Motivational Monday!

So I am a big fan of schedules. 

If only you could look at my planner, you would understand.

I know some of you are the same way!

For me, if I have it written down as a plan, it's easier to follow through.

If it's in the schedule, it will happen.

If it isn't, then you never know what will happen!

I like to be scheduled.

So I have decided that I need more scheduled blog days!

All I really have is Pinteresting Tuesday... which I know you all just wait for every week ;]

So Monday from now on is going to be Motivation Monday!

I think with the start of the week we all have a rough time getting going.

So I plan on making Mondays a day you can come check in here and hopefully leave with a brighter outlook on the day, the week, and hopefully life! 

I will post motivational pictures, quotes, verses, stories, whatever motivates me, I would like to share with you! Hopefully you're all down with the plan!

Today it is a quote.

To me this can mean so many things!

It could mean we literally can focus on the aesthetics of life and making our surroundings beautiful.

It could mean we act with compassion, kindness, and love, therefore making our surroundings beautiful.

Or it could even mean that we choose to see the beautiful in everything, making our surroundings beautiful.

However you choose to take this, I encourage you to make everything around you beautiful.

Use some time this week to get in touch with your artistic side.

Maybe you could focus on thinking before you speak (I know it sounds crazy!) and only speaking words of encouragement and kindness. (I know this will be on my to-do list)

Or possibly you want to keep a journal of everything beautiful you see this week. Whether that is a person, an interaction your experience or observe, your surroundings, where you want to travel... The list could literally go on forever! 

I hope you get some motivation for your week with this!

Let me know what you think.

With Encouragement,

xo/Austin

Lovely.

Sometimes the world does a really good job at making us feel insignificant.

We feel like we aren't valuable.

Like we aren't good enough.

I know for girls especially we are expected to live up to the size 0, fake tanned, and well dressed super-models and actresses. 

Here is a song that gave me some perspective today.

We are made in God's image.

He thinks you're beautiful!

____________________________________________________________
Beautiful- PRo


Something like my maker
I say you the best
I know you can't see it all by yourself
But you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
'Cause God ain't made you like anybody else
Don't let nobody tell you that you anything less
'Cause you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, yeah

She check out her reflection in the mirror
But some reason,
She don't see that beauty is in the picture
Thinking her image flawed
'Cause he ain't made her like these models
Or her figure's a mistake, He only making Coke bottles
Naw, C-C-Coke bottles are plastic
Mannequins are plastic but you are fantastic
She don't believe it so it's driving her insane
This diet don't seem to work,she eating to ease the pain
The world tell her that somehow she doesn't matter besides,
The perfect girls live happily ever after.
No idea she been crafted by the master,
Uniquely in His image baby. That is no disaster!

Something like my maker
I say you the best
I know you can't see it all by yourself
But you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
'Cause God ain't made you like anybody else
Don't let nobody tell you that you anything less
'Cause you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, yeah

She begging for a hero
But villains is all she see though
Thinks she's less than other people, she is a size zero
Her ribs touching, not cuz of a lack of food
But after every meal, she heads to the bathroom
Stick her finger down her throat, thinking that will give her hope
If her weight will never grow, maybe they will love her more
On a journey to acceptance, 'cause she ain't been there before
She ain't perfect, and commercials do they best to let her know
But if she only knew who she was in God's view
Made his children with a purpose, girl and that includes you
Let this statement give you comfort boo, 'cause that includes truth
God is in love with you, you ain't gotta look far for proof.

Something like my maker
I say you the best
I know you can't see it all by yourself
But you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
'Cause God ain't made you like anybody else
Don't let nobody tell you that you anything less
'Cause you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, yeah

I wrote this for you, this is your song
You his baby doll, I know I ain't wrong
Beauty's from the creator, and it ain't measured in weight
You are great just how you are, I don't care what that TV say
Your DNA is complete, His artistry is in your genes
That don't make Him less creative 'cause you don't fit in them jeans
You ain't got a clue the way He see you, this planet is his canvas,
And you his Mona Lisa...

Something like my maker
I say you the best
I know you can't see it all by yourself
But you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful
'Cause God ain't made you like anybody else
Don't let nobody tell you that you anything less
'Cause you are beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, yeah
____________________________________________________________

Feel Beautiful, Be beautiful.

Love you Beauties!

xo/Austin

Beauty Tips.

Beauty tips; brought to you by a girl who could use some beauty in her life! 

I've lately been coming across some crazy awesome beauty tips that I feel like I should share!

(Also, I feel like I should try them. Maybe if I tell you I will, I actually will?)

One:

Teeth Whitening.

I think I shared this before, but I hadn't tried it yet.

I have been using this trick for the last 3 weeks, and I think it's working!

But my wise roommate did warn me not to let my teeth get too white, or it will take away from your eyes! Such a smart lady I live with!

I will keep you updated!

Two:

Skin treatments!

This site was a jackpot! 

I haven't tried any of these yet, but I really want to try the skim powered milk face wash!

Also, I really would like to try the moisturizing your skin with honey and olive oil.

{I have also read that 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of honey makes for great hair treatment!}

Three:

Nail Polish.

If you have an eye shadow that breaks and is essentially useless, mix it with clear nail polish and voila, you have a new nail polish color!

Four:

Hair Treatment.

Rub coconut milk into your hair, leave it for an hour or so, then rinse it out. 

It is supposed to help your hair grow long!

Five:

Nude Lips.

I am very into nude lip color, and they say MAC Frou is the color that looks good on anyone. 

Check it out!

Six:

Perfect the red lip.

I don't know about you, but I love red lip stick.

{Matt thinks I'm crazy}

This is apparently the way to make it look good!

Seven:

A New Braid!

I'm kind of a braid fanatic.

This, will be attempted ASAP. 

I hope it works.

I will let you know!

Eight:

The final and most important beauty secret is to be confident! No matter what your make up looks like, no matter how pretty your hair, if you don't feel beautiful, it will show.

Know you are beautiful! 

And rock it!

I Love you Beauties.

xo/Austin

You are Beautiful.

I don't know about you guys, but I love being told I'm pretty.

I'm pretty sure you do too.

What's not to like about it?

The point is that we love compliments.

For me, words of affirmation is my most prominent love language. I don't need people to tell me good job, or that I look nice, but it means the world when they do say these things.

Something I realized a couple years due to the help of my good friend, is how little we actually share words of affirmation with others.

How often do you walk around thinking, "oh that girl is really pretty" or "I love her makeup" or "I want her hair." I do all the time, and I know you do too.

Now I'm not saying be creepy.

But if you think to yourself, "hey, she has a very pretty face" or "I love how she puts together her outfits" TELL HER!

Why are we so shy to compliment people?

I don't know, but I know I keep a lot of compliments in my head.

Let's learn to share!

In my opinion, the saddest thing to see is a beautiful girl with zero confidence.

I know we sometimes get it in our heads that we are all against each other!

That we are competing for who can be the prettiest, skinniest, fittest, most stylish.

That's why we worry most about what other girls will think about us.

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I hear a girl say "I hate her, she's so skinny" or "I wish I had her body" 

The truth is, she works for what she has.

We don't need to "hate each other" or be jealous, we need to love them and tell them that we're proud!

Our job is not to lower their self esteem, but to build it up with words of encouragement.

And trust me, even the "prettiest" girls need to be affirmed.

Don't compare yourself to others.

Seek the individual, unique beauty that each one of us have and embrace it.

My challenge to you this week--and beyond if you have the guts--is to share these words of affirmation to the people you are thinking about!

Then share with me what you've told people.

Share the love, not the hate.

Love and Beauty,
xo/Austin

What Makes Your Mom a Mom?

I just got off the phone with one of my favorite women on this planet, my mom.

She is hilarious, sarcastic, beautiful, and the hardest worker I have ever met.

Some awesome mom examples:

When I was younger, kids would tell me "Your mom is so pretty!" I once told my mom... It's nice that they think that... but I don't know what to say. I am not going to say "thank you" because it isn't my compliment to take. Her response to this was to say something along the lines of, "Thank you, I am often told I look just like her." Point mom.

You know those annoying sports moms? The ones who sit in the stands and brag about their kid while bashing every other player during the whole game? My mom was never that mom. She was the one who stood by herself (often looking unfriendly and unapproachable) so she wouldn't have to listen to the gossip.

She has modeled confidence for me my whole life.

She is great.

But you know what makes my mom a mom?


Since I was a kid, she has always been able to break an apple into two pieces with her bare hands. It's like the hulk in mom form. And it is still cool to me after all these years.

That is what makes my mom a mom.

And that is the one thing I must master before I am to become a mom (some day way off in the distance).

Question: What does your mom do that "makes her your mom?"

Can't wait to hear!
xo|Austin