Change hurts differently when the cage was comfortable.

Leaving something that was comfortable is harder than leaving something that was obviously bad, because there is nothing clear to point at and no story that makes sense to anyone. The situation was fine. That is exactly what made it so difficult to leave and so easy to stay in for years. Comfort is a much stronger constraint than misery.

If you are trying to leave something that was not terrible, do not wait for a justification that will satisfy other people. Wanting something different is a sufficient reason. Expect the grief anyway, since leaving comfort has its own kind of loss.