Quick Quiz 🧠
True or False:
Straining to listen (also called effortful listening) over time may damage parts of your brain, not just tire you out.
Answer: True.
According to research highlighted by the Hearing Health Foundation, prolonged effortful listening activates a region of the brain called the cingulo-opercular network, which becomes overworked when you constantly strain to hear. Over time, this can contribute to fatigue, reduced attention, and even neural degeneration in that network.
Dear Friends,
A key to living a Joy Crazy Life is taking time to pause and feel grateful—especially for our health.
The quiz above may look a little serious, but it’s really just a reminder to check on your hearing health. Scientists are learning more every day, and there’s a lot we can do to make listening easier. You can even test your hearing with Apple Airpods—no appointment needed!
In this edition of The Joy Crazy Life, we’re exploring simple ways to protect our hearing and support those who may need a little extra help in busy or noisy environments.
Whether you’re gathering with loved ones or spending time with a few close friends, small shifts can make a big difference.
Although I’ve lived with single-sided deafness all my life, I remain deeply grateful for the hearing I do have. That gratitude fuels my desire to share tools and tips that make life a little easier—and a little more joyful—for all of us.
With warmth and gratitude,
Shannon 🌼🦻
Register for Joy Crazy Pickleball Classes
Intro to Pickleball
Quiet Pickleball
Daisy Doubles (2.0 & 3.0)
Available now!
SHINE
☀️
Small, daily moments of joy are made easier when we can hear the world clearly.
During an August, 2025, visit to Pickleball Kingdom in Tigard, Oregon, members of our Joy Crazy community all wore name tags (see photo above). Name tags are a simple way to help those who are hard of hearing connect more easily with others. Noisy environments—like gyms and restaurants—can make it difficult to hear someone’s name.
Small changes can makes a big difference!
One of the simplest ways to experience joy is through sound: laughter during a rally, the bounce of a pickleball on the court, birds on a morning walk, or the voices of people we love. But joy can fade quickly when sound becomes overwhelming—or when others unintentionally make it harder for someone with hearing loss to participate.
Here are a few personal reflections from me:
-
I really appreciate it when someone says my name first before speaking. A simple “Shannon…” helps me instantly recognize that you’re talking to me—not someone behind me or across the room. Next time you're hosting an event, instead of asking, “What would you like to drink?” try, “Shannon, what would you like to drink?”
-
When walking with my neighbor, who is also hard of hearing, we have one rule: no phones. This small choice removes beeps, alerts, and interruptions. It allows us to tune into nature—and each other—without competing noise. It’s a tiny ritual that adds a surprising amount of peace and connection to my week.
- When I fly, I take a moment to update the accessibility settings on my airline reservation and indicate that I am hard of hearing/deaf. This allows me (and my companion) to pre-board before general passengers. Navigating the chaotic airport environment—PA announcements, security noise, crowds, engines—is incredibly taxing on my hearing. Those few extra quiet minutes on the plane let me settle in, find my seat without stress, and avoid mental fatigue. It’s a simple step with a huge impact.
- If hosting an event, consider name tags (see photo above). Many times it is hard for those of us with hearing loss to distinguish small subtilties in names. I can't tell you how many times I have been called "Sharon" rather than "Shannon." A name tag gives others a way to quickly way to make sure they've got your name right.
This week, I invite you to shine a little brighter by practicing hearing-friendly kindness. If you know someone who uses hearing aids or has hearing challenges, consider simple gestures to make connection easier. (See more ideas below.)
"Blindness separates us from things; deafness separates us from people."
—Hellen Keller🧏
LEARN
📚
Tools, insights, and encouragement to help you advocate for your hearing.
Protect your hearing with earplugs, such as the Quiet 2 Loop earplugs pictured above. I like that these earplugs have a small round "handle" making them easy to position in my ear. But, I was surprised when I realized the "extra small" ear-tip was the best fit for me—I didn't realize how tiny my ear canal was! Loop also designs earplugs to "filter" noise so that you hear music or conversations more clearly.
Be your own Hearing Advocate!
Hearing care is a lifelong process, and I’ve learned firsthand that advocating for yourself makes an enormous difference—not only in your comfort, but in your energy.
Here are a few simple ways to learn and take action:
1. Use earplugs when environments get loud.
I personally use Loop earplugs because they’re reusable, washable, and come with multiple interchangeable ear-tip sizes to get the perfect fit. The carrying case is small, so it’s easy to keep them with me. I always wear earplugs at concerts—and of course during an MRI—but I also frequently wear them on the pickleball court, since my smartwatch occasionally warns me that I’m in a “loud” environment.
2. Explore "quiet" options.
If you love pickleball but the sound overwhelms you (or your hearing aids!), try signing up for a Joy Crazy Quiet Pickleball session. Here's a video of me demonstrating the Gamma foam “Librarian” ball. It’s softer on the ears, easier on hearing aids, and perfect for anyone sensitive to noise. Another quiet activity I recommend is doing jigsaw a puzzle—it's stimulating but quiet at the same time.
3. Read "Hearing Health Magazine" (it’s free!)
I LOVE this quarterly magazine! The Hearing Health Foundation offers wonderful science-based information and personal stories. I read it cover to cover. As a child who was “mainstreamed” in school, I was never part of a Hard of Hearing community, so it’s great to see my experience reflected in the pages of the magazine. If you have tinnitus or balance issues, the magazine and website are also excellent resources. Subscribe at no cost to learn how to protect your own hearing—or support someone you love.
4. Take breaks.
After time in a loud space, let your ears rest. A few minutes of quiet makes a difference. A walk can do wonders, or sometimes just sitting in your car after pickleball, or a visit to a busy grocery store, before driving home can be helpful.
5. More ways to advocate for yourself.
-
If you struggle with hearing in loud places, speak up—kindly and confidently. Asking, “Can we move over here so I can hear you better?” or “Can you please repeat that?” is a powerful tool.
-
Use closed captions when watching TV, and check whether a movie theater offers “closed captioning” glasses. Regal theaters, for example, offer a few assistive listening options (usually indicated on the movie listing). By the way, “closed captioning” glasses that use AI to capture conversations around you are already on the market, though still quite pricey. I personally can’t wait to try a pair!
- Consider joining a hearing loss support group, such as a local chapter of Hearing Loss Assosciation of America. As they say on their website, "you’ll find peers, support and strategies to live well with hearing loss." I have attended their online meetings in the past and found it to be a helpful experience.
Remember—use the "I'm learning" spirit when it comes to your hearing. Caring for your hearing is not only practical—it’s an act of self-compassion.
Psst...
Here's a hotel hearing tip!
Dave and I enjoy attending McMenamins concerts. In the photo above we are at the Edgefield outdoor concert venue in Troutdale, Oregon, before the Barenaked Ladies performance last June. Notice the earplug in Dave's ear. If you stay at one of the McMenamins hotels, the nightstand drawers are usually stocked with a pair of memory foam earplugs (probably because many McMenamins hotels are near train lines, ha-ha!). I've also found that most hotel chains will provide free earplugs if you check with housekeeping or the front desk.
If you have the oppositite issue—where taking out your hearing aids means you cannot hear—be sure to inform the desk clerks of your hearing status when you check in. (When I travel alone, I always do this.) If there is an emergency, this lets the hotel staff know to check on you if a fire alarm goes off that you may not hear.
CONNECT
🤝
We build stronger connections when we help each other hear—and be heard.
I wear a daisy in my hair (or sometimes on the collar of my shirt) to indicate my better hearing side. In the photo above, I have the flower attached to my earmuff as I head out for a walk on a snowy day in Porltand, Oregon.
I was born with single-sided deafness and am celebrating seven years of wearing a Cochlear® bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA). You can learn more about my health journey at JoyCrazy.com/About. If you want to know how I began the habit of wearing a flower in my hair, listen to my speech.
Connection deepens when everyone feels included
Many people with hearing loss feel isolated, not because they want to be, but because so much of our world is designed for people with perfect hearing.
To strengthen connection, practice hearing-friendly habits like:
-
Start conversations with a wave, light tap, or by saying their name first. It’s welcoming, not startling.
-
Face the person while you speak so they can read your lips and follow facial expressions.
- Offer them a choice for seating, especially in a crowded restaurant — typically, it's best for them to have their back to the crowd.
-
If the environment is loud, ask, “Is this spot okay for you?”
-
In group settings, offer a quick recap if someone missed part of the conversation.
-
Notice whether someone seems to be struggling to hear, and gently adjust your tone, speed, or environment.
- If you are have a "better" hearing side like me, consider wearing a flower (or other object) in your hair to indicate your better hearing side (see photo above). Tip: you get a free daisy flower the first time you attend a Joy Crazy Pickleball class!
Thank you for spending a little time with me in the Joy Crazy Life.
Whether you’re practicing hearing-friendly habits, supporting someone with hearing challenges, or simply enjoying the sounds that bring you joy, remember to pause, listen, and savor the little moments that make life brighter. 😊
Most sincerely,
Shannon 🌼🦻
Chief Daisy
Joy Crazy®
To receive The Joy Crazy Life Newsletter directly in your inbox, click here.
To contact Shannon Diffenderffer, M.Ed., please click here.
Responses