@synesthesia, it is a smart decision on your side to get a steady source of income (even if the job is not super exciting) to get you by. Still, look at all the perks you got during your short time here on Steemit! Like you said, you did (and still do) better than the big majority of authors here, and I am sure that with a bit of time and patience you can get back to the level you were and even continue growing further.
By the way, it's not only you that is in this situation: Steemit seems to be in a bit of a slump for the past few weeks. Many of us have experienced a considerable reduction on the rewards we have been getting for our posts (I am also getting only a few bucks now on the kind of posts that earned well before). I think it is partly because of the uncertainty in the crypto market at the moment.
Just hang in there! And good luck :-)