesop fable about The Man, The Boy and The Donkey?

Trying to please everyone is futile. Even Jesus said Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! (Luke 6:26) Use your red velvet rope to weed out the undesirable parts of your life.

I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. Bill Cosby

the kitchen!

ok, i have to brag on myself since i am so proud i did this all by myself (well almost, thanks michelle the tile guru for teaching me to tile!) but the rest, the painting, chair covering, valance, painting, and more painting, and the wall art are all me!!!

the photos are a little dark, i still haven't mastered this new camera, but the walls are a very warm latte brown and a calming robin's egg blue, and the tile is stone - the iron dining chairs i did in blue fabric that has a little brown and cream in it and the valance is a perfect stripe with an awesome fun trim - most importantly, it's all done!!!

the kitchen and dining area are all connected so you can see below this is the dining area with that cool wall art i mentioned before where i put all the antique ceiling tiles! it's so beautiful (if i do say so myself, and i do!!!) above the cabinets is my collection of aqua and white antique mccoy pottery and other antiques - i love it!