As a middle-aged and middle-class man, I've been a grunt at various levels early on, but self-employed/entrepreneur (but not as entrepreneurial as you, I am sure) for some 18 years now. It's stressful, and sucks often, and it fully occupies your mind at odd hours (2am more often than not) since your livelihood is completely under your control.

It sucks, but everything else sucks more. I'm spoiled and I don't look often enough at the fact that there is so much unmeasurable value in having the freedom and flexibility to do what you want with your hours in the day.

In the end, I'm glad you were clever enough to survive the lean times in order to receive the blessings of better times.