You Can Heal Your Life by Louise L. Hay
You Can Heal Your Life is a self-help book that uses the nurturing of the spirit as the foundation for building better life. This book is enjoying 24 years in publication, numerous translations and it’s even been made into a movie. I decided I wanted to re-read this book and find out if it is still relevant.
The first time I read this book I was very young and the self-help genre was still new to me. I had the misconception that these types of books were for middle-aged people who were confused about their lives, so I didn’t see how I could relate to any of the content. You Can Heal Your Life was a very easy book to read and to understand. The message was very clear: What you think, you create.
Kind of predecessor of The Secret, this book tells us that our attitude toward ourselves and toward the world around us determines what our lives are to become. It also addresses where these attitudes stem from and the action necessary for overcoming them. Louise Hay opens up about her own life and struggles, and makes a compelling case for the power of change. The book is accented with positive affirmations and heartfelt wisdom. There is also a section of the book dedicated to the link between health problems and psychological injuries. The book covers a lot of spiritual ground.
Having re-read the book recently, I couldn’t help but feel a little cynical about it. This time around I felt that Hay was over-simplifying some very complex issues about psychological traumas. I got the feeling that Hay had been very fortunate in her life by finding the right people to surround herself with, and thus was able to overcome her adverse situations. Positive thinking is always good for the soul, and the book makes some very good points of why it’s important to have a positive attitude about oneself, and gives the reader the steps to take to a better life. But it feels trite and dumbed down.
I think this is a good book to begin with if your on a journey to self-improvement. This book is a good introduction to some of the concepts and terms that are found in may other books of it’s kind. Over all, it’s a classic worth reading for a little perspective.
Tags: Healing, Positive Thinking, Self Help
