As someone who had analogous experiences, I find this take highly uncharitable. It’s easy to say what the most financially advisable course of action should be,

As someone who had analogous experiences, I find this take highly uncharitable. It’s easy to say what the most financially advisable course of action should be, it is a totally different matter when something which you had committed personal pride into being exploited like that puts you in the kind of emotional rut which is further exacerbated by being keenly aware that you are sabotaging your financial interests by sulking. It takes a significant amount of courage to acknowledge how much the emotional toll had gotten in your way, knowing full well of how people might deride your sulking as self-sabotage.