What’s Your Sign?

by Cynthia Bischoff | May 30, 2015 | Heartliving

Looking for signs around you is the most natural act in the world. Humans have always used omens or signs to figure out the world around them.

Examples abound of how our ancestors used signs to understand their world. Our seafaring ancestors needed all the help they could get to navigate the seas. Birds, for example, indicated that land was nearby. An equally important divination tool was to use the stars and planets to understand the world. Astrology was the study (ology) of stars (astro).

Our ancestors paid careful attention to the land, seas, skies, and also the seasons, connecting with the rhythms of their times. The clouds were seen as a kind of mirror in which people could see themselves and receive messages.

In our current day, we can still benefit from using our intuition and paying attention to how it expresses itself in the signs around us. Perhaps you are driving and thinking about a certain situation. Have you noticed certain license plates around you that seem to be giving you a message? Subway signs, radio songs, billboards–simply “ask” for a sign and you will receive one. So what if you receive a sign? How might you interpret it? Let’s take the letter “C” for instance. It might mean:

–The letter “C”
–The Spanish word for “yes”
–A word beginning with the letter “C”
–The Sea (water)
–Something shaped like the letter “C”!

Connect with and understand the way in which your world can communicate with you. It will bring a little magic into your life!

Love The One You’re With

by Cynthia Bischoff | May 16, 2015 | Heartliving

Your partner doesn’t have to be wrong for you to be right. Often we think that if we can just change this or that about our partner, the relationship would finally work. Does this sound familiar?

Some common-sense guidelines can help you to improve your relationship. These guidelines are based on effective principles of communication and should be practiced by both of you.

• Maintain a friendship as well as a love relationship. Most couples who stay together do so because of a sense of friendship and respect that exists long after the romantic sparks fade. Friends generally like and accept each other as they genuinely are.
• Don’t expect your partner to satisfy all of your relationship needs. Take good care of yourself. Maintain healthy friendships outside of your primary relationship, and you will be less apt to feel that you need your partner to “complete” you.
• Practice active listening. Sometimes all your partner wants you to do is just listen. So listen carefully; then paraphrase back to your partner what you believe you heard him or her say. This may feel awkward at first, but it greatly helps to keep the communication clear. Talking over each other or not acknowledging what we’ve heard causes monologues rather than dialogues.
• Know what you do want and communicate that clearly. We sometimes get stuck in repeating what we don’t want or like and don’t communicate clearly what we do want. We can also use arguments as a way of getting attention or engaging in drama. Find a more productive way to be in relationship.
• Fight fairly. The language we use during a conflict is critical to our relationship. Calling each other names and blaming each other will dissolve trust and respect faster than anything else. And if this has already happened, you can commit to starting over now. Remember “up until now”!
• Commit to change. Know that a healthy relationship is one that continues to evolve. Establish regular conversations with your partner to be sure important issues are being addressed and understood.
• Soften your heart. Of all the tips, perhaps this is most important of all!

For more strategies on creating effective, loving relationships, attend the Heartliving “Power & Love” Workshop on May 30, 2015, at the Virginia Beach Resort & Conference Center, Virginia Beach, VA. Click “Register” for more details and to sign-up: REGISTER

Power & Love Workshop

by Cynthia Bischoff | May 2, 2015 | Heartliving

Issues and lessons of power and love play out during our entire lifetime. Improve your relationships by attending Heartliving Workshop “Power & Love” on Satuday, May 30, 2015, at the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel and Conference Center, Virginia Beach, VA.

During this insightful event, open to both men and women, we will discuss important dynamics that play out in relationships and that affect communication, power, and love. Topics include:

• relationship dynamics and types of partners
• elemental love styles
• why we often choose whom we do
• issues of co-dependency
• how our wounds and coping mechanisms are formed
• boundary setting
• asking for what we need in a relationship.

This incredible “eye-opening” material is a must for understanding yourself in all your relationships!

Enrollment is limited, so ensure your space by registering now. Click here: Register

‘Music To My Ears’

by Cynthia Bischoff | Apr 4, 2015 | Heartliving

Most of us have hectic days that are often crammed with too much productivity. Your work and general rushed lifestyle can take a toll on your body, mind, and spirit. Incorporating relaxing music into your life can be a beneficial way to unwind and release tension and stress.

Whether you listen to music in the evening to unwind or before going to bed, choosing the right music can encourage deep relaxation. For example, music that has a slow, soothing beat can calm your body into a synchronized state with the beat.

Different types of music can have different effects, but in general, instrumental music is most helpful to induce calm that leads to restful sleep:

• The harp can be very melodic and can reduce stress and tension.
• Sounds of nature, often deep and slow rhythms, can be very calming.
• The sounds of water and waves can create a rhythmic state.
• Flutes and chimes can be soothing and relaxing.
• The right classical music in general can help produce a tranquil state.

Soothing music can be beneficial for anyone at any age. Babies respond very well to soft melodies. In general, soft, slow music induces the autonomous nervous system to slow down breathing and heart rate, bringing the body to a more relaxed state. And with the body and mind relaxed, feelings of anxiety and depression are lessened. Enjoy!