I did a small exhibit of art and photographs at an event. One of them involved two grasshoppers copulating with the caption: “Ode to the department of Human Resources: unemployment is more work than a job.” It is. You spend a lot of time and energy trying to take care of simple things like going to a doctor. It takes a lot more energy to try to put on exhibits when you do not have a bank account. The central problem, in so far as I can tell, is you cannot settle down and have a family.
I work very hard at the things I do, but I never get paid for any of them.
Let's talk about the successes:
Writing books and screenplays. I probably should not have written screenplays because Hollywood is not really my thing. Books are cheaper and easier to market. I lacked the financial foundation or social connections to do much with my literary endeavors, but the creative process was rewarding.
Exploring nature. Few people get to explore as many parks and enjoy as much outdoor recreation as I do. Going to a beach or exploring a wetland is as cheap as it gets. The exercise is healthy and relaxing.
Playing games in the community. Volunteering my time to play dungeons and dragons or connecting with others provided a very small social connection. Unfortunately, without a lot of extra money you do not make meaningful friendships. Ultimately, dating is out of the question- which is where the whole thing falls down. If you can do anything but fall in love, what is the actual point anyway?
Staying healthy. You have plenty of time to stay healthy. You have time to cook healthy meals and exercise. My healthiest meal uses no meat and I can it the leftovers for days. It's relatively inexpensive. I can spend as much time as I want exercising.
You can live a life of the mind. You can read and learn as much as you want. You can acquire any skill you want to. You can take up photography, drawing, creating art, writing, or learn languages or programming. I tend to find some skills, like languages or programming tend to fade away without economic reinforcement and require refreshment.
Ultimately though, I see no way to love.
Anyway, it is a lot of hard work and I don't think you will ever see anyone appreciate the efforts made to overcome marginalization with any amount of positive effort.
After 15 years of unemployment and economic exile, I do not have much to show for it other than my social and creative contributions, a relatively healthy body, and a strong mind.
The hardships are much more severe than people realize- especially the social isolation, the exclusion from the entire economy, and the difficulty of accessing routine medical care.