They say it takes about 6 weeks to change a habit, depending on how much we are using this new information. There is a pathway in our brain that automatically jumps to the ‘default/I know this’ mode. To illustrate, I changed the location of my garbage can from under the sink to a new auto-opening garbage can that sat on the other side of the kitchen. It became comical as I would automatically open the cupboard under the sink and throw my garbage on top of the items I had replaced the can with. I resorted to putting a yellow sticky note on the cupboard door that said NO! This worked for a couple of days and then my mind started to ignore the note as I would again open the old cupboard door. Finally, after a couple of weeks, I started to remember that the garbage can was in a new location! It took a couple more weeks to automatically remember. Now I don’t even have to think about it—I just do it.
Because we have a default mode (out of habit) in ways of thinking, sometimes we have to remind ourselves that we don’t think out of the old man/carnal mind anymore. Using the garbage can is a good analogy since the old location (our carnal thought processes) is replaced with a completely new and different location as we remember to go to the Holy Spirit. Think in terms of the old way as ‘garbage’—there’s a brand new way of thinking! However, this new way is accessed by repetition and intentional work on our part as we remember that the new location is the Holy Spirit that we need to first go to! Fortunately, the Holy Spirit reminds us that He is present within us!
by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.—Hebrews 10:20
Commune In The Garden 