I Always Need To Fix The Leaks

I read something this morning I thought was interesting.  It was written by a Mary Pickford.  "All the water in the world cannot sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. All the negativity in the world cannot sink a person unless it gets inside the mind."
I thought it just put an interesting perspective on negativity.
So often I hear advise about the importance of not succumbing to negative thoughts – to ensuring I look for and declare the positive. (at the same time I am very much into ensuring I maintain realism.  By that I mean acknowledging that realism does not deny the negative but also does not automatically declare negativism as the ultimate reality.)
The point that is made here and I really like is that negativity can only reek havoc if I allow it in.  I have heard so often, “garbage in, garbage out.”
Yet for me this quote changes the emphasis.  It encourages me to ensure that the garbage does not get into the ship in the first place - water will only cause a ship to sink when it gets into the ship.
My thinking automatically tells me, “easy to say, harder to do.”  Yup, no denying that as far as I am concerned.  Yet for me I think of two things straight away.  The first is I know I need help.  To me the difference between self-help and what I believe is that self-help alone has been proven to be inadequate and is very finite.  To me it at best makes me feel better while not having answers that satisfy. The second thought I have is that what I accept into my head is a choice.  I can choose to keep out what I know will potentially destroy me.  Again, I know I need help to do it but it is so worth it.
The more I age the more important a healthy mind is to me.  So often it seems older folk are ham strung by regrets.  The past rules. To me past success and failures are just that – past.  Y=The past can be enjoyed or dealt with but it should never rule.