Are You Listening?

27/10/2021

In all honesty…I got this sweater from Goodwill last night and it’s a little small for me. But just like our ears it’s all about how you rock it, right? 👂

20/10/2021

I have received many questions about my experience with the BAHA. I thought I would elaborate in a post about my experience.
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✨Please note, this is only my experience and I strongly encourage you to do your research and talk to your doctor if you are interested in this piece of technology.✨
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Swipe to read more! I hope this helps elaborate on my experience. Let me know of any questions you have. 😎

14/08/2021

From the day I was born, I was different. I came out of the womb missing an ear and that started a journey of tackling the list of qualities that made me different. 🤔
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From the first day of my life to now, I always carried something with me that separated me from what is considered normal…that something was my ear. For a long time, I didn't understand why I was given such the difficult task of finding confidence through difference. As many of you know, I hid my ear from the world and would get really embarrassed when anyone would find out.
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Aside from my ear, I also struggled a lot academically and socially growing up. I always believed it was because I was different. I was a scrawny, dorky, and goofy kid who was missing an ear and had a list of learning disabilities that made learning difficult in a traditional classroom setting. I didn't quite understand what my purpose was going to be in life and what the future would hold. For a long time I didn't know if I would go onto higher education, or succeeded in a way that I envisioned. ✍️
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That being said I did succeed, but in my own way. I had to look at school differently, I looked at my appearance differently, and to put it simply…I started looking at life differently. THAT is why I am the person I am today and beat the odds in the ways that I have. 👀
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I attribute a lot of my successes to my ear. Not because it got me jobs or a college degree, but because it helped me become someone who has challenged what is normal and even better…helped me STAND OUT and be DIFFERENT. I realized that if I could tackle having something physically different about me, I could take on anything and make it something special. 🦸‍♀️
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Being different is a gift and that is why my ear has become a symbol for my life. Life opens up for you when you celebrate your differences rather than hiding them. My ear will always be a powerful symbol that I carry with me forever. 💪
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I am writing about this topic today because it's scary to embrace differences but once you do it can become your greatest strength and ultimately, a new guide and symbol for your life. 🎊
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Are You Listening?

07/07/2021

Hey friends! 👋 It’s been a while…
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First of all, thank you for all your continued support over the last few months. A lot has happened and I am amazed at the impact this page can have even in absence.
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I recently started a new job in marketing in the dairy business and this has been a crazy few months of learning in this new position. I am very proud of this new opportunity and a lot of my energy has gone towards that. 🐄
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I am learning how to be a “normal” human again after over a year of being isolated and to be honest, it’s been a harder adjustment than I was anticipating.😬
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After taking time to adjust, I am finding I miss having an outlet where I feel like I’m making a difference. I am going to try to do what I can to provide content moving forward.
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In case you forgot who I am, my name is Sarah and I am the founder of Are You Listening?, a story all about finding confidence through difference. I focus on microtia/atresia and simply feeling comfortable with yourself. 👂
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I would love to have you along for the ride. 🌊
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Are You Listening?
-Sarah

12/03/2021

HAPPY NATIONAL EARRING DAY! For those who know me know that I am fairly obsessed with earrings.
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To me, earrings are a point of pride. I pierced my ears my junior year of high school, which feels like an eternity ago but when I walked into Claire's I didn't know what to expect.
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I was pretty nervous to ask the worker to pierce both of my ears but now I am pretty proud of the small holes in both of my ears. Earrings helped me feel like I was included and now they allow me to express myself.
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Celebrate accomplishments that seem minor…but make a big difference.
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Are You Listening?

10/03/2021

Meet ! Maze's mom and family have a fantastic perspective on raising a daughter with microtia.
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I loved reading about Maze's mom seeing her ear for the first time, I imagine many parents can absolutely relate to her perspective.
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Go so some love!
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Are You Listening?

08/03/2021

Today is ! Make sure to tell the women in your life how amazing they are.
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Women empowerment is something I believe strongly in and I am so proud of how far we have come. That being said, we still have work to do. 💪
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Microtia ears don't limit you from pursuing your dreams! I hope all the beautiful, strong, and powerful microtia women feel empowered today.
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With love,
Sarah
Are You Listening?

06/03/2021

Despite working on this page as long as I have, I still get the terminology mixed up. Let's dig into what exactly atresia of the ear means.
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Microtia is almost always accompanied by atresia due to the outer ear and middle ear being developed at the same time.
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Swipe right for more.
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Are You Listening?

05/03/2021

Meet Aytuna ( )! Aytuna and his family are from Turkey. His mom has a fantastic way of approaching microtia. Their story is so relatable for those who have young children with microtia.
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I hope you all enjoy their story as much as I do. My favorite line from her story is "The only thing we focus on right now is that Aytuna grows reconciled with this and is a self-confident individual. The rest is not important…"
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This couldn't be more true. Swipe to read their story.
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Are You Listening?

14/02/2021

Happy Valentine's Day my friends! I hope your day is filled with love both for yourself and for the people around you.
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With love,
Sarah
Are You Listening?

12/02/2021

Camilla Gilbert from & shares her perspective on being black with microtia and atresia. Did you know that being black with microtia and atresia is extremely rare? The condition affects 0.73 out of 10,000 births a year!

Camilla has a fantastic perspective on navigating the world with microtia and atresia. I am so happy to help continue to share her story. Be sure to go check out her website as well:
www.microtialife.com

10/02/2021

Meet Omer (.shair ) Something I love about this page is having the chance to meet people from all over the world with microtia. Omer's family is from Pakistan and his mom talks about her thoughts about how they came to wrap their heads around microtia.
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As his mom describes, the people around Omer have shown him love and support. I think it's amazing to have the chance to hear stories from different backgrounds and places.
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I believe the common link in all the stories is love and appreciation for the person. No matter the condition.
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Go show Omer and his family some love!
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Are You Listening?

08/02/2021

Today we are talking about DATING with microtia! First of all, I am as single as a pringle so I am in no way a dating guru. Regardless, I have had my fair share of moments with microtia and dating. When I was first putting myself further into the dating scene, I couldn't find ANY resources about telling a significant other about something like microtia.
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I vowed I would change that, even if it meant talking about my dating life more publicly (cringy I know). I want to use what I have learned to help educate others with microtia because I know it can be freaky (and kind of awkward) at first.
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We all know the age old saying…someone should like you on the inside rather than what's on the outside. Yes, that is ABSOLUTELY true. Although, no matter what you have to mention your ear to your significant other at some point. Putting yourself at the mercy of someone else's opinion isn't particularity enjoyable but it doesn't have to be awkward.
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There are many ways to open up about your ear if you are shy about it. I have found the best way is to get to know a person first before opening up. After a while you can easily find ways to work it into conversation.
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Fortunately, I have found that most people are good people and are very accepting. Something to remember if you are nervous to tell someone is if they are not accepting, we don't need that kind of energy in our lives anyways. That kind of person probably wouldn't be a good partner if they can't accept something like this.
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Honestly, our ears are a superpower. They help w**d out the bad seeds.
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Dating can be complicated but I hope this helped relieve some stress or apprehension about microtia and dating. You got this!
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Tell me about your experience in the comments and any advice you have for others about dating with microtia.
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I wrote an article called "Dating with Microtia" on my website. Check out my link in bio to read more about my experience and my advice.
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Are You Listening?

05/02/2021

Let's talk about down days with microtia because they absolutely happen to all of us at some point, myself included.
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I preach that microtia is a gift, and I fully believe this is true. I have been continuously reminded how fortunate I am to have something so unique and I can use my gift to help others like myself. That is pretty incredible.
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That being said, I didn't always have an easy time accepting it. Even now, I occasionally wish that I didn’t have something like this to "deal" with.
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My point is that feeling bummed out about this is absolutely OK sometimes. Down days happen and that is completely normal, healthy even. What matters is you don't stay too long in your disappointment. Having microtia on top of other insecurities can be exhausting sometimes but it's important to know that you have SO much to offer the world.
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I wrote an article called "Down Days with Microtia - It happens to everyone" about this topic on my website. Check out my link in bio to read more.
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Are You Listening?

03/02/2021

Meet Larisa (.larisa ). Larisa is from Japan and moved to England three years ago (which is awesome in itself). She has microtia in her right ear. She has an incredible perspective on living with microtia and I think we can all relate to her story. Larisa recently opened up on her Instagram page about her microtia. It's not easy to open up about something that you were self conscious about for a long time.
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I love hearing stories and perspectives from all over the world and I hope you enjoy her story as much as I do.
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Are You Listening?

01/02/2021

Microtia is such a buzzword these days. Let’s break it down to the basics. Swipe to learn more👂
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Are You Listening?

31/01/2021

Bone conduction for those with microtia and atresia has been a game changer. Many of you know from my previous video, I had the opportunity to try the Aftershokz open ear headphones for the first time a few months ago.

Recently I made the leap and purchased the Aftershokz MINI Aeroplex headphones to try and I am in LOVE!

I wanted to make a full review from the perspective of someone who has microtia and atresia. Two things I really love about the MINI version is I am able to wear my hair down and there isn't as much to perch on my ear.

I HIGHLY recommend the mini version if you have microtia and atresia. They fit so much better on my ear and they are so light. I often forget I am even wearing them.

What questions do you have?

[If you need a video with captions, follow the link to my website. I uploaded the video with full captions there.]

Are You Listening?

Bone conduction is huge for people with microtia/atresia. A few months ago I discovered Aftershokz and they were LIFE CHANGING. This is my first review of th...

06/01/2021

Meet Malik (.malik ). Malik was born with Goldenhar Syndrome and microtia. Learn more about how Malik's mom instills confidence in him every day and what it's like raising a son in a world of wandering eyes.
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If you are struggling teaching your child how to navigate the world with something that is different, I highly recommend checking out this story.
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Are You Listening?