OMG Nayru, I'm actually so relieved to hear my words back then encouraged you - I was lowkey worried I had overstepped and said too much!
Admittedly, your own announcement was a huge factor in getting me to reach a similar conclusion, and I'm genuinely thankful for that. You concluding you "didn't make it", yet continuing to make games and posting regular devlogs anyway, made me realize changing one's goals doesn't have to mean the end of the world. If anything, adapting to unfair and harsh realities is probably necessary to be able to sustainably keep going in the first place.
The past few days, I kept waiting for some form of sadness to kick in, but the main thing I've been able to feel is that a massive burden has been lifted. I'm pretty sure that confirms I made the right call, and that I'll be better off this way in the long run. It also helps that you and a bunch of others agree with that assessment. I will try to enjoy this break to the fullest, and look forward to coming back to gamedev with a more relaxed and healthy approach.
Thank you for your kind words, and just know I've also been lurking and keeping up with your works from the sidelines! It warms my heart to see how we all just want what's best for each other, and have each other's backs. I'm really grateful for this community, and that you're also still a part of it.