Tips For Hard of Hearing People to Fit In Social Meetings!
Living with the hard of hearing issue for the last two years was not easy for me. And it is still not easy.
I am twenty-three years old. And this is the age when we are most likely to engage in social interactions — for professional and other reasons. At the beginning of my hearing loss, when I was twenty years old, I became increasingly isolated every day.
I did not wish for social isolation, though not hearing what others were saying left me with no other choice. It pushed me to take a backseat. Standing there and seeing my peers participating often provoked a fear of missing out. And sometimes, I suffered from the torrent of self-pity.
Overcoming this passive position seemed inevitable — at the same time, it was impossible to accept it for the rest of my life.
So, here are the lessons I learned and used them as tips to fit in socially.
Don’t Wear The Comfort Zone Of Your Isolation; Embrace Living With Challenges!
Initially, I gave up. I avoided meeting people, even with my peers and relatives. It appeared to be an easy way out. Still, somewhere a part of me knew this approach was unrealistic to live the rest of my life.
We step ahead for solid actions only when we need to change.
After months of mental determination, I started to join social gatherings again. However, the determination was not enough. Despite my hard of hearing, I realized not meeting, interacting, and communicating with others would never last as a long-term solution. I must go on with my life. I must learn to accommodate myself.
I had just one initial thought: If I taught myself the art of living with the hard of hearing issue, which appeared uncomfortable, I’d be prepared to face all the impending challenges of life.
I just saw it as life training.
Be Open About Your Hard Of Hearing
You don’t need to sweep this under the carpet. Don’t lie that you can’t hear due to the extravagant noise. You need to be transparent to others about yourself.
If you meet someone and they’re talking softly, which you fail to catch, ask them to speak a bit louder.
“Oh, I could not hear. I have some hearing issues. Can you speak a bit louder?” This sentence is my savior. Mostly nobody hesitated to adjust.
All you need to do is: say it with confidence.
(On a side note, sometimes people unintentionally return to their soft tone. Then use this prompt: “Sorry, I could not catch. Can you repeat, please?”)
Make Humbleness Your Companion
Within the past few months, I learned one thing: being polite is a rare and gracious human trait.
Using words like “sorry” and “please” to ask them to repeat works as a double-edged sword. The other person absorbs your positive energy and reciprocates them. It grows a lasting impression of your humble personality.
And fulfilling your request to speak louder becomes an obligation for them, given your politeness.
In my personal experience, it paid me hugely, from personal relations to professional networking.
Don’t Hesitate to Seek Your Friends’ Help
If you’re a periodically self-loathing person like me, you may sometimes take the supportive words of your friends with hesitation. And, speaking of my experience, this approach only pulls us back.
Had my friends not been encouraging, I would have never become confident to socialize despite my hard of hearing. Yes, I doubted that they were feeling sorry for me. And, yes, there were times when I felt their words were hollow, as they couldn’t understand what I was going through. But I had no other choice except to seek their help.
So, don’t hesitate to seek your friends’ help. All we need to go on is hope. Take every ounce of it regardless of where it is coming from.
You don’t need to doubt others’ supportive intentions. If you fall into this vicious trap, only a depth of darkness waits ahead.
Since I couldn’t change what I was now, I started embracing it. I try not to regard my hearing as a subject I should avoid. Rather I open up myself in front of others. In most cases, they become considerate.
Recent Real-Life Encounter Of How Opening Up Myself Helped Me
I was sitting at a conference with my colleagues a few days ago. My manager was briefing us on a new strategy for our work.
I couldn’t hear some of his sentences, and he noticed it when I stopped taking notes. Without making me realize it, he went back to his previous point and recapped it as he did for all of us. My old self would have thought he pitied me, but I knew he was kind enough not to let me feel left out.
When the meeting was over, my manager asked me to stay. As others left the room, we both sat down.
He cupped his mug in his hands and felt its warmth. Now I look back and realize how confident I felt when he said affectionately: “Ahmed, if you get any trouble in hearing during meetings or otherwise, please don’t stop yourself asking us to repeat or speak louder. We are a team, and I would never want you to feel out of place. However, it is your responsibility to speak up for yourself. We’re all here to help.”
