Living with noise in our head can have a huge impact on our self-confidence. Our tinnitus can be so distracting we can mishear people – or not hear them at all. We might struggle to concentrate on work, or activities such as reading or crafts. We can find ourselves starting to withdraw from social situations because we struggle with the noise.
Here are 7 practical ways to boost your self-confidence when you’re struggling with tinnitus:
1. Look for the positives in your life. It’s tempting to focus on how challenging life has become. Don’t. You are so much more than your tinnitus. Instead, focus on all the other great things in your life. Some of them may even be tinnitus-related! For example, I am so grateful for the fantastic people I have met and worked with because of my tinnitus.
2. Focus on your achievements. Thanks to my tinnitus I sometimes might mishear people or unintentionally ignore them. And yes, that does make me feel a bit stupid. But then I remind myself that I heard 90% of the conversations that day. Or I congratulate myself that I’m still working even with hearing loss and tinnitus. Tell yourself the stuff your best friend would say if they were there with you.
3. Go easy on yourself. People without tinnitus don’t get how hard this is unless they get it. If you’re having a rough day and you’ve snapped at someone, apologise, forgive yourself and move on. You’re doing an amazing job.
4. Accept yourself for who you are. We can’t control our tinnitus. But, we can control how we react to the challenges it throws in our path. This gets easier the more we practise it. Check out my Bee Empowered course for information on how you can learn this valuable skill.
5. Avoid comparison with others. It’s easy to give yourself a hard time because you know someone else with tinnitus who seems to manage it better. But everyone’s tinnitus experience is different. We’re all unique and incomparable!
6. Choose your friends. Surround yourself with positive people who will support you in your tinnitus journey. Ok, you can’t choose all your colleagues or family, but don’t spend any more time than you have to with anyone who doesn’t have your back.
7. Have a sense of humour. If you’re the first one to laugh at mishearing something you will instantly defuse any awkwardness. I’ve learnt to say with a smile, “oh I am sorry, I thought you said xx, I can see why you’re looking confused” and then carry on with the discussion. If you don’t make a big deal about it, no-one else will.
If you would like to know more, Please get in touch