This is a major obstacle for me, too. I know for sure I can never go back to what I used to do as I simply can't healthily function within most of the gov. and state operated systems as we're expected to do without ever speaking up when we see twisted shit happening.
If it weren't for my husband's generosity and my ability to scale my overall consumption lifestyle wayyyyyyyy back from what I was used to while working f/t and then some, I'm not sure what my situation would be like.
I'm also very limited by what smells I can tolerate, painfully knowing that what most folks consider to simply be "good hygiene" and a "clean and disinfected" space can take me down in an instant, even if it's only the smell of their laundry detergent on their clothes or shampoo someone used that morning. Unfortunately, I haven't found any positions calling for a "Canary in the Proverbial Coal Mine of Life" that pays anything. Just the opposite, usually, as they'd rather I just shut up, deal with it, and not harsh their preferred grooves with any info.
With the "customers are always right" mindset of most spaces, I'd never make it...even after having worked directly with people of all walks of life for most of my life...especially with all the contradictory things I've painfully learned and lived in the last 3 years from direct experience.
I tried going to the food service industry on a p/t basis to help a dear friend out at a local cafe, but I couldn't hang with having to smell/handle/prepare/serve/clean up after all the food items I no longer eat myself. And then there's people. Most of whom I can get along with just fine, even if only in passing, but there's always a few in a crew that can trip some major triggers and my filters don't seem to engage as soon as they should at times.
Tried doing farmer's market vending, but bodily pains and weather determine how well I can function, load and unload a truck, set up all the equipment and anchor it down, and maintain my energy flow throughout the day with no help to cover if I need to take a break and such, and they don't take too kindly to sporadically showing up once you commit.
My body pains travel and vary in their degree of intensity, so it's hard to commit to anything because I'm always afraid of letting someone down, which in turn, makes it so I'm constantly letting myself down by passing up opportunities. My mind thinks up of some grand plans, but the details and the processes show up and trip me up.
I thought of doing hula hoop parties for kids, even took some online classes and such, but I wouldn't be able to handle the smells of the grown ups bringing them and hosting the parties, and seeing kids being fed all the food-like things that got me hooked on the products and ingredients that made me so ill for so long would be way too overwhelming to handle over and over and over. Trying to figure a way to still spread the joy of the hoops without all the complications keeps me going.
I've thought of online sales for some of the crafty stuff I do, like the magnets, but that makes me feel a bit nauseous when I start reading the fine print, thinking of the shipping, thinking of the customers you can never please, especially trying to do so solely online, etc, so I'm thinking I should probably leave that alone. I'm trying to reduce screen time not create circumstances where I'll be even more chained to my damn chair and computer.
Luckily I can barter with some of the healing practitioners I visit by helping in the child care arena, sharing my brain machine thingy, help with pet and house sitting, gardening stuff, herbal stuff, cooking and prepping foods, offering hula hoops and lessons, etc., etc. and that gives me purpose and things to look forward to while also building skills as I'm able to lend a helping hand in arenas I wish to learn more about.
I also have to be very cautious of where I offer to volunteer based on the multiple chemical sensitivity issues, especially, but also sound and crowd issues. It feels like a kick in the gut to want to help and participate in so many things, but based on everyone else's choices of things that society deems normal and necessary, yet are very toxic to me (and them), I have to keep thinking of other ways to engage and act. As if my brain doesn't stay busy enough with all the other tornadic thoughts swirling around within a day.
Glad I feel at peace with nature and have my basic needs met, or I'd surely be f*cked, it seems. Not sure I'll ever again fit into the socially accepted/highly expected mold of what is considered gainful employment. It damn near killed me reaching the "successful" stages I did before, so perhaps that's the sign I needed to learn to steer clear as much as humanly possible.
