As I grow older and advance in life, I become less bothered with pleasing people. Family will always stand by you to support you, and friends who truly understand will not blame you for being busy and being "different".

Things that I used to enjoy when I was younger - all the socializing and whatnot - I no longer do. Or maybe, just not as much. Prioritizing becomes so important so as to manage my time well, and to do whatever I need to complete on my list.

Naturally, friends who do not share my way of life become upset with me for not "catching up", and we drift apart. But that is okay, because at the end of the day, it is quality over quantity, right? We cannot have it all, so we just keep the ones who understand, and the ones who want to stay.