[hnfong]

Not sure why you would be beginning to feel "aggrieved" -- you don't have evidence you're being underpaid per the market rate, and you didn't feel being underpaid in your previous 8 years. "42U Rack and 20 git repos" in 8 years don't seem that impressive TBH, unless the work involves interesting technical challenges. Did money suddenly become more important to you, or was there some kind of fallout between you and your employer, or did something trigger you want more meaning in, or validation of your work?

I honestly don't know your situation enough to say whether this is actually likely or not, but given that the other replies haven't mentioned this I'll bring this up to you for consideration just in case: I can't help but wonder whether you're interpreting an early "midlife crisis" as a dispute over pay levels with the employer. I mean do you actually feel financial pressure, or are you just disillusioned with your work (or even life)? If you think this might be the case, perhaps instead of trying to get out of your current job ASAP, try expanding your areas of technical expertise and cultivate new skills that seem interesting to you (and preferably valued by other employers)?

[baremetal]

> Did money suddenly become more important to you, or was there some kind of fallout between you and your employer, or did something trigger you want more meaning in, or validation of your work?

OP mentioned that "everyone tells me i should [feel aggrieved]"

"I'm currently earning £60K a year ($70K) and I'm beginning to feel "aggrieved", everyone tells me I should."

So it appears that it is outside influences that have changed his heart towards his salary. His wording in particular leads me to think this. "Everyone tells me i should". Not "I told my friends that i was upset about my salary and they agreed".