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