E.T.Bass

I agree with @maninsoma.  There's no reason to regret what you did.  There is reason, I'd say, to feel good that you learned things about yourself and don't feel a need to do something that doesn't work anymore.   I read what you wrote as a sort of declaration of independence.  If I am reading it correctly, congratulations.
That's the short version.  The longer version will be a few stories about what it feels like from the other side of the looking glass.  Which basically revolves around not feeling regret about doing what you did in order to grow.  Or even just to have fun.
There was a client who hired me for a handful of overnights who was an enigma.  Handsome, nice body, great sex, I'm guessing in his 30's, smart as a whip, beautiful house, professional career he loved.  He was driving me to an airport after our first "date" and I told him I had a great time.  But I was curious why he hired me.  Meaning why hire any escort? Whatever he said was brief and may have been "I don't know."  A few days later I got a long email pouring his heart out.  I don't remember the content but I remember the feelings.  Something about judgmental parents.  Something about shame.  Something about low self esteem about his body before he came out and set about to being a Gay gym rat.
Maybe six months later he was dating some guy who looked gorgeous in a photo he showed me.  A few years later, long after he'd stopped hiring me or anyone, he sent me a wedding photo of him and his hubby.  As happy endings go, it was a good one.  I'm not a psychologist.  But I know he did what he did in order to grow.  And he grew.  And you are correct @Andie40 that sticking to your gym routine helps.  It worked for him.
Based on my own relationships it works both ways.  I think most if not all escorts feel some version of regret.  Often in terms of trade offs that were made. 
This past week I had a really fun walk with a friend in town who I was very close to in my 30's.  Both from organizing work together, before I turned to escorting, and very bad Greek dancing on weekends.  I would have dated her and maybe fallen in love if she wasn't one of the first people I came out to.  So we spent hours exchanging this cascade of stories. 
My friend's version of your first paragraph is she felt enormous frustration after being in the center of maybe 10 years of organizing on same sex marriage, rather than 10 years of escorts.  I remember the California version of that as one of her volunteers.  We lost badly.  Again and again.  That kind of rejection sucks, too.  But who knew?  Fucking up is how you learn.  To make a very long story short, the happy ending is that after fuck up after fuck up after fuck up, she and others like her figured out how to do better.  When I regret not being some alternative version of myself, it's not the sex - good or bad.  It's that I would have spent my escort career running around the US like she did organizing for same sex marriage.  And beating my head against the wall.  Which turns out to be less satisfying than beating off.  I'm okay with just being able to thank her for what she did instead.
From reading the OP's comment and reactions about photos and Grindr, I think it largely works the same way on both sides of the looking glass.  From my perspective, the allure was almost irresistible - being an escort, or hiring one.  Why not touch bright shiny objects?  Or get hired because someone sees you as one?  And is it a shocker things are never quite as shiny or dazzling as you thought they might be?  When you feel that way, you move on.
I have a simple and happy and Gay go-to place on the subject of regret.  Another aging escort buddy and I love watching Dancing With The Stars together.  One week several years ago Cher was a guest judge.  She was asked if she could turn back time, where would she go?  She said hands down back to her 40's.  She said she had so much fun.  Almost too much fun.  I thought, "OMG.  I'm like Cher."  My 40's were a Gay romp.  
Ok.  But let's get real.  In order to get there Cher had to go through dumping one husband who she met when she was 16.  And then what seemed like a train wreck of a second marriage to Greg Allman.  If an escort you hired did not shoot up heroin on your first date, arguably you had better luck than Cher.  What's worse?  A bad 10 hour overnight or a bad 10 day marriage?  You get my point.  Cher did what she needed to do in order to grow.  Hell, she even won an Oscar for it.
My advice, @Andie40,  is don't regret what you did in order to get where you are today.  You're not in your 40's yet.  I hope you enjoy your next decade as much as Cher did.  You earned it. If you find a man you want to marry, now you can.  That is because a lot of people like my friend fucked things up for a long time, and learned from it.
Here's to being willing to learn and grow by fucking up.
 
 
 
 
 

Before I begin, I want to say that these are my opinions based on personal experiences. After 10 years of hiring men, I can say that I’m totally giving up on it. I’m in my 30’s, so I guess I’m a little pickier, but of the 100+ men I’ve hired over the years, I can honestly only think of 3-4 that were actually worth it. Most of the time, the guy does not look nearly as good as his pictures ( not as muscular, older than advertised, different body pics used, etc.). Most of these guys I could likely meet for free. Somewhere down the line, hiring men became an addiction because I’ve suffered from low self esteem most of my life and any sort of rejection would put me in a funk.   I’m realizing now that spending so much money just to avoid my fears is not helping me in the long run.
 
I feel so ashamed to have spent so much money over the years for companionship I basically could have received for free had I stuck to a workout routine. 
I will say that the worst escorts are usually the Eastern European/Russian ones or the South American ones. They’re usually the rudest and more likely to have misleading pictures/ show disinterest.
I don’t mean to offend anyone with my post. They’re my experiences and options.
 
 

Mahomes is disqualified because his dad pitched for the Mets at one point.  That's an automatic negative vote for him.
What about https://www.companyofmen.org/topic/128598-nick-foles-big-dck-nick/ ?

Happy Australia Day 2022 to all members of this esteemed forum.

Mahomes.

LOL.  Yes! 
 
 

 
 
 

I think some are being a little bit judgy...

Not all grown-ups react the same way or do the right thing whatever that is in each circumstance.
Not a good idea for any of us to start casting stones. Coulda woulda shoulda... 

Straight sets!

Hunk Alert:
Zverev vs. Shapovalov, tonight 8pm Pacific Time 
I assume this match will be on the ESPN coverage.
 
I recall each of them have some fans here.  😁

Hunk Alert:
Zverev vs. Shapovalov, tonight 8pm Pacific Time 
I assume this match will be on the ESPN coverage.
 
I recall each of them have some fans here.  😁