[Resume Review] 3 years of survival gigs + self-taught AI tools. How do I make this readable to recruiters?

Been on my own for a few years. No support structure, no safety net. Kept myself alive on odd jobs and random gigs — nothing organized, nothing that looks good on paper.

In between I've been self-teaching. AI tools, prompt engineering, some coding, staying current with what's actually happening in the space. Not claiming expert. But I understand how these tools work practically and I pick things up fast.

Lost my last gig. Savings gone. Haven't eaten today — not saying that for sympathy, just that's where the floor actually is.

Heading out tomorrow to figure next steps. Two honest questions before that:

1. How do you present scrappy, self-taught, figure-it-out experience to someone hiring in tech? Is there a framing that works or does it always read as a gap?

2. Anyone who came up without the clean path — what actually opened the first door?

Not looking for motivation. Looking for a map.