Looking back, money played a much bigger role than I realised at the time.

From early on, there was a strong focus on status, appearances, and being seen a certain way. Image mattered — often more than ease, generosity, or emotional warmth. There was always an effort to look like more than was actually there, to be associated with the right people, the right cars, the right impressions.

What stayed with me most wasn’t the money itself, but the way life felt around it. Everything was counted, tracked, questioned — even things that were my own. Decisions became careful, joy became conditional, and spontaneity slowly disappeared. Not because of necessity, but because of mindset.

Life had never felt like that before.

And it doesn’t feel like that now.

With distance, I see how quietly heavy it all was. A lack of ease. A lack of generosity — not just financially, but emotionally. Some people measure life in numbers. Others measure it in connection, kindness, and freedom.

Walking away wasn’t dramatic. It was clarifying.

Sometimes the greatest escapes aren’t loud — they’re gentle returns to yourself.

I see it now as a fortunate turning point.

A reminder of what truly matters — and what never did.