You Can Create An Exceptional Life

Woot! I'm reviewing a book and so excited about it. Hay House sent me this book for my own, personal review.I've decided to keep some colorful index cards with me while I read it. I have a feeling there will be affirmations I will want to use.Initial thoughts at the beginning of the book:It is small. It's very easy to travel with or pack in your purse.Cheryl begins her introduction with doing things that feel good. My Judeo-Christian background rebels against this. However, I think feeling good means ten bags of chocolate. This book assumes the reader understands that feeling good is about what your inner spirit needs to live an exceptional life. I found Cheryl's introduction a bit of a 'Louise is so awesome' bit of pages. My mind kinda nodded off and hoped the book would have more substance. And substance it had. Of course now that I've read the book, I see why the Louise is so great introduction was appropriate.Louise Hay's introduction was very profound because she pulls back and examines what all writers, philosophers, and religions try to explain.Why do bad things happen? Wow. This point was addressed from the beginning. Do I trust life? Do I trust that life loves me? Do I trust that what happens is ultimately for my good? This section is so wonderful for people who might be in their 20's and 30's and need support and affirmation to look beyond what they currently see. Oh and to top it off Louise just rattles off this superb list of affirmations for those in a health crisis. Can you say highlighter?Chapter Two: Becoming the Creator of an Exceptional LifeCheryl recalls moments of attempting to prove the correlation of our thoughts and our lives. This chapter shows such beautiful examples by both women of the proof in our daily life that our thoughts do matter and do affect our world. Self-care begins with our thoughts. I associate self-care with taking a bubble bath or physical restoration. The wisdom in this chapter really gets to the core of true self-care which is what we are thinking. Reading this chapter even gave me a sign. Just this morning I watched five minutes of a reality show concerning financially wealthy housewives. I suddenly realized that these "conversations filled with useless drama and repetitive harmful thoughts" were tearing down the very thing I was building up in myself. I canceled the season pass. It was a great reminder that monitoring what comes into our minds and thoughts throughout the day is NOT a waste of time. It can be so easy to listen to gossip - either in our real life or on TV and think "Hey that's not happening to me so who cares if I watch/listen to it?" But - it DOES matter. It matters a great deal. As Cheryl says so well, "Without realizing it, we develop patterns of thought and behavior that direct our radio transmitter to search for AND emit negative signals that only create more negativity and difficult experiences in our lives."Chapter Three: How You Start Your Day Is How You Live Your DayDo you dread awakening in the morning? What message you are sending about what you believe about your life? Louise likes to have two hours before she faces people. ME TOO! I love to walk slowly into my day, even if it means getting up early. I suddenly feel so much more evolved knowing that Louise does too. :- Lest you not want to awaken at 3am, Louise shares "Everything we think and say to ourselves is an affirmation." All of the moments in my day are important and can be used for my good. Cheryl chimes in that she relaxes and enjoys her day FIRST thing. Oh yes - I totally agree! Highlighter please. Oh and get ready because there are tons of affirmations to say during your day while you go about. I wanted to leap with joy when I saw this page! They also give great ideas for working with children using affirmations.Chapter Four: How You Live Your Day Is How You Live Your LifeI've always associated Louise Hay with crisis affirmations, if you will. If I'm ill, or in the middle of a break-up, dealing with my self-worth, weight loss and loving my body - the big challenges for me. In this chapter, Louise brings out the seemingly little things that add up such as blessing our food, our cars that take us where we need to go and everything in between. For example, have you ever given thought to what you see all day sitting at your desk? As Cheryl says, "Sometimes all it takes is a small change to send a big message to yourself that says, "I love you, and I care about what you need." We can learn intentional actions that create a beautiful life. There are more suggestions than I could list here, but this chapter is life-changing if you put it into practice in your own unique life. They touch on work in such a powerful way and include affirmations. What a relief to know I don't need to fix the world, I just speak the words of affirmation and the Universe handles the rest.Chapter 5: Don't Break a Habit - Dissolve It!Ala ego! This is a great discussion about how to handle life's problems. You know the ones that just tick you off? Louise returns to her affirmation that "All is well. Everything is working out for my highest good. Out of this situation only good will come. I am safe." Louise explains "the more you turn away from a problem, the quicker the solution becomes." Wow! I never thought of this before but it makes total sense. The more I want the problem handled, the more my ego jumps in and tries to dictate all the moves in the game instead of TRUSTING LIFE! You should read what Louise says about complaining. That moves into a financies discussion that includes a journal question and of course, wonderful affirmations. I am realizing this small book kinda covers everything. This was the chapter that moved me to tears. Louise shared how affirmations would affect family relationships with those dying of AIDS. I just broke down. Using affirmations for family, yes of course, why didn't I think of that. Chapter Five is my favorite chapter so far.Chapter Six: The Beauty of Wisdom Oh this is so yummy! Louise shares about growing older and the secret. It makes so much sense. They talk about wrinkles, weight-loss, the relationship to one's body. Loving ourselves first creates this beautiful trickle down effect. I take that to mean that when I love myself, I'm more tuned into my body (because I love it) and therefore make the best choices in the care of that body. As opposed to listening to someone else tell me what I need and giving no heed whatsoever to what my body is saying. Cheryl's input on aging at 50 are so remarkable. Instead of fighting aging, we learn to see the value in it - becoming intentional about our energy, our time, and our relationships. Hugs, Cheryl. This spoke to my heart.Chapter Seven: The End of the MovieThis beautiful chapter is one worth keeping for the rest of my life. Louise, someone who has worked with many dying people, shares her thoughts, beliefs, and insights about death in such a compassionate, real way.This is a heart book. It's not a book of scientific theories and big words. It is a book of how your heart lives, breathes, and moves throughout the day and into the nights. It's about how we look at flower, a boss, a co-worker, our employees, our children, our car, our toasters and everything in between. Cheryl delivers the message of Louise with such gentleness and respect. She shares her own insights when appropriate, but never competes with the message.Trust Life and our thoughts are our first step in self-care. Now, off to work on step one.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Of the 100+ books which I have reviewed here, this is now one of my top five. (I review only the best of the best books that I read, so top five among that elite group is an honor.) This gem is a pleasure to read, while being profound in a simple way. I so believe this can be a life changer for people that I just ordered twenty copies which I will be distributing as a holiday gift to family, friends and colleagues.Full disclosure, I am a big fan of each of the co-authors. Louise Hay is an extraordinary lady whose leadership in the personal development world and in the business world (she is the founder and matriarch of Hay House which is such a force for good in this world) has long been a role model for me. Cheryl Richardson is equally extraordinary, having been instrumental in the development of the coaching world as we know it today. Cheryl is also a great questioner (one of many reasons she was such a standout when she did personal coaching) and a superb storyteller, two strengths she used well in creating this delightful inquiry into the philosophies and attitudes that have shaped Louise's life.In an era where so many authors (and speakers) seem to feel they need to be in our face to effect change, I found the compassionate tone of this book to be a welcome relief. The book is written in a style where one feels that two good friends graced us with a chance to hear their private reminiscing of lives well lived. Not always easy lives, but - nevertheless - lives well lived.But, it is the wisdom in the book that I most appreciate. Long time fans of Louise will quickly recognize the consistency to her other writings about her strong belief that we are masters of our destiny... that our thinking shapes our world. As said in the book "In our purest, most positive state of mind, we are powerful creators of our very best lives."Cheryl does a wonderful job of probing as to how Louise manages to keep the right thoughts consistently front and center, especially in a world where negative messaging is so pervasive.The style of the writing and shortness of the book (151 5X7"pages) will likely have your devouring this gem in a couple of hours. And, you will undoubtedly like what you have devoured. But, the real value of this book is when you go back and start savoring the wisdom, in each and every page. Therein lies the opportunity for this book to be a catalyst for deep and meaningful change that can make this gem truly a life changer, for you (and for me). Happy savoring!

This is the second Louise Hay book I ever read after I Can Do It. It remains 9 years later one of my favorite books ever and possibly my favorite Louise Hay book. She worked really well with Cheryl Richardson. I also have the DVD of Cheryl & Louise in London for a weekend and I've watched it on repeat so many times now. I really think Cheryl brought out the best of Louise in this book and in the London seminar. She brings out her pragmatic, positive action-optimistic side, which is the side of Louise Hay I was inspired by the most, along with the loving Trust Life side which is perfectly captured here. This book captures the best of Louise Hay, and Cheryl Richardson is no slouch here. In the London seminar, about half the answers that cheryl gave the audience was actually better than Louises herself

I have mixed thoughts on Louise Hay and her theory about thoughts.Firstly, I think she is a genuine and nice person.She's clearly done well to recover from a bad childhood and has made a name for herself in the self-help market.For a while, I was reading a lot about affirmations (and the law of attraction).I was getting pumped, thinking 'Awesome. I can create my own life and change things through my thinking'.I got into these kinds of books because I was badly affected by a pharmaceutical drug given out for Acne (called Accutane). I became very willing to participate in anything that promised me recovery in health. I'm still trying to improve as well as I can.At some point, I came across 'You Can Heal Your Life'.I'm going to state now that I think it's insane to tell yourself 'I am experiencing perfect health' when really you have a set of diseases.And yet, I tried it for a while.I got bored of denying the truth though.I don't think it's good to lie to yourself.I don't see how you can suddenly believe the lies.I think it's pretty inevitable that you'll give up.If you have cancer, saying 'The cancer is gone' will not do you any good.Yeah, Louise got rid of her Cancer without chemotherapy.That's quite an achievement.I think it were down to eating well though, and being happy, rather than lying to herself about the facts.I am open-minded though.I believe there is a mind-body connection.It's clear that stress and worry can wreck havoc on your health over time.But I do think many authors (not necessarily including Ms. Hay) pounce on the chance to market something that will appeal to many people.The Secret is a prime example. It's name is even overhyped.So many of these Law of Attraction folk seem to just make a living through a book telling you how to get what you want.I don't believe that you can attract lots of money into your life just by repeating statements.Affirmations are useful, however, when used realistically.If you are someone who lacks in confidence, it's not at all a bad idea to repeat 'I love and approve of myself'.But you do need to create the correct environment for affirmations.You can't lie to yourself, because you will automatically feel like you're wasting your time.If you're nervous about doing a performance though, saying 'I can do this' will certainly be useful.Louise is, what, 85 now?She's pretty hip.But, she does say some bizarre things.I have several of her products.She just sounds nuts in 'I can do it' when she says 'Little babies love everything about themselves. Even their own faeces'. She says it like it's the most normal thing in the world.In one of her affirmation CD's, she says 'I believe I have been homosexual, lesbian and heterosexual in previous lifetimes' (Something to that affect, at least). Bear in mind these are affirmations that you are supposed to believe in.I'm a 21 year old boy/man. I don't think I have a been a lesbian before (Haha).This book though.This is the one I'm supposed to be talking about.Well, in this book she says you should (out loud) thank your kettle for working.This is apparently what she does.And I believe her, but my Kettle doesn't need thanking.It should work. It's what a Kettle does.Madness.I'm already half way through (though I guess I should read the whole book before reviewing).The book is quite short.It's not brilliant to be honest.It's average.Less so, if you've read other Hay books.I've heard it all before.I already knew her morning routine.To me, it's not realistic and is a waste of time.Cheryl, who writes this book alongside interviewing Louise, clearly admits she wasn't overjoyed with her life.I don't mind honesty. I think it makes people more attractive.But, isn't she another self-help 'Guru' who tells people how to be happy?And yet, she says she was waking up stressed and negative before using Louise's morning routine.And Louise talks constantly about approving of yourself. Accepting yourself.And yet, you can see clearly that she has had some cosmetic surgery.Self-help 'guru's are really just normal people like us.They don't have all the answers, and the law of attraction is very debatable.Your thoughts do not create everything that happens to you.People get killed in car-crashes (sorry for the example) because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time and accidents happen. Not because they are bad people, or because they are thinking negatively.I want to summarise my review.This book isn't anything special or new.Yes - Thoughts are very important.But, in my opinion they do not make things happen outside of your body. Not without action.You shouldn't lie to yourself.You should, on the other hand, take steps towards creating a better life.You should also be more grateful for what you do have, instead of complaining about what's missing from your life.Complaining and negativity do you no good.I can't help but feel this book is a cash-in on previous workings.3 stars (and that's probably generous).I will read the rest of the book, but I can't see it surprising me with anything I haven't heard already.Stefan Lay,Author of  Accutane: The TruthAccutane: The Truth

This is an exceptional book, with useful ideas to help to create an exceptional life. Some reviewers have criticised the fact that the book is really written by Cheryl Richardson rather than Louise Hay, but the interview style is actually very readable, and to be honest, any way that helps us to understand just how Louise Hay lives her life has got to be good! She is currently 86, still full of energy, still teaching, still at the helm of Hay House Publishing, and still inspiring people, so finding out how she starts her day, what affirmations she uses on a daily basis, how she creates her home, and how she creates a life that is clearly happy, fun and worthwhile in so many ways, has got to be guidance worth reading. I highly recommend it, and have started to put into practice what I've learned so far - and I'm also reading it through a second time, something which, for me, is really unusual, but that indicates just how good I think it is!

Good read to those who love to change themselves inside out forever.

the format of the books is that cheryl narates various meetings she had with louise and then asks her to talk about something and sometimes she adds her own insights..there a few affirmations lists at the end of some chapters.i found it easy to read but not so easy to pick out the information i wanted to return to..guess ill have to get my highlighter pen out.there wasnt any new information but i have found its reinspired me again and i found i couldnt put the book down..so i would recomend this for people who are very familiar with louise hay though maybe not people who have found and read her books recently..and for new readers too..