Today, we celebrate Positive Thinking Day! Observed annually on Sept. 13, this day focuses on the power of positive thoughts and the benefits they bring to mental and physical well-being.

Mike Gallina, AultCare vice president of organizational development and community engagement, is a former teacher, coach, principal and school superintendent. In these roles, he has helped people cultivate the habitat of positivity and witnessed firsthand the profound impact that positivity had on their lives. Here, he shares tips for focusing on the positives.

Positivity refers to our tendency to be optimistic. When we have an optimistic view on what lies ahead, our best skills and talents follow that energy. In contrast, pessimism becomes a heavy mental and emotional weight that closes the door on doing our very best in the game of life.

Identifying and challenging our negative and unhelpful thoughts can help improve our overall well-being. Here are a few positive thinking quotes that help us build positive self-talk, the fuel that keeps our positive energy in play:

Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.
~ Mary Lou Retton

If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought.
~ Peace Pilgrim

Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
~ Colin Powell

• Daily reflections can build an even stronger base of positivity. Here are examples:

• Self-oriented positivity: “I’m a great listener and my actions lift others up.”

• Other-oriented positivity: “My friends are there for me when I need them, even when they have their own struggles.”

• Gratitude: “I am thankful to have a home, a job and physical attributes to do life in the best way possible.”

• Paying attention to the positive: “That sunset was spectacular!”

• Savoring: “My evening reading time on the porch felt so good.”

• Future-oriented positivity: “I’m looking forward to watching the Ohio State-Michigan football game.”

Adapted from “The Power of Positivity”
Dr. Tchiki Davis

We are what we repeatedly think about. Positivity, then, is not an act but a habit!