When we are a part of negative loops, we believe that nothing can heal us. But that’s untrue.
We are the only ones who can heal ourselves.
And thus, the book’s title goes like “You Can Heal Your Life”.
A brief about the book
The author of the book, Louise Hay, takes the reader through different stages of healing. She insists, we choose our own thoughts. If you choose not to believe a certain belief, you are free from it.
Throughout the book, she has talked about different affirmations through these stages of healing. You start with, “I accept myself as I am” and end up with “I love myself”. She also shares the right way to do affirmations!
My Favorite Quotes from “You Can Heal Your Life”
These weren’t the actual quotes in the book, but these lines struck something into me. And so, here we go.
“When there is a problem, there is not something to do, there is something to know.”
“Love is never outside ourselves; love is within us.”
“Every thought we think is creating our future.”
What The Book Says: The Summary
Louise opens the first chapter with a strong sentence: What we think about ourselves becomes the truth for us — whether it’s the best or worst. Our every thought is a clue to what our future will look like.
But, for the hope of it, she adds, each of us are doing our best at this very moment. If we were aware, we could do better than this.
We aren’t truly ourselves. Our childhood has formed who we are today.
The beliefs that we learned early in our childhood shaped our present-time beliefs and thoughts. When we grow up, we create a similar environment around us as our early home.
And honestly, it’s not even our parents’ fault. They’ve been through the same and passed their emotions to us.
Our thoughts can be changed.
Louise says, we cannot revisit and change our past. But our present and future is in our control. Our future depends on our thoughts. And, we can choose our thoughts.
We can choose to refuse a negative thought.
We can choose to dream of positive happenings.
Forgiveness is the solution to all.
The four emotions cause the most problems: Resentment, Criticism, Guilt, and Fear. She explains these emotions as physical ailments:
- Resentment eats away at the body.
- If criticism becomes consistent, it can stiff our body like arthritis.
- Guilt always seeks punishment, and punishment causes pain.
- Fear leads to sore feet and ulcers.
These feelings emerge from when we don’t take responsibility and blame others. The ultimate solution is forgiveness.
She explains further, “Blaming others doesn’t do any good. It only holds us deeper into the problem.”
So, the first exercise Louise introduces is: Look into the mirror and say to yourself, “I love and accept you as you are.”
At first, it will be overwhelming. Over time, it will start to feel better. Whenever you get a negative thought, stop it mid-way and speak, “Out”.
The will to change.
Start with an affirmation, “I am willing to change”.
To ignite a will, you must start with the process. Remember, you won’t be able to organize your whole life at once. Once you organize one portion of your life, the rest will start to fall into place itself.
About the healing process, Louise says that awareness is the first step. You should be aware of the process enough to not lose hope. And so, you should be willing to heal.
Healing is like untangling your mental knots — gently.
Release it all.
Start with releasing the emotions physically from your body. Then, release the emotional attachment with your memories.
It’s not the memories that hurt us; it’s the emotional attachment that does. When you release the emotional attachment with it, you will move on.
Hold on to what you want.
You shouldn’t hold on to what you don’t want. For instance, avoid sentences such as: I don’t want to be fat.
The more you say such things, the more you’ll attract them. Instead, say it like, “I am healthy.”
Here’s why: Your mind accepts things that are working in the present time. So, always say your positive affirmations in present tense. Cut out all the negativity.
The second exercise: “I Deserve [This]”.
Fill in the blank with what you deserve. By this time, you are healed and now, reshaping your life. Tell yourself how good you deserve. That’s manifestation right there.
Change your daily routine.
Start your day with mediation for at least 5 minutes. Slowly, you can make these sessions longer for up to 20 minutes.
Eat healthy. Give your body what it needs to function the best throughout the day.
Lastly, take 1-2 positive affirmations every day and write them at least 10-2o times. Chant, or sing, or rhyme with them whenever you want.
My Words on The Book
I loved it in the first read. It wasn’t like any of those ‘self-help’ books that we read nowadays that repeatedly mention the same thing, over and over again. Louise wrote it as if it was a stream of his methods.
This book isn’t a theory, but a journey through healing. I was recommended this book by a life coach, and I say the same about it to you.