At Power of Positivity, we pass our condolences to her family and friends of Louise Hay, who peacefully passed on from this world in her sleep at ninety years of age.
She was the founder of Hay House, Inc. Started from her living room, her movement turned into Hay House, Inc., a publishing company that has sold millions of books and other products on a global scale, with offices in California, New York, London, Johannesburg, Sydney, and New Dehli.
Louise had her first book called “Heal Your Body”, as known as “the little blue book”, published in 1976 and since then, Hay House has published books from notable self-help authors, including: Dr. Wayne Dyer, Doreen Virtue, Esther and Jerry Hicks, and Dr. Christine Northrup. She was also a master of visualisation, affirmations, nutritional cleansing, and pyschotherapy, which was required when she was diagnosed with cancer.
Thanks to these unconventional methods, she went into remission and was completely cured of cancer within six months. Regarded by many as one of the founders of the self-help movement, even being dubbed “the closest thing to a living saint”, it seemed like her superpower was indeed helping others. That was until August 30th 2017.
So, what was her message? Let us celebrate her life and legacy by revealing ten invaluable life lessons from Louise Hay herself.
- “Love is the miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives.”
This is the glue that holds everything together, the profound experience of self-love. As you love and accept yourself as you truly are, you experience things that are seemingly impossible. This teaching also tells us that we must allow the love in and be prepared for it when it comes. When you allow this love to flow through you, you receive the beautiful gift self-awareness. The Collins dictionary definition of self-awareness is “the quality of being conscious of one’s own feelings, character, etc.”
2. “I am willing to release the need to be unworthy. I am worthy of the very best in life, and I now lovingly allow myself to accept it.”
Ah yes, self-worth. Instead of beating yourself up and harshly criticising yourself, find small parts of your being and approve of and feel happy about them, then you will find that your life starts to change for the better. This does not mean that you must accept what is, but what it does mean is that we can now go for what we want and live our life without any blame or judgment.
3. “Every thought we think is creating our future.”
Positive versus negative thinking. Pay attention to your thoughts because they are shaping your future, so every thought counts. It is so much easier to create the life that you want when your thoughts are happy, energising, and empowering. On the other hand, a negative thought can quickly turn into tension, worry, which can waste your time and sap your energy. Louise has a technique to share to release a bad thought: whenever an unwanted negative thought enters your mind, you tell that thought to get out! Louise explains, “I say “Out” to every negative thought that comes into my mind. No person, place, or thing has any power over me, for I am the only thinker in my mind. I create my own reality and everyone in it.”
4. “I am willing to open up to the abundance and prosperity that is available everywhere.”
Louise talked about when in the ocean, you will only get a thimble or spoon of water if you bring a thimble or spoon with you. So do you go round in the vast ocean known as life with just a thimble? Or do you have a spoon? Maybe you brought a bucket with you? Or do you have a constant connection to the ocean? Answer honestly. Take your time if need be. Worrying is the main killer of abundance and will only make matters worse for you. Listen to Bobby McFerrin’s song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” to help turn that frown upside down!
5. “I have noticed that the Universe loves gratitude. The more grateful you are, the more goodies you get.”
Are you breathing? Good, now say thank you for each breath you take. Are you reading this article intently? Good, now say thank you for reading it. Do you have people around you who love you? Good, now say thank you for having those people. Start with the small stuff, then you will get to say thank you for the bigger things also. By the way, thank you for reading this article so far.
6. “Be willing to take the first step, no matter how small it is. Concentrate on the fact that you are willing to learn. Absolute miracles will happen.”
The best way to get ahead is to get started and unexpected things start to happen once you get going. We always need an open mind when we want to learn, even more so when we first start on our journey. So learn your butt off, keep an open mind about what you learn, and you will see interesting developments arising. Louise had her own Einstein-esque equation with regard to this: Take first step/Take action + Have beginner’s mind/Be willing to learn = Great stuff! E=mc what?!
7. “We are far more than our bodies and personalities. The inner spirit is always beautiful and lovable, no matter how our outer appearances change.”
Your very essence is far more powerful than you realise. You are the inner light, you are the Universe. Embrace it like you would your mum on Mother’s Day! Forget how media portray “perfection” in the form of beauty, you are perfect externally and internally and no-one can take that away from you, if you do not allow them. Let your light shine brighter than the moon at night!
8. “Make joy and happiness the centre of your world.”
This is the foundation of the Power of Positivity ethos. What is life if joy seldom prevails? How can you live if misery, worry, and sadness are on the menu all day everyday without even a whiff of happiness? Just think about this for a moment and reflect. Louise also said this: “Remember the things that gave you joy as a child. Incorporate them into your life now. Find a way to have fun with everything you do. Let yourself express the joy of living. Smile. Laugh. Rejoice, and the Universe rejoices with you!”
9. “When we forgive and let go, not only does a huge weight drop off your shoulders, but the doorway to your own self-love opens.”
Even if you are slightly vexed, you could well be thinking about it incessantly and it festers away at you. However, when you let go of any anger towards someone or something, you have a sense of freedom and it makes an intangible tangible. This leads to more happiness in your being and puts you on a path to success in life.
10. “The point of power is always in the present moment.”
Never underestimate the power of now! The past is gone and has passed. The future is unknown. Now is a gift, that is why it is called the present. Continually living in the past or future is not beneficial, so you might as well as enjoy the moment and use it for your greater purpose.
Thank you, Louise Hay. You have given us all a beautiful gift through your life’s work. Rest in peace!
References:
Other A N., “Louise Hay’s Legacy”
Hay House http://www.hayhouse.com/louise-hay-legacy
Harish, “14 Life Tips From The Amazing Louise Hay”
Launch Your Genius http://launchyourgenius.com/2014/01/18/14-life-tips-from-the-amazing-louise-hay/
