Previously, I would consider a transaction "sent" as soon as I confirmed it.

Now, looking at the mempool is like watching a queue at a market: you think you shouted out, but in front, a bunch of people are filling higher tips, and miners/packagers will naturally pick the tastiest ones first.
The most authentic experience during congestion is — your transaction isn't failed, it's just stuck in the queue slowly turning into an "expired joke," with slippage, cancellations, fee bumps, resubmissions, and constant toggling, which can easily mess with your mindset.

Now I’m a bit more calm: either pay enough fee upfront to get through the queue, or just not rush and wait for a quieter moment to act.
Recently, there's been talk about certain regions tightening or loosening taxes and compliance, and as deposit and withdrawal expectations change, on-chain sentiment feels more like squeezing into a subway — don’t force it during peak hours.
Anyway, I’d rather wait two more minutes than have my operation disrupted by a wave of congestion.