Louise Hay is sounding chirpy and upbeat. And why not? It's 8 a.m. in Maui, Hawaii, with the promise of a lovely day before her. She's traveled from her home base in San Diego to attend a workshop led by fellow motivation speaker and best-selling author Wayne Dyer.
"We like to support each other," she says of Dyer. But she could also be speaking of the whole self-help crowd, which has propelled the mind-body-spirit movement into an estimated $11 billion-a-year business.
Say what you want about these perpetually positive prophets. They are delivering a message that the public apparently wants to hear. They're doing it through books, audio tapes, films, big-arena events, Podcasts, media appearances and even on themed cruises.
As for Hay, the grand dame of the movement, she must be doing something right.
At 84, she is going as strong as ever, leading a successful publishing house and headlining the popular "I Can Do It!" conferences around the world. The event comes to the Tampa Convention Center for the second time Nov. 12 through 14. (To learn more about the conference, go to www.icandoit.net or call (800)-654-5126.)
How have things changed in self-help circles since she wrote her 1984 bestseller, "You Can Heal Your Life"?
"People have generally been coming to these conferences and reading these books for years because they wanted certain things," she says. "But now I think they are more confident they can achieve what they've put their minds to, because they've seen the results and they know it works."
Good health, job success, financial security, relationship issues - all of those are on people's minds these days. What is the issue that Hay views as most prominent?
"Peace of mind," she says. "That's what we're all seeking now. Without that, it's hard to move forward in any area."
Hay's conferences don't come cheap. With the cost of facility rental, direct-mail promotion and bringing in the movement's heavy hitters to draw crowds, attendees can expect to pay anywhere from $50 for a one-night general admission pass to $375 for preferred seating for the full three days. She says her organization is sensitive to the struggling economy and has dropped prices. But it's a substantial investment, especially for those on a tight budget.
Why are they still drawing thousands? "Because people get so much out of it," she says. "If you learn something that makes a positive impact on your life, then it's worth it."
John LaRosa isn't surprised by the industry's continued success. He's president of the Tampa-based Marketdata Enterprises, which has been tracking the self-improvement market for about 20 years.
"Everybody is looking for a guru to solve their problems," he says. It usually begins with a best-selling book; the most successful ones then spread to multiple channels of distribution to "slice and dice" their information.
Large-scale events like Hay's have taken a hit in recent years because of the cost, LaRosa says. Audiences are gravitating to more down-to-earth seminars that are shorter and less expensive. They're also participating more in online programs.
The typical customer? Female, affluent, middle-aged and living on the East or West coast.
A few years ago, everyone looking for the answer to a better life was gaga over "The Secret." Even Oprah gave it her golden seal of endorsement. But right now, LaRosa says he sees no "next big thing" on the self-improvement horizon.
That brings us back to Hay. Given her staying power, she has some tried-and-true advice on living a happier and healthier life.
"Every time you pass a mirror, look into it, get eye contact with yourself and say 'I love you. I really love you.' Connect with your inner child who needs to hear that," she says. "Believe in yourself and love yourself first. Things will shift and change, I guarantee you."
And for the truly committed, "get off sugar. That's one of the most detrimental things we do to ourselves. It's time to lose it."
Some tips on finding inner peace
Deborah King, author of "Truth Heals"
It can be painful to confront a deeply buried issue or bad experience from the past. Yet if we don't, it can affect our physical health. Share one way to begin the process of facing the truth.
I'm sure you've heard the saying, "The truth will set you free." But did you ever wonder why? Or how? Whenever life gets too difficult or threatening, like when we experience an emotional or physical trauma, we may feel that we can't handle the truth and so we try to deny it. We send the facts about what is happening - and our resulting thoughts, beliefs, and emotions - underground, burying them deep inside where we think we don't have to deal with them. But this strategy of deny-and-dissociate doesn't work at making our emotions go away, at least not for long. They always pop back up, often in unexpected and destructive ways.
In order to have a fulfilling life, complete with a healthy body and happy relationships, we have to own our emotions-experiencing them fully and then letting them go. One of the most powerful exercises for accomplishing this task is also one of the simplest: journal writing.
Here are some tips for getting the most healing from journaling:
1. Be honest. Unleash all of your feelings - no matter how petty, jealous or hateful they may sound. The worse, the better! The very point is to release the toxic energy that is harming you.
2. Do it daily. This moves the old toxic energy out and keeps new toxins from accumulating.
3. Keep your journal safe. Place it where no one else can read it. To be uninhibited, you need to know that it won't be subject to the scrutiny of others.
Loretta LaRoche, author of "Lighten Up
Loretta LaRoche, author of "Lighten Up!"
Q: D-I-E-T is a four-letter word, and not a pleasant one for chronic overeaters. Share a tip or two on how a yo-yo dieter can find inspiration in starting yet another weight-loss regime.
A: Yo-yo dieting has become an unfortunate metaphor for those who have spent years trying to maintain a healthy weight. As the individual tries more and more diets, the chances of success diminish exponentially. I have been there, done that and often feel that I have lost and gained a tribe of people. So, now what? The reality is that we must stop trying unrealistic eating regimes that force us into thinking that certain foods are illegal, dangerous, or off limits. Our inner "health advocate" knows what foods are more supportive to our well-being
1. Become more available to your intuition as a guide.
2. Consider what kind of energy you want. I love to be filled with enthusiasm and energy and I know when I eat well, it gets me through the day with less stress and fatigue.
3. Consider the possibility of using a more altruistic approach. Lose weight so someone who is disadvantaged can gain. There is so much poverty in the world and how heartwarming would it be to donate a certain dollar amount to an organization that feeds the hungry? Altruism is perhaps the best diet we can follow.
4. And lastly savor your food. Eating should never feel as if it is a race to get to a finish line. Make it enjoyable, fun and break bread with others as often as possible. It builds community and just might make you more aware of what you're eating.
Carolyn Myss, author of "Defy Gravity."
Q: We live in such a noisy, intrusive world. Give an example how you can disconnect for a short period in a busy day.
A: Disconnecting from the noisy world and entering into prayer and silence is not difficult for me. I have a very specific way of retreating into inner silence. I inwardly withdraw from the world, even when I am standing in the midst of chaos. I don't have to leave the external chaos to inwardly withdraw. I then repeat a prayer that has now become a part of my soul: "Let nothing disturb the silence of this moment with you, God", and whenever I say that prayer, I feel grace hovering over me. If I had to seek out a quiet room or some beautiful setting in order to regain my inner tranquility, I would consider that a great inconvenience. The inner imagery that is now so familiar to me was inspired by Teresa of Avila, who referred to one's soul as the "Interior Castle.". I learned through her work that this inner lodging of the deeper self is real but not accessible through words or the mind. As Teresa wrote so many times, only prayer and the journey of self-knowledge can bring you into your inner castle. It's a worthy journey.
Robert Holder, author of "Be Happy!"
Q: OK, sometimes it's really, really hard to be happy. Mounting bills, failing health, aging parent, stress from work - it all adds up. What's the starting point for the key to finding happiness?
A: Sometimes I think we suffer from too much positive thinking. That's when you feel you have to be positive even when you don't feel that way. That will just upset you more and really annoy your friends. Plus, it's really exhausting.
Know the difference between being honest and being positive. If your strategy for happiness is to avoid being unhappy, you won't be very happy in your life. So if you are feeling sad, try to find out why. Emotions like sadness and anxiety are like lights on your car's dashboard. They are there to signal that something is wrong. Deal with that first. Realize there is no such thing as a negative feeling, but sometimes you can handle those feelings negatively. See what the source of your unhappiness is teaching you, and what you can learn from it. When times are so difficult, look for those moments of real humanness. They usually come with laughter or an act of kindness. You can find moments of happiness to get you through the hard times.
Wayne Dyer, author of "The Shift: Moving Your Life From Ambition to Meaning"
Q: So many Americans have lost their jobs, which often results in a loss of self-esteem and self-worth. Give one example of what an unemployed person can do to boost his or her spirits -- and find meaning in something other than ajob?
A: We must take a long-term view and remember that life has always been described as challenging -- the Middle Ages, World War I -- I mean, those were challenging times. A job is going to change. You'll do something else. Everybody who works in the computer industry is in an industry that didn't exist a generation ago; those are lost jobs that became found jobs. Nobody needs to ask, "What is my purpose?" It will always be found in service. Put your attention on making life better for someone else -- you'll find your purpose and more meaning in life.
Five things you can do to find meaning and remain positive:1.Take time every day to make conscious contact with source energy (God or whatever it may be) through silence.
2. Practice thinking of others before you think of yourself.
3. Give away more than you ask for.
4. Want the happiness you seek, more for somebody else than youdo for yourself.
5. Have reverence and a gentle approach to all life.
When people ask me how to attract into their life what they want, I always tell them to want it more for someone else than for themselves.
Think about how much joy that would give you. One of the things I profoundly believe is you do not attract what you want, you attract what you are.
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