I'm still in the mode of "Bangers only" for Instagram at least. I want to share my best work there and I don't want to succumb to the dumb trend of low-effort iphone videos for engagement. I am a photographer/videographer so I want to share the highest quality work I possibly can.
But yes literally! I start my day with exercise (sometimes gym, sometimes climb a mountain with skis on my back), then send some emails/edit (depending on where I am in a project), the cats never leave me alone so always that a little bit, and then we wind down with Netflix/games!
For me, my camera is part of experiencing a place. I genuinely love photography, and figuring out how to frame and capture a scene is one of the things that makes me happiest. I don't stress about "seeing it with my eyes" vs through the viewfinder because I'm living my life to the fullest regardless.
My personal preference is to keep all my gear in my backpack (I use a Shimoda 50L), so that even if my suitcase gets lost I still have my cameras. I can buy new shoes/clothes no matter where I'm going, but a replacement for a Sony 100-400 is a little harder to come by.
You need to find a way to tell the story in a way that matters to people who aren't connected to the issue. Explain why this affects them and why they should care/do something about it. It's not always easy to find that thread, but it's mandatory in my opinion.
As for the storytelling, that's complicated and subject dependent, but the most important part is to make it relatable. Your average person knows that polar bears are endangered, but why should someone living in Chicago care about a bear 3,000 miles away?
I think the easiest way to get in is to volunteer your time and photography skills. Lots of conservation orgs are in dire need of photo/video and are desperately low on funds, so donating your photos is a huge help vs trying to pitch them to fund your trip.