Time

The cost of financial gain is usually time, and nothing has made me appreciate my time more than working long hours.

Managing my time, and deciding where it is spent, has become important in a way it wasn't before. I don't like wasting it on things that don't really matter. Not everything needs to be productive, but I'm a lot more selective about what and who I choose to spend my time on.

The things and people I spend time on matter more now. If someone important to me is free and I wasn't doing anything important, I'll change my plans. If I'm bedrotting and it's between Netflix or calling a friend, I'll call the friend. If I can either upskill or play a game, I'll usually upskill. If it's between going to the club or doing a lil gathering with friends, the answer is obvious.

It's not about cutting out enjoyment entirely. It's just about what gets prioritised now.

There's less room for drifting into things just because they fill time. Earlier on, time felt more available. Now it doesn't, and that changes how I tend to spend my days.

It also changes how I commit. If something is worth doing, I do it. If it isn't, I don't.

Not everything gets treated equally. Not every invitation gets a yes. Not every moment of boredom needs filling. Some things don't make the cut as often as they used to.