Want to pursue writing/remote work (I think)

Hi! I’m 30F. I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and am halfway done a second degree in criminology, for which I have been granted a leave of absence from my line of work to complete. I have worked in the railroad sector for almost ten years— shifts of roughly 80 hours over five days, during which I sometimes sleep less than ten hours total. Although I enjoy benefits (we sometimes get a week or more off between shifts) this line of work has been brutal, as I have bipolar 2 disorder which is heavily triggered by sleep deprivation(which I have received 50 rounds and counting of rTMS for). I am exhausted and find that even on my relatively generous time off, I’m just dreading my next shift. I have six months off beginning today to work on my studies, and I’m hoping to make some headway in another industry as well. My psychiatrist has advised me that if I am to continue in my line of work full time, my diagnosis could progress to Bipolar type 1 and I could lose some/most of my ability to work. I am a journalist/photographer and had some success last year before the magazine I worked for closed due to AI— I was flown out to various locations for press trips and wrote almost 50 articles based on interviews, field research, etc. I’ve tried to make some headway as a freelancer, but it’s extremely competitive and I’m wondering if I’m wasting my time by trying. I’m writing this from a hotel my company placed me in following two 20 hour shifts with a four hour break to sleep in between, I will be flown back to my hometown tomorrow and am trying to be excited about the 6 months I have ahead of me to study remotely and explore other options, but I’m so drained and honestly feel somewhat hopeless.

In short, I basically have six months of total freedom ahead of me— I have roughly $30k in savings, but no concrete income for this time. I also have 40k in student debt (interest free) and a 100k inheritance which I will receive sometime in 2026. I feel immense pressure to make this time count and find a line of work that will be more aligned with my disability. I plan to pursue a masters degree in 2027/2028, in either clinical psychology or social work. I am interested in anything creative— writing, photography, music, film, etc. I’m struggling a lot with feeling like I’m too old to pursue anything I’m passionate about as I spent most of my 20s dealing with mental illness. Another goal I have is to connect with people on a deeper level as I tend to move around a lot— I have been to over 70 countries in the past 10 years and hold dual Canadian and EU passports and am eligible for US as well. I have always struggled to make and hold friendships which I think drives my tendency to move around. I am starting to feel pressure when it comes to finding a partner/having children, though to be honest, this doesn’t particularly interest me. I’m really overwhelmed and struggling to feel free even though I know I should be grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given. Any advice helps.

Thank you guys in advance.