Meet Cynthia Bischoff

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cynthia Bischoff. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Cynthia, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I have always believed that every moment is an opportunity to show up fully no matter what life offers, to make the most of whatever presents. I have found that in life’s challenges, I am always given an opportunity to learn, to practice integrity, and to come from a resilient spirit.

In my view, a resilient spirit is like taking a vertical climb in life rather than a horizontal journey. In this view, difficult situations might be seen as opportunities to polish one’s soul.

I was the third in a family of six children, a shy and empathic child who was highly intuitive and sensitive. I suffered from being bullied early on in school and became quiet and withdrawn. I was an avid reader which created a safer world for me, and I focused on my studies which later afforded me a college scholarship.

Once in college, I also began working full-time to supplement my expenses. In my mid-20’s, I married, but after very painful circumstances, was divorced in my 30’s, becoming a single parent to my children, ages 1 and 5. I was so worried about how I was going to be able to parent my children alone and even at times thought I might succumb to my fears. I was often distraught, yet I also knew that I had to be resilient for my children and so I established through practice a pattern of being hopeful in all my endeavors and deciding to come from a mind of generosity rather than lack.

Instead of focusing on what I could not do, I focused on what I could do. I repeatedly picked myself up and reframed my circumstances, knowing that to view myself as a victim would simply deplete my life force, my spirit. Ultimately, I recognized that I always had the power to respond to life and to make wise choices. I also knew I had to use my courage to venture forth even when I was shaking. I constantly told myself that I needed to “be in the world but not of it” which for me translates as holding a sacred view of it all, to witness a bigger picture of why I was there for myself, for my children, and for others.

Little did I know that never giving up and managing my life with passion and purpose would later allow me to be considered a model for other women. I could think of no better livelihood than to instill hope in others and to help them lead with their own strength.

Eventually in my late 30’s after obtaining a PhD and numerous certifications, I left a role as a university administrator and created a business Heartliving which I trademarked in 2013. To date, I have worked passionately for over 30 years as an international life coach, author, and energy medicine practitioner. I have worked in the U.S., Europe, and Japan as a master speaker and storyteller and it has been my pleasure to inspire thousands through my own life journey of risk-taking and living my soul’s purpose.

My beautiful children now have their own families whom I cherish, and I continue to establish rituals for my own self-care and growth. I love to travel and recently moved from the east coast to Arizona, in order to be nearer to my children.

I often reflect on the words of Henry David Thoreau: “The cost of a thing is the amount of life you have to exchange for it, either now or in the long run.” It is a beautiful reminder to choose wisely and to live consciously.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I began my career as a university administrator and business consultant, as well as trainer and life coach. I also authored three textbooks.

As much as I loved my academic work, over time I began to feel that there was more to life than what I was living. Most of all I felt that I could be of greater service to others.

I was very much in search of my life purpose, of creating the best version of myself. I looked for opportunities for soul-searching. This led me to a life-changing experience in 1997 on a pilgrimage to Bosnia to pray for world peace, It was there that I had a vision of a multi-layered heart, and upon meditating on the image, I discovered that my destiny was to encourage others to lead from their hearts, that is, to finder greater meaning and balance in their lives, to live fully and without regret. This is, after all, what I was looking for.

After extensive training in various healing modalities, I created a unique curriculum with business and intuitive principles. I developed a company in 1998 called Heartliving, and through Heartliving seminars, coaching, and healing sessions, I offer clients life solutions through a more integrated view of body, mind, a spirit. I am passionate in listening to people’s stories and helping them become the best version of themselves.

As my client base has grown from work in the U.S., Europe, and Japan, I now perform all of my sessions, both individual and group, on Zoom in order to reach a larger base.

In 2022, I moved to Arizona to be closer to my children and also, as I like to say, to elevate myself. I love the mountains and am living in Carefree, Arizona. Ironically, for years, I would travel to the Southwest and hike and camp with friends. I came through Carefree about 25 years ago and jokingly told a friend that, with a name like “Carefree,” this city would be a place I would live someday. It’s 2024, and here I am!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

My three most important qualities, skills, and areas of knowledge were dedication, creativity, and compassion.

As regards dedication, I was always persistent in my endeavors, truly sincere, and willing to endure whatever presented.
Regarding creativity, I use the term to mean having the ability to think outside the box, to become inspired and excited about new possibilities, and maybe, most of all, to enjoy what I do and share it with others.
Regarding compassion, maybe this is of most importance, because the energy of compassion for me means the ability to relate to the humanness of others, to listen to and feel their story, their suffering, their joys–and to inspire them by letting them know you understand, that you honor them.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

The person most helpful in encouraging me to own my power and overcome challenges is no doubt my maternal grandmother. I was very close to her and spent many nights with her in her clapboard home on the water. My grandfather was a waterman and he passed the year before I was born. My grandmother lived to be 97 and she remained in her home until she passed.

When I was as young as 6 and well into my teens, she and I would sit in the silver moonlight on her porch as the crickets chirped in the summer evenings, and I would listen endlessly to her stories of her nine children of which my mother was the youngest, and of her stories about life in general.

Most of all, I remember her telling me never to let anyone tell me what I could and couldn’t do. For she said, “Girl, I know you can do anything!”

So many times throughout my life I have encountered difficult situations and always I think of Grandma. It is then that I pause and feel her there reminding me that, yes, I can do anything.

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