by Cynthia Bischoff | Apr 19, 2014 | Heartliving
When we are overwhelmed, it is difficult in that moment not to get caught in the minutia of life. Whatever is going on seems to BECOME our life–the whole of it. Our emotional response can be out of proportion to the events that are occurring.
It is important to be able to step back at any given time and take a “sacred view” of what is going on.
You can ask yourself:
–From a larger perspective, how does this problem or issue factor in to my whole life?
–Are my feelings and response to this situation appropriate given the meaning of the situation in regard to my life?
–How can I be “in this world but not of it”–in other words, participate in it but not be caught in the drama?
–Will I remember this on my deathbed?
When you are caught in a dramatic or fearful moment, take a breath, and remember to hold “a sacred view”! It will make those difficult times far easier.
by Cynthia Bischoff | Apr 12, 2014 | Heartliving
Do you sometimes catch yourself verbalizing thoughts that are self-defeating? Do you hope desperately for something yet limit what you think you deserve, thereby dividing yourself against yourself?
Or do you find yourself able to understand that your thoughts do, in fact, create your reality, yet still feel unable to move your awareness into any conscious action to change?
It is my view that awareness is the first step toward conscious living.
One must understand the dynamics of thought and how our thoughts create our reality. So how do you move through awareness into action? A necessary second step is willingness—that is, the willingness to hold consciousness in the moment toward what you wish to have or be.
For example, I may desire a more loving relationship with my spouse. My desire may not be congruent with my thoughts. Throughout the day, I may be lamenting that I do not have a loving relationship and focusing on the lack and the desire.
So what can you do to align your thoughts with the reality that you wish to create?
- Begin to act as though you already are what and where you would like to be. Concentrate less on the behavior and more on your thoughts.
- Stop yourself from verbalizing or thinking thoughts that are self-defeating. Bring your awareness back to the present and remind yourself that you are your thoughts.
- Use the power of visualization to support your conscious thoughts.
- See yourself manifesting what you desire. If you wish to be out of debt, visualize yourself out of debt. Add an affirmation that you repeat consciously each day: “I am free of debt” OR “I draw wealth to myself.” Choose words that resonate for you and that match your positive visualization.
- Marvel at all the wealth you actually have—water, air, food, sun, clothes, shelter, friends, love, laughter. If you find yourself lamenting over what you do not have, remind yourself of two things you do have. A wonderful thing happens when you delight in how really wealthy you are—more and more of what you want and need flows to you.
- Above all, be willing to do whatever it takes to make your visualization happen.
- You may find it helpful to use the Heartliving mantra: “Ask the universe for what you need. Visualize yourself receiving it. Know that you will receive it. For you are worthy.”
by Cynthia Bischoff | Apr 5, 2014 | Heartliving
As we become more enlightened about our ways to balance mind, body, and spirit in our lives, we are likewise challenged with how to “walk our talk” in the workplace. Here are some suggestions to help YOU improve the workplace:
- Be conscious of the self-fulfilling prophecy: If you expect something negative to happen, you act unconsciously in a way that is more likely to allow it to occur. Think positively.
- If you are in a supervisory position, you earn the right to hold others to high standards by holding yourself to high standards. Keep in mind that balancing your life is a high standard.
- When you share a decision with others, share also the reason it was chosen as well as the process you used to arrive at it. In this way, you will remain in relationship with others.
- Open yourself up to developmental learning activities (from learning about technology to effective communication) that will improve your job performance positively. Encourage others to expand their horizons in this way.
- Understand and appreciate that others may not do things exactly as you would, but that doesn’t make them wrong. Remember that “you don’t have to make someone else wrong to be right.” Practice an open mind.
- Know that in a well managed workplace, there will be problems—conflicts in communication, for example. So expect problems to come up. Instead of trying to deny that they exist, focus on ways to resolve them as an opportunity to increase your organizational effectiveness
- Plan workplace meetings with conscious intent about what you wish to accomplish. Don’t waste time in routine, unplanned meetings.
- Know that according to research on spoken communication, 93% of the message is considered to be based on a person’s nonverbal behavior and inflection and tone. Therefore, HOW you are communicating is more important than the words that you actually say. People are in relationship with how you are being rather than what you are saying.
- Reward people for doing things right. People thrive on recognition and praise. They will be as “great” as you hold them to be!
by Cynthia Bischoff | Mar 22, 2014 | Heartliving
Throughout the day, check in with your breathing. Is it shallow and tight? Are you tense, angry, anxious, or relaxed? If so, it is most likely reflected in your breathing. You might even be holding your breath as a way not to feel your emotions, particularly if they are negative.
Your breathing serves to connect you with yourself and others, so that not breathing fully can be an unconscious defense mechanism for disconnecting from emotions you’d rather not feel. Even though shallow breathing can lessen your ability to feel your emotions, it can also repress them so that you create a pressure cooker of emotions internally, creating dis-ease in the body.
To promote better health:
- Check in with your breathing periodically throughout the day. Are you taking short, shallow breaths or is your breathing deep and relaxed?
- Ask what is going on with you emotionally at that moment and how does your breathing reflect this?
- If you realize that your breathing is shallow, take deeper breaths and check in with how you are feeling.
- Are you able to expand the lower abdomen as you breathe in, opening the lower chakras with the breath?
With every inhalation, mentally reinforce that you are opening your body to a healthy flow of energy. The in-breath reflects the process of your own will–the taking in and connecting with life. The out-breath reflects the process of surrendering and letting go. The dance of your breathing will tell you much about your relationship to life.
by Cynthia Bischoff | Mar 15, 2014 | Heartliving
Your spiritual journey begins with this first step: Opening your heart to a sincere desire to renew the spiritual vitality of your life. Since it is truly a responsive universe, if you are sincere and open to your heart’s intuition, you will begin to see signs that point you toward your next step. You will begin to notice where you are investing your spirit—where you are being drained and where you are receiving a return on your investment.
The spiritual journey is also one of knowing that you have inside you what you are looking for. It is not about earning or acquiring something you don’t already have or about finding another person to complete you. It is about awakening to the spirit within you.
Three simple keys will help you to weave your spiritual journey into your daily life:
- Live your life wholeheartedly with as much conscious, loving presence as you can. Hold the intent that you can contribute to your own balance and bring a greater harmony to your own and others’ lives. Pay attention to where you are investing your energy and stop the “leaks” that cost you your spirit.
- Understand that spiritual practice is a path of deep relationships within your life. Begin your day by recognizing how you are connected to your spiritual principles, your friends, your family, and so on. Our relationships provide a mirror to us of ourselves.
- Have gratitude for the moments of “grace” that you experience daily. Don’t live your life waiting for something to happen so that you can start really living. Live your life fully right now in this moment and every moment. It will take conscious thought to do this. It will require that you respond rather than react to the events in your life and in your relationships. But, yes, it can be done.
Taken to heart, these simple steps can transform your life and allow you to “awaken your spirit within.”
