Book Review
You Can Heal Your Life
by Louise Hay
Posted: 11th May 2026
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4019-7691-0
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4019-7692-7
This first thing to say about this book, or at least the publication that I read which is from 2024, is that it is high quality print and paper, with wonderful graphics, by Kelly Rae Roberts, throughout. It is heavy in the hand, with glossy type pages, and colourful illustrations. It “asks to be read”. It was published by Louise Hay’s own publishing company, Hay House Publishing.
Introduction
Louise Hay is a very impressive woman. While she is now a very successful author and businesswoman, she has coped with much adversity in her life, including being abused as a child and suffering from cancer. She says that the practices that she documents in the book have helped her to recover from these adversities.
Central Theme
The central theme of this book can be summed up quite simply. By using positive affirmations, saying them, repeating them, and believing them, we can manage and influence our emotions, our minds, our subconscious minds, our experiences, and what life brings to us.
There are hundreds of different affirmations in this book. While there is much overlap, I do believe that if any of us use these affirmations regularly then our lives will be better physically, mentally, and spiritually. The types of affirmation fall mainly into four categories, namely: those to do with realising that we are worthy of good things, those relating to our emotions, those relating to influencing good things to happen to us or for us, and those relating to health.
Self-worth
If we have a low self-worth, that impacts us across our lives – whether in relationships, jobs, social interaction, in fact all aspects of our lives. If we do not believe that we are deserving of good things in our lives – good relationships, good jobs, or good experiences, then we are unlikely to have good relationships, good jobs, or good experiences. So many of the affirmations in the book cover how we can affirm and convince ourselves, and eventually believe, that we are deserving and worthy. Examples of these affirmations include:
I love and accept myself exactly as I am.
I now choose to rise above my (personality) problems to recognise the magnificence of my being. I am totally willing to love myself. All is well in my world.
I deserve the best, and I accept it now.
Ultimately, this is all about self-love.
Influence emotions
The next type of affirmation relates to our emotions. If we regularly affirm to ourselves that we are and will be happy, grateful, inspired, loving, loved, or any other positive emotion, then the chances of being or experiencing that emotion are greatly enhanced. Our minds, our subconscious minds, and the Universe will often combine to provide us with the experience or event to achieve and realise that emotion. If first thing in the morning we say to ourselves that we are grateful, then we will find more things to be grateful for during the day. If first thing in the morning we say to ourselves that *we are happy, then we will find more things to be happy about during the day. Our mindset and **the language that we use to speak to ourselves influence what kind of day, and what kind of life that we will have. Examples of these affirmations include:
I am in the right place at the right time, doing the right thing. All is well with the world.
I rejoice in all of my life’s bountiful “givingness”.
I choose to be peaceful and harmonious.
Influence events
The third type of affirmation works in a similar way to the emotion affirmations, and they relate to events in our lives. This could relate to finding a partner, a new job, or a new house for example. By affirming our wishes and the end result that we wish for, we increase the chances of success. Our minds, our subconscious minds, and the Universe will often combine to provide us with the result for which we wish. For example, if we want to get a new job to gain more experience or to earn more money then affirmations relating to achieving this will increase the chances of finding that new job. We will identify and be presented with opportunities that we otherwise would not have noticed were there. Examples of these affirmations include:
I have a wonderful new relationship.
I am the creative power in my world.
Everything I touch is a success.
Prosperity
Before covering the fourth set of affirmations relating to health, I will refer to Chapter 13 on Prosperity. I felt that in this chapter the author, Louise Hay, was very materialistic in pushing the concept of affirmations that can bring prosperity or material prosperity. They were presented as being almost guaranteed and I felt that this was a very commercial approach. Also, she was quite patronising on a few occasions. She says that “we should love our bills as it is an acknowledgement of our ability to pay”. For many in today’s world, even in the First World, this is not the case. She also says, as supposed proof that wealth and prosperity will always come to those who need it, that “poor families always find the money for a funeral”. That is a very arrogant and patronising comment. She refers to “the abundance of the Universe being available to everybody”. That is not the case for many in today’s world. She says that “if the reader feels angry or does not believe such statements” then the reader is resistant to the truth about money and prosperity. Again, I feel a rather arrogant and dismissive comment. This chapter would sit well and could be the content of a course or seminar for businesspeople and those wishing to make much money. I don’t think that it fits in this book.
Conversely or ironically, at the end of this chapter on Prosperity, there is one of the best and most inspiring paragraphs of the whole book, which does not focus of monetary prosperity, but perhaps prosperity of spirit. I have turned the paragraph into an affirmation or reflection.
I rejoice in the abundance of being able to awaken each morning and experience a new day. I am glad to be alive, to be healthy, to have friends, to be creative, to be a living example of the joy of living. I live to my highest awareness. I enjoy my transformational process.
This is so powerful and inspiring.
The List
“The List” covers hundreds of diseases and ailments. For each disease or ailment Louise Hay provides a possible cause, usually an emotion or negative thought pattern, and presents a cure in the form of a positive thought pattern or affirmation. There are hundreds of positive thought patterns presented, all of which I believe can have a positive impact on us all whether ill or not. However, I have some issues with the specific cause and effect as portrayed by Louise Hay. In the previous chapter on “The Body” she goes through the organs, limbs, and all aspects of the body. She claims that each ailment or condition can be specifically linked to a specific thought pattern or belief. I am not convinced of this accuracy and specific theories. Some of the links appear to be very tenuous. For example, she says that if we have back issues that it means we feel we are not being supported. Just because the back is the support system for the body. If we have knee problems, it is caused by something in our lives where we are refusing to bend or change our ways. Just because our knees’ function is to bend. Such links appear very tenuous to me.
If the cause and remedy for all ailments and diseases were so clear and definite as portrayed in this book, then there would be a very productive and beneficial branch of medicine or alternative medicine in place worldwide today but there isn’t.
However, all that been said, as mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of affirmations here that can have a positive effect on us, even if I don’t believe that a specific affirmation is the cure for a specific condition. I do believe that these positive affirmations can have a very powerful and positive effect on our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Examples of positive affirmations from “the List” include:
I love and accept myself at every age. Each moment in life is perfect.
I joyously run forward to greet life’s wonderful experiences.
My mind is at peace.
This is just a random selection, and each one is linked to a specific ailment or disease. I don’t accept the direct connection, but I do believe that these affirmations, and the others on “the List”, can have a very positive and empowering effect on our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is much of value in this book. There is much that we can learn about how to speak to ourselves, how to think about ourselves, and how to use affirmations to improve our physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
On a practical level, I have found that using a positive affirmation of “I can do …”, increases the chances of achieving the desired result. It does not guarantee success, but it does allow us to stretch ourselves and to achieve even more.
Even if we were to just “dip into” the book randomly and read and use some of the affirmations on a regular basis that would have a very positive effect of us. It would be a very empowering, positive, and life-changing practice. Try it!
Thank you Louise Hay.
References
