I can resonate with you 100%. My position was cut in Sept 2020. I was the lead planner for the 30×30 Initiative for the State of Hawaii. It was mostly related to funding shortages due to COVID, but the administrators also felt they were able to run with my plans and work I’d done and could cut me from the payroll. To be honest, the job was beyond stressful and I was making myself sick, yet while I knew it was a blessing in disguise it still hurt and I was mourning a career in conservation. After a year of interviewing with no luck, and mostly finding positions that sound cool, but don’t pay anything near what I am worth I’ve decided I need to take the plunge and start my own business. Just thinking and planning and learning has me more excited than I was in any other position, so while I’m still in the early stages, I’m really excited to be here.