Exhibit A shows how being aware of a challenge before you get into the situation, and having a plan to deal with it, helps one get through it.
abrahamjaim - Exhibit A
from the moment I leaved my house I was only thinking ways how to avoid all the pritzus of the street and specially from tel aviv, boruch Hashem most of the things were very succesfull, almost all the way from jeruslem to tel aviv, in tel aviv and the way back, I controled myself like no other day in my life in think. When I arrived jerusalem I was singing in the street from hapyness that I make it and I was "safe".
Exhibit B shows that being blindsided could have the opposite effect.
abrahamjaim - Exhibit B
But something happended, when I arrived my house I was like a robot, I went directly to the computer and started seeing bad things, and I fell once again...
Moral of the story: Always be aware of your surroundings and think strategically how to deal with it. Never let your guard down.