My Top Albums of 2011

These Albums brought a little cheer to my year. Give them a shot I guarantee you will love them as much as I do. Cheers to a great year of music for 2012!

 Big Time Rush- Elevate

 Maroon 5- Hands All Over

Parachute-The Way It Was

 The Cab-Symphony soldier

 Sleeping with Sirens- Let's Cheer To This

 Of Mice and Men- The Flood

We Came As Romans- Understanding What We Have Grown To Be

New year new you? or better you?

As the new year approaches the saying that usually comes to mind is New Year New Me. When I look at the statement I ask myself do I really need a NEW  me or a BETTER me. We as people are all unique and different and there is no reason to change that but is there room to grow? Absolutely! So this new year we all should focus on bettering ourselves not starting over! Write your goals down make a plan and take some action. Let this be your year to shine and to do all the things you have only ever talked about doing!


"Its now or never"


Austin

You Are Not Alone.

One of the hardest things we as humans go through is struggles with trust. Do we open our hearts to everyone assuming they wont hurt  it? Do we keep ourselves hidden to the point where if anyone even did try to find us it would be a waste of time? Trust is a new concept to me. as it probably is to a lot of us. see I always thought that trusting people was easy until I had my trust broken in the worstt way. But.....
There was two ways i could take it.

1. Hide away from the world. Make everyone resent me because of how unattractive i am to be around and never tell anyone anything. Hide in my own world to the point where i dont even know whats going on anymore.

2.  Trust in the person I am. Know that there is love all around me. Take a step back and look at the damage that has been caused and see how to make a positive out of it. Let myself trust again.



My situation is no better or worse than anyone else's. But I know I am not the only one going through problems. We all are and I just want everyone who has taken a second to read this that you are loved it is okay to lower your wall and let people in. It is not easy in any matter. But nothing in life is worth it unless you take a risk for it.

Take a chance just like I am everyday. We can do this together. You are not Alone.



Austin

Standing when you have fallen.

                  Today something happened that hasn't really happened before. Well it has but not like this. Today i was told that I was not trusted that I wasn't good enough for a specific task. Now yes this has happened before but not like this. when you are torn down to the bone and you get told your not good enough thats when the real pain, anger, sadness kick in. and for me thats what it did. Now there was two ways i could have handled this.


1. Blamed the person who told me wrong and say that it was his or her fault and not mine I know im good enough Blah Blah


2. Get really depressed about it and mope and maybe try and bounce back but probably not.


I think a lot of of us look at when someone tears us down. Do we blame them or do we blame ourselves. But what if instead of doing ether  of those. we just took it and said im going to prove them wrong and smiled. we control ourselves what we do that is the one for sure thing we can count on. If we lived by others opinions of us.no one would ever succeed in life. There will always be people to tell you cant or your not good enough to do something. But if you take a deep breath smile and say I am worth it and I will make them see i can do it. There Will be no stoping you




Stand up on your own feet


Austin

Live up to the words we have spoken.

For awhile now I something has been on my mind and I didn't really know how to put into words until I heard a song by We Came As Romans called what I wished i never had. It is not my place to judge others so I will judge myself. I was looking at all the blogs I have written and all the twitters facebooks ect. and I started asking myself am I living up to the words I have written or have spoken? Am I leading a life that I am proud of.  For the most part I try my best but then it hit me. I'm not perfect nor am I  better than anyone else. All I have are my attitude and my actions and those if I use them right can change lives. But the key phrase here is Not Perfect. I am learning that its okay to make mistakes and that mistakes are what makes me grow. The next time you think your not good enough or not perfect. look at yourself and tell yourself that its okay. Because in the end if you look at yourself and say im am trying my best and what I preach is how I act then you are on the right track. I am not perfect and that is 100 percent okay. 

We Came As Romans New album out next week the 13th go get it

Austin

Role Model:_____________

As of late inspiration has been hard to come around. I know this just not apply me just to me I see it all around. I see People not children not adults People struggling to get through there day to days. Today when I started writing this i was thinking about who i should write about and when no one came to mind I was kinda in awe. Does that mean that no one is inspiring me because my standards are to high? or maybe because I dont need to be inspired? But then as i started to really think about it A lot of people have inspired me lately like Kyle even or chelsea Cobb or Trevor Coe or Ryan and Ashley Belk. (that one might get me in trouble). You know who is a role model to me some one who stays the same person no matter what happens when people change or when circumstances change. They stay the same and really push harder for a better future. This world is harsh place where everyone only has one thing on there mind and that is to make it. Who knows maybe we will al make it, maybe we wont. But I promise you this I will fight till I no longer can breathe to make everything I want for me and my family a reality. So the next time you need to be inspired look around you Inspiration is everywhere. 


Austin

Crazy Stupid Love

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing a movie that i thought it was going to be just another movie that made me laugh a little and have me. walking out feeling a little happy but instead it made me laugh cry an beg for more. Things will always be tough bu in the end love is real. Instead of me writing about it i will let you see for yourselves!!




Austin

Red Light Green Light

In our everyday life we drive our cars and our stopped by traffic lights. and sometimes during our day we hit those red lights when were really busy or in a hurry and aren't quite sure why we hit that red light. Now what if we compared our life with stop lights. Like every time we hit a problem or something we dont agree with  a red light if you will. What if it was for a reason. A reason being you were meant to go another direction or wait a little longer to make sure the choices you are making are clear or just so your not hurt by the thing that is coming up? When we hit red lights in life they last for a little while but you know what  a green always follows, Always. and when we try and cut corners and speed threw those red lights there is always a consequence. The consequence is never worth it.  So the next time your stuck at that red light,  what if it is for a reason? A good reason. Because dont forget the Green light always comes after the red.




Austin

Invisible Children Update

So I suppose it is about that time where I tell the world about me and  invisible children. I have NOT been accepted to be a roadie for fall 2011. MY story although does not start with rejection instead its starts with a new outlook on life. A couple of weeks ago I started thinking about me leaving for 5 months to fight for kids who can not fight for themselves. But then I was thinking about all the things that I would be leaving at home behind. Family, school, opportunities, to help people here and I started weighing  the options. Every time I did this I realized I was meant to be at home. Now this was already my choice before I knew if I had been accepted or not. I started putting new things in perspective instead of just my wants. I know now I am meant to be at home and make things right and I will. I also found I can make a huge difference  right here from home we all can in fact. The moral of this story is when things don't seem to workout that there is another plan for you. Even when what you want seems so right sometimes its not and the things you never thought were meant for you are truly for you. Never loose hope and always keep growing. And if your thinking that this is the end for me helping people this is only the beginning. I will not stop until i have helped everyone I possibly can!

"We need to fix ourselves and make right all our mistakes. It's all we can do, it's all I can do so I ask will you?"- We Came AS Romans

Austin 

Clouds

When we look at our lives we look at the positives and the negatives. what we want and what we don't want. When we look at things we want like goals we want to achieve or places we want to go are we ever to impatient to wait for them which causes us to make bad choices?  I use the metaphor clouds for this reason on a stormy day all we see are clouds no sun no brightness no spark to light up our days. But as we wait as we learn as we grow the clouds disappear and what we wanted was right there waiting for us. When you wait and let yourself grow the things you wanted  most come with time. The next time you want  something so bad you can't stand it. Be patient relax, take the steps you know you  have to take and your bright horizon will come. Clouds will come and go but a sunshine could last a lifetime.


"Tonight, when i look into the sky i know this is why i am alive"




Austin

Change

For the past couple of days I have been sick and it has put me in the most critical mood I have ever been in. By this I mean I was looking at life and feeling kinda good and kinda bad. I was thinking about my town now and how I will be moving in the next few weeks, I thought of all the positives things that will come of this move. New places, new people, new life. I was also thinking about people friends and how some I used to be close with. I got upset I got sad. but then I realized that no matter what I do no matter how hard I try to stop things from happening. Things will, are, going to CHANGE. Nobody can stop it some changes are going to be for the better some will be for the worse but its how you react to them that counts. I know I am going to CHANGE this world and the sooner I understand what I need to do the sooner I will get to my destination. I encourage all to allow CHANGE to happen and to grow with it because it is going to happen wether you like it or not. Be positive about it and not only will good things come but growth will come as well.


“The key to change... is to let go of fear.”


Austin

YES

How often do we make excuses for things we might not want to do or might be to lazy to do. how many times do we use the word NO instead of the word YES. The word yes is such a powerful word and when we use it things we may never thought would have happened, happen. Instead of making excuses and making up a ton of reasons why we cant do things what if we just said yes? To go along with us when things don't go are way and we blame everyone and everything but ourselves for not just saying yes.WHat if outcomes could have been different by saying yes wouldn't it be worth it just to say yes? I think so.  Yes is such a powerful word lets put it into our vocabulary a little bit more and watch the positive results roll through!

Austin

Stay True Stay You

When we look in the mirror we see ourselves but is that all we see? In today's world we are constantly pressured by family friends the media to be the person they all see they want us to be. Especially for kids, We look who has the most money who has the best clothes or who has the best athletic talent want to be just like them so we change us. We take away what was so special about us to begin with, and some people travel so far down that road that they never come back.The person they were the person they were, born to be gets lost.  The people who sand up tall and say they are going to be themselves regardless of what anyone or anything says those are the people who accomplish there goals and achieve what they want. They don't give in.  Stay true to you no matter what the situation your in never loose sight of you are and what you really value. It's more important than you will ever know. Stay True Stay You.


AUSTIN

Memories

(PHOTO MYSELF AND GUS 2009)


I was having one of those conversations with a very close friend that really makes you think. We were talking about our past and how we used to hang out with really big artists before they became big. or how we used to go to las vegas and just mess up everything up. All the girls we used to date and just how happy we were. Now years later here we are in the real world. Yes we have an amazing past, but what about our future? What I realized is that I can use those amazing memories I have of the past to influence my future to make even more memories with him and all the people all I love. Your past does not define you. It guides you in the right direction if you learn form it. The memories I have with my dear friend Gus I will never forget all the good the bad and the ugly. I also know that we will use our memories and our past to guide our futures into the best possible outcomes we can. I hope that we can all realize that those good memories will stay with us forever and all the mistakes we made will put us on a better path for the future. 


We all have a past. We all have a future. Lets learn from the past and keep those special memories and look forward to the amazing future ahead! We can all do it!! 




Austin

Never Give Up

Oh so often we as humans try to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We think everything bad happens to us because of something we did. Its our fault. But no matter what happens its all on how you take it in. you don't change and lose that spark that was you to begin with. Wether it be school or relationships or work you have to stay strong. stay true to you because once you change to the demands of what everyone else wants that is when you truly loose the spark that is you. Never give up who you are even when the world seems to be throwing everything on you that is when you are challenged most to be you and stay true. And when you finally realize that not every bad thing  isn't your fault and stay true to you. you have truly won the battle.


Austin

Perseverance

We all have goals. long term endeavors that we start, but how many of us actually finish those goals? A personal story something that I have always struggled with is my body but about four months ago I took the challenge to change that and it is going quite well. Have there been hard times? of course. But that doesn't mean I can give up. When you start the road in front of you never give up. Some steps to take to ensure success and to help you never give up on your goals!


-Have a positive attitude
-Get a Success coach
-Right all your goals down
-Stay on the path


When we see the road in front of us. Instead of walking down it, sprint down it make, it yours. The result is so much more rewarding when you put your full heart into it and never give up!


Austin

Words

Words are more powerful than any of us could ever imagine. Peoples days, lives change with words. During the day are we using encouraging words or words to help? DO we bring people up when they need it? A friend of mine today opened up to me like no other and words were all it took for me to understand that they were in heartache. People struggle all the time but don't ever voice there problems. In the end it leads to destruction. I encourage everyone to open your hearts, and minds and let your words out wether they be positive quotes or telling your friend you had a tough day and need a hug. Whatever it may be use your words use them for the better, for change.  To help someone. Lets change this world not only though our actions, but words as well!


Austin

What do I want?

When we wake up in the morning do we wake up knowing that the day is going to be filled with things we want to do? or things we have to do? or things we are being forced to do? When we go to our jobs is it the job we really want to be doing? or is it the job we think we have to do? Now  a lot of us would answer we need the money so we have to work the job we don't like. But what steps are we taking to get to the job we really want. These questions can be applied in every part of our lives. School, relationships, family all of it. I guess the moral of this blog is that you only get one life. One chino to leave your mark. Stand up for what you want and if it takes some steps getting there, take them. Don't be afraid to risk it all because the result is worth the risk.

" One life. One Chance. Live it all the way."

Austin

Invisible Children

They say when you can't get something off your heart or mind you have to run with it. You have to embrace it and use it for a greater good. Well as of late my cause has been Invisible Children. It started when one man decided to take some time off from college and go to Africa with a couple friends and when he saw what was going on down, a new  love and a new passion was struck. To help save the kids who were being abducted and forced to be child soldiers under the hand of a man named Joseph Kony. From then on out came Invisible Children. A cause to help kids in Africa. A cause to give hope to those who have none. A cause that would bring light to a very dark place. My goal is to be apart of this amazing organization as a roadie I want to make an even huger difference then I already am now. Go for your goals and for your dreams' and we can all make a difference. What I gave you was a very short part of the story. Learn more here and lets change africa!!!!

http://www2.invisiblechildren.com/about

Austin

Role Model: Bethany Hamilton

We are all on the path to greatness but to get there one must be motivated, dedicated, but most of all inspired. There are many ways to get inspired, but I like most of us look up to someone. I look up to Bethany Hamilton, after seeing her film Soul Surfer I was touched emotionally like I had never been before she has one arm and instead of sitting around crying about she trusted god and knew that there was a plan and trust me there was a plan. She has now affected millions of people to reach for the stars and not let anything hold you back she inspired numerous kids who have also lost a limb in one way or another and she has also inspired me to go for my dreams of helping the planet because of bethany and a lot of praying I have started a journey with invisible children that i hope becomes a huge reality for me. Bethany with one arm surfs today.

we all have greatness deep down inside of us and for me role models help me bring it out who or what inspires you?

"I dont need easy. I just need possible"

Austin

Love

When we think of love it might just be a hug or a kiss. But what in vision  it to be is so much more I in vision it as us as a passionate generation helping one another but in more in than just a hug and a kiss a generation who accepts people for who they are and instead of putting them down, pumps them up and helps them learn from there mistakes. but also at the same time we grow with each other. Times are tough that doesn't mean anything love is stronger than anything out there we can turn this around.

Austin

Soul Surfer

This Is my First Blog Post so it deserves to be a giant one! My girlfriend Kept begging me to go see this movie but i just kept saying no so finally i gave in and it was mind blowing  how a girl who was just doing her thing how it turned into so much more. There was a line in the movie that really kinda stuck out to me it was when they were saying how we look at things so close we miss the big picture and for our soul surfer it took a trip to thailand to realize the big picture. She has inspired a generation to go for there dreams surfing might have been her passion but now as she even said LOVE has an even greater impact and is now her passion i take example from her i hope we all do. The bigger Picture is waiting we just have to see it.

Austin