Jane — I love your enthusiasm and your Firestarter energy. I can tell you have a ton of ideas and ambition and drive, which is fantastic. I don’t blame you for feeling so stuck and miserable in your current job — it definitely sounds like your boss is making it a place that’s not at all conducive to being a Firestarter.
While I obviously can’t know for sure which option is best for you (since everyone is so incredibly unique, and there are so many factors that go into any decision), I do have a big question for you to consider before you decide.
Since it’s clear that you’re on the path to starting your own business (and that business idea may grow/evolve over time, which is totally normal), my question for you is, what’s the best environment for you to start this business? Any of the options that you listed above will cause stress — if you quit now, you’ll feel financial stress. And if you stick around for 6 months or more, you’ll keep having all of your current stressors that come with your job. Does one of those feel more manageable than the other? Will one of those options kill or fuel your creative spirit more than the other? Is there a way of mitigating the stress for either option, like getting a part-time job or doing some consulting work if you quit, or creating some stricter boundaries around your time with your boss (even if he doesn’t like it)?
Hopefully those questions will get you thinking about your options in a slightly different way and might make your decision clearer!