The r/awesome online community is practically ancient by internet standards. It was first created on Reddit way back in the middle of March in 2008. Over its nearly 16 years of existence, the subreddit has grown by leaps and bounds. At the time of writing, over 1.2 million internet users call themselves members of the group.
The moderator team running the whole show has just two rules. They’re both fairly simple. The first one is that you shouldn’t be posting any indecent content. The second one asks redditors to try not to post screenshots.
#4 This Parrot Got A Second Chance At Life After Getting New Prosthetic Beak
#6 This Rare, Vibrant Heirloom Corn Is The Work Of A Dust Bowl Farmer With Cherokee Roots
The subreddit touches on a lot of important topics with the help of some truly powerful photos. You start thinking about what a good life—one that’s worth living—looks like. You consider what it would take for you to create art as powerful as that from some of the people in the images. And you wonder what your relationship with nature is currently like… and what it should be like in the future.
Living a good life, at its core, means living purposefully. What your exact purpose is will depend entirely on your character, goals, values, and aspirations. Some people feel a calling to travel, be entrepreneurs, or dedicate themselves to creating art in all of its forms. Others give themselves entirely to their family, aim to save the world, or want to leave behind a legacy of generosity.
#7 Decided To Surprise My Neighbours For Their Friendship With A Portrait Of Their Cat
Whatever your particular purpose in life might be, some things are fundamental when it comes to living well. First of all, you have to cover your basic needs like eating well, getting plenty of exercise throughout the week, and getting plenty of rest. But something that people forget about is that human beings are hardwired to be social.
So a quality life will inevitably involve lots of in-depth socializing with the people we care about. The positive relationships we foster make us resilient to the stresses of life. They make us happier, healthier, and help us live longer.
In a similar vein, if we’re socially isolated, our risk of developing life-threatening diseases increases dramatically. Social isolation and loneliness are toxic to our bodies and minds. Being kind to others, caring about your community, and authentically investing in your social network isn’t just ‘the right thing to do’—there are very practical benefits to behaving altruistically and opening ourselves up to connecting to others.
#15 A Train Carved From The Tip Of A Pencil. (Artist: Cindy Chinn)
How we choose to deepen our relationships with those around us is up to every one of us. It might mean recognizing that we’re workaholics. So, we strive to create a healthier work-life balance and enforce more boundaries at our jobs, to spend more time with our family and friends.
It might mean taking some time every week to volunteer and help the less fortunate or aid a cause we deeply believe in. Like focusing on environmentalism and conservation to protect the beautiful views in some of the photos shared on r/awesome. Or we might admit to ourselves a harsh truth: that we do not have the social life that we want and that we need to put in the effort to make (new) friends.
#19 A Snow Leopard In Its Natural Habitat At Spiti Valley, India Appears Flawlessly Camouflaged, Effortlessly Blending Into The Surrounding Environment
