I can feel your emotions by reading this... great stuff... however, work is not everything [sounds so cliché, and who am I to chip in here now...?], but watch the movie "Click" with Adam Sandler and you'll understand... you don't want the clock to tick faster... you want to enjoy a life worth living. While on the one side shooting lower may be something to regret, but hey, if you would have taken that promotion, would you have had the time to sharpen your writing skills and build your Medium presence? You never know what saying no back then was good for until a few years later... I also let go of some great opportunities before in order to saveguard my sanity, my quality time with family and my life [-time]. Great read!!!