The dating scene can be awkward for anyone to navigate, but when you add a hearing impairment into the mix, some people find that they have an even harder time. While it is natural to feel anxious about an upcoming date, everyone deserves to feel comfortable and confident with themselves. However, with proper preparation and insight, dating with hearing loss doesn’t have to be a stressful or anxiety driven event.
Be comfortable and confident during your next date by checking out these helpful hearing loss dating tips.
Honesty is the Best Policy
Having a hearing impairment is nothing to be ashamed about, so be upfront about it straight out of the gate. Being direct and to the point can save you from any unnecessary heartache that could occur down the road. This step will make everything else a lot less stressful and anxiety-ridden.
Plan Out Your Date
It is essential to put some thought and consideration into where you want to go and do on your date. You want a place in which you can be comfortable, but you also want to be able to understand your date. Generally, locations that are relatively quiet with good acoustics and lighting are always a good choice.
Arrive Early
If you are meeting in a public place, such as a café or restaurant, arrive early so you can scope out the place to find the best place to sit. You will have a much better chance of picking the spot that best meets your needs. Aim for a spot that is situated away from other noisy tables, speakers, and from the kitchen.
Practice Active Listening
During conversations, try to maintain eye contact and practice active listening. Depending on the severity of your hearing impairment, there may be times where you didn’t catch everything that they said. When this happens, don’t be afraid to ask your date to repeat themselves or to ask them a question to clarify something that they said. Never bluff and make pretend you heard them when you didn’t!
Be Yourself
This is by far the most important tip, to just be yourself during your date. Chances are your date is just as nervous as you, dating can be nerve-racking for everyone! But most of all, you want a person to like you, the real you, for you. Not a fake façade that you place out into the world, so be you and only you and be proud of who you are. Anyone who doesn’t like you, for you, doesn’t need to be around you. If you happen to have a bad time, change your perspective and think of it as a learning experience. Just love yourself, be yourself, and things will naturally fall into place!