Louise Hay is an American author and motivational speaker widely regarded as one of the founding figures of the modern self-help and New Thought movement. Born in Los Angeles, California, she overcame a difficult and impoverished childhood before building a career that eventually led her to found Hay House, one of the world's leading publishers of self-help and personal transformation books. She rose to international acclaim with her bestselling book You Can Heal Your Life, which explored her philosophy that thought patterns and self-love play a central role in physical health and life circumstances, a belief shaped in part by her own experience overcoming a cancer diagnosis through alternative methods alongside conventional treatment. Her work centered on the practice of positive affirmations, encouraging readers to replace limiting or negative beliefs with self-affirming statements to transform their health, relationships, and overall wellbeing. You Can Heal Your Life sold millions of copies worldwide and became a foundational text in the self-help genre, launching Hay House into a global publishing platform for authors in wellness, spirituality, and personal growth. Known for her compassionate, affirmation-based approach to healing and self-worth, Hay's work continues to shape modern self-help and New Thought writing and inspire readers across the world.