Representing yourself can be very difficult. If you can afford to hire a lawyer, it is usually best to do so. Many lawyers will make payment arrangements if you cannot afford their regular hourly fees. Some will agree to represent you for part of your case, which is called "limited-scope representation," if you cannot afford representation for your whole case.
You can find a State Bar-certified lawyer referral service in your county through the Lawyer Referral Services Program (LRS) of The State Bar of California.
If you cannot afford to pay anything for legal services, you might consider asking the court to appoint a lawyer for you. There is no constitutional right to free legal representation in civil cases in federal court, and the court usually does not appoint lawyers. To learn about how to ask the court to appoint a lawyer, you should make an appointment with the legal help center at the court.