The rise of fascism, state repression, censorship, and disinformation has made it increasingly difficult for photographers, filmmakers, and storytellers to do their work in a way that truly allows them to thrive. The creative industries are also grappling with economic precarity, exploitative labor practices, and a culture of hyper-competition driven by social media metrics. Here’s how you can tend to your mental health while continuing to tell the stories that matter.

1. Ground Yourself in Community

Isolation fuels burnout, and the choice is yours to choose cooperation, inspiration and collaboration instead of competition. Build a community of peers, mentors, and collaborators who share your values and understand the emotional toll of storytelling work. Join collectives where you can access mentorship, shared opportunities, and emotional solidarity.

2. Set Boundaries with Media Consumption

Constant flows of traumatic news and violent imagery can be overwhelming to the nervous system. The aim is not to turn away and ignore the horrors being lived every day, but to maintain balance by focusing on stories that inspire resistance, joy, and solidarity.

3. Honor the Seasons of Rest

Creativity is cyclical. Allow yourself to step back when needed—whether for a walk in nature, a few days offline, or a deeper sabbatical. Rest is not a luxury; it’s a political act of defiance in a system that profits from burnout. Pro tip: We highly recommend building at least two days a week of no work, no emails, no editing.

4. Reconnect with Why You Started

Write a letter to your younger self, the one who first picked up a camera or a pen, dreaming of making a difference. Revisit the stories that first moved you to create or start a personal project just for yourself—like documenting the daily lives of your family, or a photo series on your neighborhood, free from external pressure. Let your passion anchor you.

5. Practice Joy as Resistance

Seek out stories of collective solutions, resilience, and cultural survival. Document joy, love, and connection—not to escape or ignore the world’s suffering, but to remember what we are fighting for and provide opportunities for our audiences to match values to action.

6. Create Without Perfectionism

The world doesn’t need flawless work—it needs honest, brave storytelling. Release the pressure to make every image or story a masterpiece. Give yourself permission to experiment, make mistakes, and learn.

7. Build Emotional Resilience Tools

Develop a toolbox: journaling, therapy, meditation, movement, creative rituals, or any practice that helps you process the emotional weight of your work. Let healing be part of your creative process.

8. Decolonize Your Lens

Examine how internalized colonial, capitalist, and patriarchal values may be shaping your approach. Learning to unlearn and listen deeply to the communities you document can be both humbling and healing.

9. Celebrate Small Wins

In a world that often measures success by metrics and virality, remember that impact is not always visible. Each story that resonates, each person who feels seen, is a victory. Celebrate these moments.

10. Remember, You’re Not Alone

You are part of a global lineage of storytellers, visionaries, and changemakers. When the world feels heavy, draw strength from those who came before you—and those rising alongside you.