"When you live in alignment with your values, you cause yourself as little suffering as possible in the long term. And that one just always sticks with me because it's really challenging in the short term. But if you have faith in your values and who you are and how you want to show up in the world, then ultimately you're creating a path that's going to serve you for the long term." — Jon Bregel

What happens when the thing you love most… starts breaking you?

In this episode, Rain sits down with cinematographer, founder of Variable, and career/life coach for filmmakers, Jon Bregel, to unpack a reality most creatives don’t talk about enough: burnout.

After years of success in the film industry, Jon hit a breaking point that forced him to reevaluate everything—his career, his identity, and the story he was telling himself. That journey led him to create The Nourish Community, a space designed specifically to support the mental and emotional health of filmmakers.

This conversation goes beyond tactics. It’s about identity, purpose, and how to build a creative life that actually sustains you, instead of slowly draining you.

If you’re a filmmaker, creator, or entrepreneur feeling the pressure… this one hits close to home.

In this episode, you will learn to:

Recognize the early warning signs of creative burnout before it becomes a crisis
Use core values as a practical decision-making compass
Understand the difference between a life coach and a therapist and why creatives may need both for different reasons
Reframe career plateaus, pivots, and rest as seasons of inner growth rather than signs of failure
Build or seek out real community as a creative and understand why that distinction changes everything

Follow Jon Bregel:

Website → https://www.nourishcommunity.co

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jonbregel

Production Company → Variable (New York City)

Film Referenced: The Baltimorons — directed by J. Duplass, starring Michael Strassner (cinematography by Jon Bregel)

And, for more storytelling tips and strategies, visit:

Website → https://rainbennett.com

Podcast → https://thestorytellinglabpodcast.com

Or follow along at:

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@chiefstorytellingofficer

Twitter/X → https://twitter.com/rainbennett

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rainbennett

Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/thestorytellinglab

YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@RainBennett

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The One Thing Every Storyteller Misses About Their Audience with Jon Bregel