This is so basic, that it’s easy to forget... If I want to change my behavior, I must first change the way I think. This principle comes into play whenever we want to break, change or create a habit too. Proverbs 23:7 tells us that what we think in our hearts is the same as the behavior we demonstrate.
We have the amazing ability to be able to literally change our minds! So, how do you change the way you think to match the way you want to act? By renewing your mind in the word and through the Holy Spirit and actively pursuing the new thoughts. It’s not often something that you can “flip a switch” on - like deciding that you like broccoli now, when you didn’t before. The kind of shifts that change behavior usually take time and discipline - sometimes, by God’s grace, they can happen quickly or even supernaturally though.
I remember one time that I did this - my kids were young and I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I found myself more cranky and impatient in the mornings than ever. I had never been a “morning person,” but it was unacceptable to me for me to start my family’s day like that. So I prayed, and I asked God to help me transform into a morning person. I played uplifting worship music as soon as I got up and I didn’t stay in bed til the 3rd or 4th snooze. It took time, but I started to like and enjoy mornings. With God’s help, I had successfully “changed my mind.”