You’re Getting on My Last Nerve (And That’s Okay)
You’re Getting on My Last Nerve (And That’s Okay)
We all have those days.
You know the ones—the days where it feels like everything and everyone is testing you. The driver going ten under in the passing lane. The coworker asking the same question for the fifth time. The barking dog that won’t quit. The inbox that never empties. The friend who meant well but said just the wrong thing at the worst possible moment. And don’t even get me started on the group text with a thousand unnecessary replies.
It builds. It simmers. It stews.
And before you know it, your patience has packed its bags and your last nerve is out on strike.
But here’s what I’ve learned:
Those moments—those nerve-pinching, soul-stretching, eye-roll-inducing moments—are not just inconveniences. They’re invitations. They’re asking us to pause, reflect, and take inventory of what’s really going on inside.
When everything starts to get under your skin, it’s rarely about the thing in front of you. It’s usually about everything you’ve already been carrying. The stress you’ve stuffed down. The expectations you’re trying to meet. The exhaustion you haven’t had time to name. The emotional load you’re pretending isn’t heavy. It all piles up quietly—until one tiny thing tips the balance and everything feels too loud, too much, too personal.
And in those moments, the best thing we can do is breathe. Not the automatic, shallow breathing we do without thinking, but deep, purposeful breaths. Inhale clarity. Exhale the chaos. When you breathe with intention, it creates a pause—just enough space between the trigger and the reaction to choose how you want to respond.
It also helps to step away—not always physically, but mentally. You may not be able to escape the meeting, the conversation, or the grocery line, but you can mentally zoom out. Remind yourself that this is one moment in one day in one chapter of your life. It won’t last forever. You won’t feel like this forever.
And then comes the hard part—challenging the story you’re telling yourself. Because it’s easy to assign motives when someone frustrates us. We think they’re being rude, inconsiderate, selfish. But often, they’re just overwhelmed too. Distracted. Tired. Wrestling with their own chaos. Most of the time, their behavior has less to do with us and more to do with whatever battle we can’t see.
There’s also a tendency to let one bad moment color the whole day. But bad moments are just that—moments. We don’t have to let them take over the narrative. Just because something went wrong at 10 a.m. doesn’t mean 2 p.m. can’t be peaceful. We have more power than we think to shift our mood, to rewrite the energy of the day.
And here's the truth—being annoyed is part of being human. But being annoyed doesn’t mean you have to be unkind. You can be frustrated and still choose to respond with grace. You can feel your limit and still move through the moment without adding more harm to the room. That’s not weakness. That’s strength. That’s choosing peace over power trips. Compassion over control.
Some days, I get it right. I pause. I breathe. I let the moment pass. And other days? I react before I think. I stew. I snap. But every day is a new chance to do better. To be more aware of what I’m carrying and how it’s coloring the way I see the world.
So if you’re on edge lately, if your last nerve is frayed and hanging by a thread, I see you. And I hope you’ll give yourself permission to slow down, to let go, to reset. Because peace doesn’t always come naturally—it’s something we have to choose, especially when it’s the hardest choice in the room.
Take care of yourself. Be kind to others. And when someone pushes your buttons, remember—you don’t have to hand them the remote.
— Dr. Nick
A little reflection goes a long way.
