My story has a happy ending (so far lol). Around 12 years ago I had to stop working (I was a financial advisor), as my childhood epilepsy, which had always been controlled with medication, decided to come back for no reason. Went up to several seizures per day, randomly... I'd go blank, forget where I was, what I was doing etc... so I could't do anything.
Over the following ten years or so I tried working a couple of times, once for my brothers business doing office work, which I tried for a year but my doctors told me to stop... as It was affecting my health (stress, concentration etc makes my brain turn to sludge and brings on a state of confusion. I'm basically useless at anything I have to think for lol). So I stopped that and went back to sitting on my arse watching TV all day.
Few years later I started doing oil paintings as a hobby (it didn't affect my epilepsy, and I could 'walk away' if I felt my brain grinding to a halt) eventually I did a few for family and friends, sold a few.. did a couple of portraits for people... but it never took off in the way that I wanted.... so back to the couch and the TV it was lol
Then a couple of years ago I did a custom figure for myself... and started getting emails from people wanting me to do similar things for them. Fast forward two years and this 'therapeutic hobby' has built up to an 18 month waiting list... and for the first time (in my life) I'm now officially registered as self employed as a scultper/painter
woohoo!
Not only exciting because I'm my own boss, but also because I'm working... bringing in my own money... contributing to the household money pot, and generally feeling useful again!
so now, the custom work you see on this forum and my blog, is
officially what I do for a living