Warriors Graduation; Writing what is in your Heart, and Living what you Dream

A boy grows up dreaming of being a hero; for some, they will have the desire to possess the amazing power of Superman or the Incredible Hulk. For others, their attraction is found in the unique weapons of Spider-man or Batman. Through it all, boys have the innate and natural desire as my 4 year old daughter puts it, to be heroes that save the day.

Last week, the state of Arizona welcomed 9 more heroes to it’s line-up through the

graduation of the first-ever group of teen “Warriors.”  In the exciting 5 week mini-camp, they were taught the principles of 10 specific “Warrior” disciplines and how to possess and utilize them to the fullest of their individual capabilities. They learned about non-negotiables and how, when asked to compromise on any one of those principles, the only answer the person requesting that compromise would get, was a resounding “NO!”

Thanks to Ira A Murphy Elementary School in Peoria Arizona, these are young men that remain hopeful about their futures and excited about their opportunities as they were welcomed to the Warrior Brotherhood! Once a Warrior, always a Warrior!

                    

A lot of people will ask me how it is that I get my ideas for writing, or what it is that drives to write. I always tell them the same thing. “There are some things so deep in my heart that only a spin on the keyboard and a smashing of the buttons will satisfy. The deepest yearnings of my heart and desires are fleshed out when I write.”

I would say that with almost 99% clarity, that statement is very true. My only regret is that over the course of the last 6 months or so, as we were preparing to finish and launch my book, I only rarely had the opportunity to write my “sober thoughts” of the wonderful life that I wondrously observed twirling, dancing and nose-diving all around me. I am excited to say that I now have a little more time on my schedule, and as my time continues to free up, I will again take on the discipline of writing regularly and adding to an already tremendously blessed blog.  To my readers over 5,000 strong, thank you for your loyal support.

If I was asked what my advice would be to those out there reading and subscribing to this blog, the answer is easy; Write what is in your heart, and live what you dream. Don’t ever let the “real world” stop you from living out what you truly desire to do. Nothing is impossible if you truly desire to do it. The keystone is not found in the effort in which the attempt is made, but in the refusal of quitting.  See you at the top.

-Lou   

Warriors Session 2- Growing the Leader within...

Anyone can say no… once, twice, maybe three times, but how many of us can develop a strong and consistent pattern of accurately deciphering what  are the right and wrong decisions for our lives? We have seen the very best of leaders fall and seen others perceived by most as weak; prevail over monumental obstacles in their life. What is the difference? You will find the answer in Endurance, and Will-power.

Wednesday night, the Warriors-in-Training learned that Endurance is an earned discipline, allowing you to stay the course, while Will-Power is what gives you the innate ability to make tough decisions.

The take away is simply that we must focus now on building endurance; we can not wait until later because later is too late. Our endurance is fortified with a band of brothers invested in ensuring we get to where it is we say we want to go, Warriors!

Regarding Will-Power, we must all ask ourselves if we have it within ourselves to turn away from the seemingly great things that wish to distract, destroy and take us off the course we have set for ourselves. More importantly, do we have the courage to have enough will-power to grab unto the goals we truly desire and dig in tooth and nail, never letting anyone vanquish our dreams? The enemy of the right thing is all too often usually disguised as a seemingly good thing.

A Warrior knows that it does not matter that which disguises itself as good; what matters is knowing what is authentically and unequivocally right.  The action produced from this knowledge is where Will-power is harnessed and grown.  Endurance is the result of making that right decision over and over again.  

Do you have Will-Power?  Can you harness that into Endurance?

-Lou

Warriors Mini-Camp- Discovering the Leader Within...

We just kicked off the first ever Warriors Mini-Camp for young men, where a group of young men ages 13-14 are learning the 10 disciplines of being a Warrior.  “Warrior-ship” for these young men means gaining purpose, vision, and direction for their lives as well as learning how to say no, and yes to the things in life that will ether hurt them or propel them forward.

Today’s lesson was sprinkled throughout with many of the Warrior’s learning the “Warrior-Dance” a dance where as the rest of the Warriors clap and cheer, the Warriors-to-be selected do a short but energetic mix of jumping jacks, push-ups and claps that affirm them as a Warrior in training.  They also learned the basic discipline of being an influential leader amongst their peers. I’d like to share just three basic principles the Warriors-in-training went through this afternoon.

Awareness- Is it important to understand and have fore-knowledge of our surroundings? Does becoming more aware of who we are and where we are help us to navigate around the obstacles we will come in contact with throughout our journeys?   Being acutely aware of what is to come can help us avoid the many pit-falls and temptations that would otherwise distract us from achieving the goals we have set before us.

Influence- In a memorable clip from the movie “Dead Poet’s Society” there is a powerful clip of just how much influence plays a role in each of our lives. The Warriors-in-training not only viewed the clip but also lived it out through a live-action role-play that eventually had the entire room of Warriors clapping and pacing around the room. Influence; it will either allow you to be a motivator of people for all the right reasons, or it will suck you under the water in an attempt to drown every dream you have ever had. Knowing who and what to be influenced by in order to grow, mature, and become the leader we desire to be is an important part of the Warrior process.

Non-Negotiable- This element was introduced early because I truly feel that unless one has either a short or long list of non-negotiables, we will forever be relegated to riding the high seas of life; back and forth, up and down, not really knowing what buoy to grab unto or better yet, what boat to climb in and master the treacherous journey that lies ahead. All the Warriors-in-Training were asked to create a poster of the things they stood for, as well as the unique and firm beliefs they felt they wanted to carry forward.

All In all, a great and awesome day with young men that will soon become World-Changers!

Stay tuned!! Next Warrior Camp is slated for Wednesday, and my next update is slated for soon after that!

Once a Warrior, Always a Warrior!

-Lou  

Cheers!

Have you ever wondered why there are so many US national holidays? These days, it seems that there is a “holiday” just about every week. There are in fact so many, that I now have a Post Office and government office calendar app on my smart phone just to know when they are going to be open.

I was talking to some friends the other day, and I told them that I was thinking of becoming a lobbyist just so I can lobby to make Super Bowl Monday an official holiday. I’m serious! Questions and conspiracy theories surrounding the Super Bowl arise like “What would happen if all the toilets in a particular city got flushed at the same time during the commercial break?” Maybe that is why all the Super Bowl commercials have to be so interesting, to save us.  

Anyway, I thought with a little break in the action before the marketing for my book  really gets under way, I thought I would give you my devoted readers, the skinny on why we celebrate a few lesser known as to “why we do it” holidays. In no specific order, here they are:

St. Patrick’s Day-  

Became a holiday: 1903

Why we drink green beer and party down: Although St. Paddy’s day falls during the Catholic tradition of Lent, Lenten restrictions were lifted for this special day on eating meat and alcohol consumption. Hence the debauchery…

Original meaning: Meant to celebrate the arrival of Christianity in Ireland

DID YOU KNOW- The official color of St. Patrick’s Day was originally blue, however slowly over time transitioned to green. Shamrocks are popular due in part to a method of teaching the doctrine of the Christian Trinity using a 3 leafed shamrock. St. Patrick’s Day was not intended to celebrate Irish culture until introduced as a new tradition in the mid 1990’s. St. Patrick’s Day is not an official U.S. holiday (but should be)

Valentine’s Day-

Became a holiday- in the 1400’s.. really, that long ago.

Who is St. Valentine? St. Valentine was a martyr who was killed after marrying soldiers that were forbidden to marry and ministering to early Christians in Rome.  

Why men choose to go broke on this day and women love it- The idea of exchanging a “Valentine” comes from the tradition of St. Valentine’s last letter he wrote from prison just before his death, signed “from your Valentine” and the fact that many nations adopted the celebration of this Saint as a way to communicate unrequited love to their “sweetie’s”

DID YOU KNOW- The Eastern Orthodox church also celebrates this holiday, but they do it in July.  

Columbus Day-

Became a Holiday: 1937

Wha…?-  me neither…

Again wha? – I got nothing…

DID YOU KNOW- When Columbus landed, he was actually lost. Columbus never once set foot in the present day United States, yet we have a national holiday in remembrance of him. Hawaii, Alaska, and South Dakota do not celebrate or observe Columbus Day.

See why I want to make Super Bowl Monday a national Holiday?

Keep your head up, shoulders forward and phones on vibrate…

-Lou 

10 Outrageous HOA Rules

With the dawning of the wonderful Spring weather here in Arizona, and with the launch of my book soon to be in stores and online everywhere, I thought I would take an opportune moment to have a little fun. 

As some of you may know, I am a big fan of Facebook only because it allows me to stay in touch with the many dear friends I have made along my crazy and adventurous journey. I have some great “never met them” friends, some “super wacky” friends, others I really wish we made more time for, and still others that I actually get to see once in a while. Our interests are eclectic.  There are fellow car guys, professional speakers, writers, business owners, moms, dads, singles and marrieds. There are those that are struggling, and others that are flying high.  I have friends who live life on perpetual vacation mode, and I have others that are so busy I am surprised that they have time to even write.  I have die hard Cardinal fans, and truth be known, I even have a handful of Dallas Cowboy fans that I am honored to call great friends. All in all, Facebook allows me to keep in touch and know that they are living life to the fullest and every once in a while, we slow down enough to say hey. 

Today’s blog is all about the inspiration behind one of those messages that made me laugh, here is an excerpt;

   

  “…Soooo does anyone know what the minimum plant count is in our HOA? I am just blown away that we just received a notice of a possible fine if we don't comply AND ADD PLANTS??!!! They said if we're unsure of our original plant count that we can go to the Flood Districts website for an aerial view from 2006?? Seriously??!!”

   

I find this hilarious only because I wonder when I see posts like this, why people put themselves through the pain and suffering of an HOA just to have an outside party dictate what color of house you must have, what type of landscape you must use, and anything else they deem appropriate to regulate. To top it off, they send you a monthly bill for their “services.” To me, it’s like a pair of shoes that you thought looked incredible in the window, but when you got home, they pinched your feet and everyone you know made fun of them. 

I think at the beginning of this blog, I said this week’s “Sober Thoughts” was going to be funny, so without further ado, here are the top 10 most ridiculous HOA rules. While you read, I think I will go out to my porch, look at the house across from me, complete with an old couch on the front yard ready for removal, and two doors down where it looks like the guy is doing an engine swap in his driveway…. Freedom!!!!

Top 10 Most Ridiculous HOA rules!

10. No Permanent shutters (Florida) in one of the most hurricane-prone states in the world, one HOA deems permanent shutters as an “eye-sore” and states that a homeowner must only install shutters “right before” the storm and must take them down no later than 24 hours after the storm- how much warning do hurricanes give?  

9. You can not smoke in your own house- Citing second-hand smoke health dangers, some HOA’s maintain a provision that you can not smoke on your own property whether it is inside or outside your home- now I’m not a smoker, but really? Inside your own home?

8. Pets feet can not touch the floor at anytime- one HOA that has common property areas (pool, mailbox, club house) stipulated that any homeowner with pets can not allow the animal’s feet to touch the floor while in common areas- “Hope you can carry your favorite Rottweiler Marmaduke, when you retrieve the mail every morning, grandma.”

7. One can not wear any type of heel inside their home- One high-rise condominium HOA forbids heels to be worn inside homeowners homes due to the fact that “they make too much noise” –all I can say is W.O.W…

6. No clotheslines allowed- Be it far from us to give the impression that we can not afford a drier, one HOA states that drying clothes outside on “any type of line” is a no-no. 

5.  You must have a consistently green lawn- A man in Florida was actually jailed due to his inability to keep his lawn perfectly green. His reasons were that he could no longer afford all the expense of keeping his lawn perfectly maintained, the HOA filed a complaint and the man was jailed by local authorities.

4. No posting of “For Sale” signs allowed (including your house)- This means that even if you wanted to sell your house, the realtor is not allowed to post a “For Sale” sign out front. This also means no garage sales, or if you want to sell your car, you’ll have to figure out a way of doing it without actually posting a sign saying that it is available. 

3.  You can not park your car in your own driveway- One Florida HOA does not allow any vehicles to remain in their driveways overnight; they must all be garaged. One homeowner who happened to purchase an oversize 4x4 truck was fined daily until he sold the vehicle. I have other ways I could have used that 4x4!

2. You can be fined for things you are seen doing through your window- One Arizona couple was fined for sharing a kiss that was “too passionate in nature” when viewed by one board member through the couples own window as he was passing by.- I just have one question- how do you explain the binoculars?

1. No Mother in Laws allowed- In Idaho, married couples have the ability to legally ban their mothers in law from visiting their home in one HOA.  Really it’s true.  Hmmmmm, wonder what the economy is like in Idaho….

To all my HOA buddies, we can’t feel too bad for you, you knew what you were buying, but when something wacky does happen, be sure to share it with us so we can laugh alongside with you!!! Now where’s that guy with the couch?

-Lou

Finding a Way to Win

UPDATE: Great News! “Devotion in a Decadent Age” is going into “pre-release” soon! Those who are planning on attending “Louis at New Life” on Wednesday night will have an opportunity to get a great deal on the “sneak-peek” copies (limited 30 copies available)  Join me at 7p.m. on Wednesday night, at New Life Community Church in Peoria, Arizona! I will share with you 2 take-away tools that will help you visualize purpose in your life!

As you know, my book which is being published is based on living a purposeful and intentional life. Purpose could also be called moving in a specific direction that you feel you are being called to move to.  I was being interviewed the other day in regards to the book, and I was asked this question, “What does it take to fulfill your dreams of being an author, a pro athlete, someone who knows what they want to do, and goes out and gets it?”  My reply was simple. “You need to act.”

Far too many of us dream the dream, but unfortunately that is all we do. We keep our dreams in a bottle thinking that one day, we will uncork them, and they will take flight like a powerful Monarch butterfly spreading her wings, and we will become a successful overnight sensation. I hate to be the one to burst those bubbles, but that never happens.  There are successful people out there that seem to have sprang to the top out of nowhere, but you can be sure of this; while no one knew who they were, those “overnight superstars” were busy doing the things they needed to do to make it happen. Their seemingly “sudden” success is simply a product of all the hard work they did to get noticed.

Much is the same in regards to this book. Just about a year ago, I made the conscious choice to submit my book for publishing consideration; truth be told however, many of those pieces were first written back in 2009, almost 4 years ago, and sat dormant, until I decided (at the urging of no one else) that those lessons were just too valuable to sit on my flash drive and never be read. 

In regards to my boxing career, I chose to fight; and when you are getting paid to do it, just know that the guy across the ring wants to kill you. There is no choice but to survive, and I decided to do not only that, but thrive in a competitive sport that required every ounce of skill, both mental and physical to be put on the line every time the bell rang.

I chose to win, and now I am asking every single one of you to choose to do that today. The race is not so much against others, it is against yourself. Are you being the best “you” you can be? It is time to uncork that bottle you have been saving and unleash your dreams unto the world.

The cost of you not doing it is nothing. But in the end, you will have to swallow the fact that as you get ready to pass from this life into the next, you will look across the room and see your dreams still bottled up sitting on the shelf, untouched.

Deciding to chase after your dreams requires one thing, courage. With courage, you can fail and smile, you can fall and laugh, but you can also win and raise your fist in victory! Choose to win, and choose to uncork what you have been saving, and become the fearless leader, and dream-catcher you know you are deep down inside. I’ll see you at the top!  

-Lou 

Will the Real Louis Santana Please Stand Up?

“Candid Thoughts”

 I was going through my older written works the other day, and I came across a 13-year old document.  It was originally a piece meant for Esquire to celebrate my retirement from boxing. The task was simple: Write the 30 things I have learned for their regular column aptly entitled “What I’ve Learned.”  The piece never made print, but I kept the original that I wrote because I thought there were some really great things on there that revealed a lot about me and the many life-lessons I had learned and gained throughout my boxing career. I’ll be sharing that with you shortly.

People have asked me on occasion where my idea to do such a candid blog comes from. This blog was born out of the desire to candidly convey my thoughts in the role of that “anonymous” person you never see in the coffee shops, at the bus stops, or the sidewalks as life unfolds before them. I have realized one thing since I picked up my addiction to writing once more; I've learned that I am truly a rebel from another dimension; one who rebukes busy-ness, and searches for authentic meaning in every moment that crosses my path. My life is also in part fascinated with meaning; where it comes from, what it means, and how to explain it to others. My career as a writer is part storyteller, part document-er  documenting what is happening around us, and what lessons if any, we can take from those experiences.

Finally I have learned that I am also deeply in love with the printed word; always have been since I was about 5 years old. I love the way sentences dance and chase each other over the pages, interlocking, parrying, and finally twisting together to blast off in any direction, vividly and quickly. Fictional works do so in bright colors while non-fiction does so in lucid yet subtle grey tones. There are times I find myself delighted with how even as I read, there are sections that are non-directly shouting out a specific message, and yet still not stating it directly in print. If you understood this last line, you are truly a fan of the written word.    

Thus I have resigned myself to simply enjoying what is put before me, knowing that I can now find meaning in those very things that seem meaningless; a wasted day of resting at the lake, or a day at the gym working up a sweat. I see greatness in the play-time with my children, or in the hard work and long hours to make a business work. I see value in connecting with people, affirming them, sharing and swapping stories. That’s me, a guy who is as comfortable sharing a drink with you over a relaxing sunny day, as the guy full of intensity at the gym, on the playing field or at the office, ferocious and non-stop.  Here is what “I Have Learned”- I have cut a few, adapted some others, but there are some that are vintage Santana.  Enjoy….

“What I’ve Learned”- Adapted and updated by Louis Santana 

What I’ve learned

 Louis Santana

1. That “Bible” is not a 4-letter word.

2. The key to success is equal parts Preparation and Focus.

3. Life is hard enough without people judging.

4. Humor is wonderful medicine.

5. Two words- Egg Nog.

6. Two more words- Lemon Pepper.

7. I've learned that I would rather take a punch than a pinch.

8. Life is a lot easier if you are able to laugh at yourself.

9. Its not how many times you fall down, it’s how many times you get back up.

10. People are strange.

11. If you don’t think so, maybe you are the strange one.

12. Music and Passion are the drivers of the soul.

13. I will never cease to be amazed by how beautiful women are.

14. There are 3 T’s to ice cream one must consider; texture, temperature, and taste.

15. All fast food restaurants should have health warning labels on their bags.

16. More people should work out.

17. In life, choose to never arrive.

18. The greatest value you can hold is to be true to yourself- don’t dance for anybody; dance because you want to dance.

19. My turn-off?  That’s easy- people who are too busy.

20. I’m much more relaxed then I was 10 years ago.

21.  I've learned I still have a long way to go… it’s that “never arrive” thing.

The Quandary of Balancing it All

Balance… It means more that just what gymnast’s do on a beam, or what we do with an overloaded plate at a party. Balance; when you have a full plate you know it.  There are folks like me that are balancing a business, writing, and also full-time parenting. If you are like me, one who desires and earnestly looks for ways to get further in your careers, how do you do it? Getting ahead, or doing that which you feel you are called to really does take an ever increasing amount of effort, and in most cases, effort equals more time.

If you are a parent, you already know that the minute you get home, it is go, go, go.  Crazy things become normal, like waking up at 3 am to a smelly house and realizing your 1 year old boy is extremely healthy, and diaper less. Realizing that although it is the middle of the night, if you don’t clean up now, Good Lord knows when your house will return to “normal smell” mode. Being a parent means that your home office actually doubles as the kids office when you’re not there and little surprises like having all your important papers stapled 56 times is completely normal.  I am a Businessman, Writer, Janitor, and Butler to 2 amazing kids! Learning how to balance all that, and still find an opportunity to retreat to my office that is mostly quiet (if I close and lock the door) in order to write is almost impossible.  Now you see why I feel like Indiana Jones every day.  My expedition however, is to become proficient at getting into a writing “rhythm” faster and to take out all those staples out of my most important papers! The lingering question for me, for all of us parents is how do we manage the time we spend with our kids in such a way that we do not miss out on the most beautiful moments of them growing up? I understand that we want to grow our business, but it is my hope that it does not come at the expense of our children. 

 A real quick update regarding my book, Devotion in a Decadent Age;  

I will be teaching a great class, “How to Live your Life on Purpose” At New Life Community Church in Peoria, Arizona on Wednesday, March 6^th at 7p.m.  (8155 W Thunderbird Road, Peoria, AZ) 

This will be the first time my book is available and stock is limited to only 30 “Sneak-Peek” copies! For all who attend that night, the special price is only $10 bucks!  Come early to get a good seat, get a signed book, and learn how to incorporate sustainable purpose and intention in your life!

The book tour will be kicking off sooner than expected, so if you would like me to speak at your church or do an event book signing, please contact me as soon as possible, or email santana1010@yahoo.com and put “booking” in the message line!  

Marketing will begin happening and I will continue to give you updates as they come in!

Finally, I can not say enough of a huge THANK YOU to all of those who supported this project and who stuck with me as it slowly but surely lifted off the ground! A lot of people are asking me what next, and I will tell you, I am currently working on my 2^nd book, “Becoming the Warrior” that I hope is as well-received as this first seems to be. Thanks again, and see you at the top! Have an inspiring day!  

-Lou  

Arms Up!!!

“When I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster…Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!... I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like  

the roller coaster. You get  more out of it.”  -Helen Shaw "Grandma"

I caught myself watching the 1989 movie “Parenthood” the other day, and as I watched, I grew more and more astonished at how the director Ron Howard, was able to convey such incredible and yet spot on depictions of real life parenting.  My favorite quote beyond the one above, was one in where Steve Martin’s character was having a serious discussion with his wife, played by Mary Steenburgen, where he stated due to the fact of them having three children, “My whole life is a “have to.”  His allusion was that since he had a family to feed, there were no longer “optional” choices for him to have.  His “have to’s” were completely immersed in ensuring that his family was taken care of. I took it that his implication was that he felt hopeless, knowing there was no escape from the “have to’s” as far as his eye could see.

Haven’t we in some form or another been there? We get to a point where we feel that it takes everything we have just to make the wheel of life spin. The ability to navigate this dangerous set of rapids is to have enough foresight to comprehend that by our own choice we have all intentionally enlisted into some sort of “have to”. Case in point, if I want to have a healthy body, I “have to” refrain from eating ice cream at night (boo) and also hit the gym and actually sweat, and not just in the sauna! My “have to” if I choose to have collector cars is to have collector car insurance; as a parent, I “have to” be the best one I can be, and finally, If I choose to waste my life and throw everything away that would have led to my success, my “have to” will be to give up the dreams I once had.    

In the movie, the quote by this loveable and yet wise grandmother nailed the very things each of the main characters toiled with throughout most of it. Life is hard and unpredictable; it is frightening, scary, exciting, and thrilling all rolled up in one ball.  One moment we may be celebrating in elation, the next might be spent recovering from being thrown in the mud.  That’s life, we need to deal with it, but you know what, a little mud isn’t so bad once in a while. Mud makes us grateful to be clean, and being thrown down gives us the appreciation of being able to stand. I am ok with getting scared, as much as I am ok with getting a little excited by my life’s journey. 

Ask yourself this, are you a roller coaster person, or a merry-go-round person?

“I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it”

May you have an amazing, up, down, up, down kind of journey; and when you hit an unexpected challenge, may you also have the courage to scream at the top of your lungs, Whoopeeee!!! Eager to see where this ride will take you.  Have an inspiring day!! 

-Lou  

Superbowl- the “mini” Thanksgiving or, just Cobwebs Needing a Broom

As I reach out to my keyboard this evening, I try to fight the discomfort I am currently feeling from having too much food and drink in my belly. I am reminded of the last time I ate so much. It was about 3 months earlier and the feast of that particular day was called Thanksgiving.  Today’s Superbowl outlay was not only considerable, but also eclectic in every way.  To begin my day, I snacked on a Superbowl breakfast of eggs, blueberry pancakes, and something covered in salsa. I topped off that with a cup of steaming Joe. By lunchtime I had devoured a few brownies and had moved on to the more serious food… Peanut butter and blackberry jelly wedges with cinnamon apple tea. Finally, just as the lights were restored in the Superdome, I was beginning my final approach on stuffed red bell peppers with steak and rice and avocado wedges. I won’t mention all the other drinks I had; from the many glasses of water, to the ones with a little sugar, a lot of sugar and everything in between.  Currently I am wondering why my brain can not just say “no.” The Spirit is willing, but the flesh and definitely my desire for delicious food, is weak!   

With that thought in mind, here is what I am “Super” thankful for: the pending end to the cold days and nights and the beautiful springtime that is just around the corner.  Already I can see the telltale signs of what are to come; my lawns are beginning to green up just a little, the roses are in full bloom, and my car is a little warmer on the inside when I go to start it.  Already the increased urge to shoot down to the local Home Depot or nursery is hard to bear and I know I will find myself soon browsing aisle after aisle of Bougainvilleas, Hibiscus, and fertilizers to keep my gardens at their finest peak condition. Nonetheless one question does come to mind:

               “What will I finally clean up when I do my Spring Cleaning?”   

That question for me has everything to do with the physical as well as the emotional, financial, and mental.  There are no doubt cobwebs in my life that have amassed from my winter slumber; ones that will need a good cleaning and “opening of the windows” so to speak. The Spring Cleaning for me will be when I rekindle friendships from abroad; whether it is soaking up a spring training baseball game here in Az, or a quick weekend road trip to Disneyland with old friends (both on my list). It will be a time where I make plans for my summer, and where I will also plan to get caught up on my finances and set goals and expectations I want to see before the year is out. See, when I clean in this way, I know I have progressed areas of my life that were in great need of attention.    

Here is this week’s challenge; If you were to think about the “Spring Cleaning” you had to do, what is it that you would like to see happen?  Is it a diet that is long overdue?  Maybe you have the pressing need to finally pay off a debt or two that has haunted you for way too long, or maybe your spring chores are much like mine; your wish is to reconnect with somebody that you have missed for longer then you would like to admit. 

One thing I have learned with each sequential Spring Cleaning I have done; sometimes it is ok to close the books on something you hoped would come to pass, but never really took flight the way you thought it would.  That for me has been business ventures, relationships with great people I just lost touch with, or even trips to other places I will just have to wait a little longer for. Whatever it is, it’s ok, it was just not meant to be.   In the long run, I have been very blessed to have a few of those business ventures really take off and I was glad that I didn’t invest funds or time into companies or unnecessary vacations that would have only delayed where I am right now.  Be confident, it is ok to say “no”, and it is ok to go after those things which you really believe are meant for you!   

I wish you the best this spring, as you go after your personal cobwebs and freshen up your house!!  Make it great! 

-Lou

Swing Batter Swing!

The day was August, 3^rd, 1972. A Dominican boy by the name of Paul had just struck out on a miserable day; the mosquitoes were thicker than a fog, the sun sweltering.  His team had been trounced 17 times in a row, and today, Paul swung out for the very last time. He decided as he heard the smug almost sarcastic smack in the catchers glove from a ball that was “just inside” that this would be his last stand at the plate.  He was done.  Nothing before this season started, nothing during and for sure nothing now could be deemed as any good.  The summer started out fast and hot, the constant fights between his parents culminated in a crazy nightmare. The slamming of two doors; the front one to his home and the one of his mom’s car as she sped away. She might have thought that she was just speeding away from her problems but Paul wondered if she considered that she was speeding away from him, his one and only mamma. 

With only his feet to keep him going, Paul trudged to the nearby block wall, threw his gloves and hat over it, leaned back and closed his eyes.

            “Hey kid.”

Paul quickly opened his eyes, shocked that someone had spied out his moment he thought of as private.

            “Hey kid. Why you feeling so bummed out, just a strike out. Even the Babe had almost 1,900 strike outs in his career. Funny thing is that no one remembers those because he kept swinging.”

Keep swinging.  Life is so terrifically hard these days isn’t it? Today, I just want to affirm what everyone else is thinking.  Life is a challenge.  What do we do with that? 

In the story above, Paul decides to keep swinging.  He ends up becoming a professional baseball player, and ends up breaking the homerun record of 1999. Paul decided to keep swinging, did you?

In this world, we can only do one of two things, be a member of the audience, eating hot dogs, drinking in all the sights and sounds and watching the action happen before us or we can be a participant; actually suit up, and say proudly, “I want to be a part of this.”  

I have to tell you, that is the most exciting part of the game. When you decide to actually step up the batters box, and swing!  

We will always have moments when we go down, but the greatest parts of life are when we have realized that we went down swinging, there is no shame, and we can confidently say we did our best!

This is our one chance to go for it; I am going to tell you now, don’t waste it.  Just think of this, Would you rather be…

…someone who watches the action from a seat in the stands? Sure that is safe, but what part do you play in it?

Or do you want to be a part of the action, swing and hit, or swing and strike out, but for God sakes, swing!  Every time you choose to swing, you will learn something; whether you strike the ball for a grand slam, or you completely miss it… the fulfillment is that we swung! Sometimes, we’re just not meant to hit it.  

So today, swing, you never know… Enjoy your week!

-Lou

Let it Fade?

                                           

“Memory. It’s the diary that we all carry...with us.” –Oscar Wilde

A memory carries with it the strictest implication of something that in most cases lies exclusively in the past, that we can not ever go back to or experience again. It is as Oscar Wilde puts it, our life’s diary.   

Growing up in rural southwestern New Mexico, my earliest memories are of camping trips to the Gila River, Bill Evans (quite possibly the most desolate lake I have ever visited) and Lake Roberts. I remember floating down the river on inner tubes, later crashing through the water on ATV’s. I remember Bill Evans as the place where I once fell in, and the story about it grew to enormous proportions (I think it’s now to the point where I wrestled a sea snake as my dad and uncle tried to rescue me). I think of Lake Roberts and the time when I did a 360 (read doughnut) in my 1955 Chevy hot rod as I missed the turn off with a buddy that is no longer with us. (I still think of you all the time Mark) Memories; they drive us purposefully to Nostalgia Road, drop us off for a time, but always beckon us back much too soon.    

I was talking to a friend the other day as she was half re-telling half-crying stories from her high school days and “the one that got away.” For homecoming one year, her boyfriend had given her a homecoming sash that she kept for well over 15 years! They had actually broken up well before then, however the sash remained as a memento of a great memory they experienced together and the reason it was finally discarded albeit reluctantly, was due to that fact that it finally started falling apart piece by piece from sheer age.    That’s when it dawned on me; memories are a lot like that huh? We love to play the role of a nostalgic lover, thinking about our glory days; periods when we had the time of our lives. There in that seldom opened room in our mind, among the hanging dust and clatter are special trips with friends, old girlfriends, old boyfriends, buddy’s and people we will never see again, and feelings or emotions that we will never again quite recapture in the severity or vividness we seem to remember them. 

We can ponder those long-ago moments just like the majority of our world, and truth be told, there is nothing wrong with that, but let me throw a wrench into that kind of thinking. What if you chose to live a life full of purpose and intent that woke with the determination to create brilliant and distinct new memories rather than simply run the hamster wheel? I know and you know that life is much too short.  Do we want to spend even a portion of it sipping from a bottle begging the question, “Remember when?” or do we want to rev the engine a little, shout out to our partner or partners “Hop on!” and go make some new ones? I chose to rev the engine today, who wants to ride?     

“There is nothing sadder than a life lost that was lived with an abundance of regrets, and there are times when I wish I would have said yes more, than in which I said no.”

                                                                                                                        -Louis 

Liberty?

I am going to start off this week’s blog with a little story.  There was once a rich young man who lived in his father’s house and had all that he desired.  His father made sure that he had the finest clothes, the nicest car to drive, and every time the young man opened up the fridge, it was brimming with food. On the surface, it seemed that the young man had everything he could ever want but nonetheless, perhaps out of sheer boredom, the young man approached his father and said, “I need to strike out on my own.  Give me my inheritance now, and I will make a life for myself away from your home.  The only reason I seem to have everything is because of what you provide. I want to find out if I can do the very same thing on my own; make a career, and find success apart from you.” (You may think you know the story, but keep reading) 

So the father obliged, gave the young man his inheritance, and like a flash in his 2012 Mercedes, he was off to try and make his own mark on the world. 

I’ll stop there for a moment. Have we ever given serious though to what liberty really is? By its definition, Liberty is defined by Webster as freedom from captivity. It makes sense to believe then, that liberty is freedom from any one thing that wishes to hold us captive. When we formed the United States, it was to gain freedom from Britain. When we as individuals choose (that is going to be the key word) to have a certain liberty, whether it is overindulging  in certain unhealthy foods, choosing to light up a cigarette, or even pursue a certain lifestyle, we do so with freedom, knowing that it is well within our rights as Americans to do so accordingly.  Here is where it gets a little complicated and muddy. What if that freedom which originated as a choice was now a “forced” freedom that is perceived to be by some the overarching “healthier value” we should all adopt? Can that then still be considered freedom? 

The year is young, and I’m still pondering how to “Carpe Diem”; I find myself understanding that the quickest way to being confident of the decisions I make is to fully comprehend what words really mean vs. what I am force fed daily by those with hidden and sometimes well-intentioned agendas.  Freedom is a birthright here in America and if you believe in it, then you have to fully believe in it.  We can’t just cafeteria-style pick the freedoms we should have, then deny every other one we don’t agree with. Freedom is the very DNA of what our country is founded on, and is what gave us our strength, virtue and inspired other countries to follow suit.  We as a people love to say that we are accepting of different cultures and lifestyles, but in the same breath, wrongly pursue some of those cultures and lifestyles we may not understand. We as a people say we are proud of having freedom, and yet try to push “forced freedom” which is really not freedom at all, unto others. My deepest disappointment is that I truly feel the reason our world is such a mess, is because we have lost the ability to genuinely care for or acknowledge someone as an equal even though they are different. I guess for some, that’s okay though.  After all, freedom if it truly is freedom indeed should be without limits and that even includes those that choose to be closed minded to others who do not think like them.

Oh yes, the story of the young man who got his inheritance early? Turns out he didn’t do too badly. He opened his own investment firm, made a ton of dough, and gave almost all of it away to charity. See, even though he had everything he could ever want by “forced freedom,” True freedom was having the ability to choose it for himself.     

Free Your Mind!

Welcome to 2013! As you and I begin to step forward into the New Year, many thoughts race and clamor for attention. One question in particular lingers, “Where do I want to go in 2013?” I am sure that many of you may be thinking the very same thing. One thing undoubtedly sure is that for most of us (including myself), we had at least one regret in 2012 that we would like to take back. Personally, I don’t mind sharing; the one regret that I personally want to take back was the empty emotion of feeling like I had to apologize for holding the bar so high.  I have always been a competitor. Ever since I can remember, there has been something inside of me that has always pushed to get ahead.  If you are one these people, I am just as sure that others around you felt the same competitiveness within you and at times may have even felt very intimidated. It’s that intimidation that others felt while I tried to be my very best, that in 2012 way too many times, I felt like I almost had to apologize for. It was like a racer apologizing for going to fast, or a shooter apologizing for hitting the target too many times. 

This year, I would like to give us all permission to free our mind, and to write-off apologizing for attempting to be the very best we feel we can be.  I was recently reading a survey, and it said that over 80% of people will never reach their personal goals in life. I read it one of two ways; that 80% either chose to quit on their dreams, or they were reaching for the wrong dream.

Let me quickly explain that; in life, either we will quit trying, or we will live in a fantasy world, never achieving that which we truly want.  Authentic and real dreams are in that perfect balance of a life restrained and devoted, and a life that is in step with the needs of their environment.  In short, either we will let people sell us on the fact that our dreams are impossible, or we will live painfully unaware of how unrealistic our dreams really are. How do you know the difference?

The difference simply put is this: Does the focus make you look like a superstar? Or does it have a shared win with others in such a way that will create a powerful and influential positive impact when that goal is finally reached? Are you just trying to be the A-list celebrity, or do you want to leave a positive mark on the world? Chances are, if you are just looking to inflate yourself, you may be headed towards a very empty, dissapointing and shallow goal, good luck!   

 

In life, we have to have non-negotiables.  What that means is there are things that we are just not going to do. Becoming people of purpose, people of vision, people of goals achieved, and people of dreams becoming reality, is also knowing very clearly what our non-negotiables are.  It’s when we struggle with acting boldly on those non-negotiables that we find we most fall or fail. 

Here is to wishing you becoming the very best, at being able to say “No.”

-Lou