Mood or Mind-set?

I've got a question for you on this Saturday morning: are your responses based on your mind-set or on your mood?

This year I'm doing a Beth Moore Bible study based on the book of Esther. In the lesson I was just working on, Beth talked about several Bible characters who stood firm even under difficult (and sometimes life-threatening) circumstances. She made the statement that "each responded out of his mind-set rather than his mood." That statement made me wonder how often I respond to things based on my mood rather than a mindset.

Up until I started on Take Shape for Life/Medifast, my weight loss efforts were pretty much dictated by my mood. When I was feeling motivated, I tried to lose weight. When I didn't feel like it, I'd tell myself that it wasn't going to be a "good diet day" and I gave myself permission to eat whatever I wanted. Needless to say, a mood-driven weight loss program got me absolutely no where!

It wasn't until I embraced a mind-set of getting healthy that I finally began my final weight loss journey. Having the right tools - this program! - certainly made the difference, but what was also different this time was that I had a different mind-set.

When I started on this program, I wasn't trying to lose weight for a specific event, and I didn't set a date to reach my goal. This time, my goal was to get healthy and stay healthy, and I didn't care how long it took (but naturally I hoped it would be fast!). Once I embraced a mind-set of getting healthy, it was amazing to see the difference in my resolve.

If you're in the habit of responding out of your mood, this journey is going to be a long and rocky one, because there will be times when I can guarantee that you won't be in the mood to stay on plan. There are days when this isn't fun at all, and unless you have a mind-set that is fixed on getting to a healthy weight and continuing your pursuit of health, you're likely to succumb to the myriad of temptations that surround you.

Part of moving from mood to mind-set is taking the time to identify what it is that you really want. If you want to be at a healthy weight, write it down. Picture in your mind what your life will look like when you reach your goal - what kind of clothes will you wear? How will you feel? What will you be able to do? If you can get a picture in your mind of what you want, that can help you keep moving forward on those days when this isn't fun. Instead of moving away from what you don't want (being overweight, on medication, etc.), think about what you want to create in your life. That's much more fun and will be a big step forward in giving you the mind-set you need to get to your goal.

The choice is yours - mood or mind-set?