Impact

2015 BN FAVORITE SOUL IMPACT STORIES NOW

by Antti Pietikäinen. Northern Lights.

Check out some of the most impactful moments from 2015 that were featured on BN. We’re featuring 10 of our favorite posts that empower, inspire, and create change.

1. MAGNIFICENT SELFIES WITH SOUL NOW

Selfies are a celebration of the Beautiful Self. Whether they are merely snapshots, capturing the look-at-me-now moments in life, or they are more carefully considered and composed, they are windows into our souls. They tell so much about who we are, by showing where we are and how we are reacting to what is around us.

Today, we are featuring two photographers who have seriously considered their backgrounds and poses. They are soulful self portraits of both person and place.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: MAGNIFICENT SELFIES WITH SOUL NOW.

2. NEW BEAUTY HAPPENING IN FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW NOW

Footprints in the snow can be beautiful. They can be poetic… they can be telling. Today we are sharing some new discoveries, new creations, as well as just a couple of old favorites, so get ready to enjoy and marvel at Beautiful Footprints in the Snow.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: NEW BEAUTY HAPPENING IN FOOTPRINTS IN THE SNOW NOW.

3. OCEAN HOPE SPOTS ARE BEAUTIFUL & GROWING NOW

If you enjoy breathing, you’ll want to read this.

Renowned marine biologist, oceanographer, and activist Dr. Sylvia Earle points out that most of our oxygen comes from small organisms that make up the plankton in the sea. Oceans are what make our planet habitable. They affect the weather, chemistry, food, and air supply that sustains all life.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: OCEAN HOPE SPOTS ARE BEAUTIFUL & GROWING NOW.

4. BEAUTIFULLY LIVING ON THE EDGE NOW

Edges are thrilling places to live and visit. Beyond the exceptional views they offer, they are inherently powerful, both physically and spiritually. Today, we’re visiting some of the most beautiful places on Beautiful Edges happening right now. They will rock your soul.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: BEAUTIFULLY LIVING ON THE EDGE NOW.

5. BEAUTIFUL RESCUES CAN RESCUE YOU NOW

One of the most beautiful things about a rescue, is that it has an amazing impact on both the rescue-ee and the rescuer. It is certainly true for pet rescues. Check out these incredible stories and images of some of the most wonderful rescues we’ve found today.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: BEAUTIFUL RESCUES CAN RESCUE YOU NOW.

6. A TOTALLY NEW KIND OF BEAUTIFUL CLOUD NOW!

While there are just 10 major types of clouds in our atmosphere, there are about 80 sub-types. You’ve probably seen many, either in person or in photos. But there’s one you probably haven’t seen -- a new kind of cloud.

Originally discovered in Iowa, in 2005, by members of the Cloud Appreciation Society (CAS), this new cloud was named Undulatus Asperatus, by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, CAS founder.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: A TOTALLY NEW KIND OF BEAUTIFUL CLOUD NOW!

7. ART, DESIGN, & HEART SETS PEOPLE FREE NOW

DONNA KARAN’S URBAN ZEN

There is nothing more beautiful than having the freedom to make our own choices. For artisans in developing countries, oppressive poverty restricts them from having that freedom.

Urban Zen, founded by Donna Karan, is empowering these artisans by giving them the opportunity to sell their goods to a larger, international audience, giving them both creative and economic freedom.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: ART, DESIGN, & HEART SETS PEOPLE FREE NOW.

8. THE BEAUTY OF SLOW ICE NOW

We checked out the beauty of some of the largest slow-moving things on Earth, glaciers. We know they are in danger, and that puts us in danger. We need to take action to preserve their Slow Beauty now.

Glaciers are giant rivers of ice, which flow so slowly that you can only see them moving if you watch them in extreme time lapse. Despite their lack of speed, they have incredible power, as they sculpt mountains, carve out valleys, and help to regulate our planet’s climate.

Many of our planet’s key glaciers are in an irreversible retreat due to global warming.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: THE BEAUTY OF SLOW ICE NOW.

9. BEAUTIFUL & VULNERABLE -- CUBA IS SAVING ITSELF NOW

Cuba is famous for its cigars, rum, jazz, and politics, but one of its most precious assets is not famous at all -- and that is precisely what has made it so valuable.

Cuba is an ecological jewel. It got the nickname, “Accidental Eden,” because of the unexpected positive effects of the US trade embargo -- The country’s ecosystems have been relatively unmolested by tourists and industry.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: BEAUTIFUL & VULNERABLE -- CUBA IS SAVING ITSELF NOW.

10. SAVING BEAUTIFUL FORESTS NOW

NATIONAL FOREST FOUNDATION

Beauty is in danger. Many forces, from human contribution to natural disaster can take it down. Forests, among the most beautiful things on Earth, are a prime example.

The National Forest Foundation aims to protect and preserve the beauty of forests in the United States. Founded in 1993, it unites local communities to support its mission.

See more amazing images and read more in this BN Daily Fix: SAVING BEAUTIFUL FORESTS NOW.

Want more stories like this? Sign up for our weekly BN Newsletter, Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr. Join our BeautifulNow Community and connect with the most beautiful things happening in the world right now!

Do you have amazing photos? Enter them in this week’s BN Photo Competition. We run new creative competitions every week! Now, it’s even easier to enter with the new BeautifulNow App!

Plus check out the rest of our App’s beautiful features. It’s free to download here.

IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: by Antti Pietikäinen. Northern Lights.
Image: by Antti Pietikainen. Harry Potter & The Northern Lights.
Image: by Alan Watson. Bears and Tracks In The Snow.
Image: Courtesy of Mission Blue. Seal Swimming.
Image: by Marco Markovich / Boda de Cine Photography. The Swallow’s Nest.
Image: by Cameron Bloom. Penguin Bloom the Magpie.
Image: by Maxime Raynal. Étrange Nuage.
Image: Courtesy of Urban Zen and Donna Karan. The Journey.
Image: Courtesy of Rainbow Tours. Glacier Waterfalls.
Image: by Francisco Puertas. Ciénaga de Zapata.
Image: by Ed Bernik. Tidioute Island. 1st Place Winner in the National Forest Foundation Faces and Places of Wilderness Photo Contest.
Image: by Alex Stoddard. Swallowed Up.
Image: Courtesy of National Forests Foundation.
Image: by BN App - Download now!
Image: by Caroline S. Rogers. Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region. Hawksbill Sea Turtle/ Carey de Concha.