This is probably an odd answer to your question, but I firmly believe it would open all kinds of doors for you.
If I were you and could I would be looking for jobs possible outside NY that would put skills in your mental toolbox for a couple of yrs. Someone I know first worked at a greenhouse at a grocery store, moved to working in their produce department, then jump into an out of state lower paying vegetable farm job that provided free housing and vegs to eat, From there they have moved into other jobs, mostly with free housing, that help them built their skills: Carpentry work, greenhouse work, farm work both animal and produce, herb jobs, every some fun jobs that just interested them, and only lasted a short time, and the list goes on. Now five years down the road they have a ton of skills and many friends with like interest that they have kept in contact with. It is hard to show, but hopefully you can see the built up of skills that then lets you get the next job at a higher/different level of learning. When and if my friend ever chooses to start her own place, she is no longer starting from scratch, because she not only has yrs of experience, but she has learned things that work and don't work on other places without having to pay out the hard way for learning.
If you choose to go down this route, please really, really check out the places that you are applying for. You need to get references, talk to others who have worked there, visit if you can. A lot of this kind of work is seasonal and you need to actively be working on where you are going next long before the time to move arrives. But you can also schedule mini vacations or visits home between jobs if that interests you.
No way can I guarantee that you will find a life partner this way, or that every job will be perfect and not have that impossible boss, coworker, or situation. But the blessing side is you can keep the job time frames short enough to know there is an end in sight, and always apply to go back again for another season if it is a great fit. The biggest blessing I have seen watching someone actually do this is the net work of friends that are willing to be there for them both in hands on ways and in just verbal support, plus the actual skills now on their resume.
Just my two cents worth. On to be young again, lol Nope, I am who I am with all the knocks of hard learning.