Not really life advice, but at least a way for you to start earning money from home using your skills to start your own business. Once you get enough experience doing what you do best, you can then build a catalog of projects completed and use it as part of your resume. I've also found that people who take a hobby and turn it into a business are usually happier.
I just started using this website
www.upwork.com to find people who can work from home doing my insurance work. It's a tedious process, yet I can find some do it as I need. I don't hire the cheapest person, but I don't hire the most expensive either. I look at people who have earned more than $10k, with at least a 95% good rating. Some people on my search lists have earned $100's of thousands by working independently.
BTW, this is also a good site for us small business owners looking for employees. There are tons of search options. I also search outside of the US for simple projects.
Good luck.