Habits are an integral part of our lives. In a sense, they set the tone for what we do. Our behavior is a result of what we've learned and what we often consider appropriate. Yet, few of us reflect on our habits, how we behave in routine situations. If we made an effort to examine our habits, we would likely become more capable of building positive ones while simultaneously eliminating those detrimental to our overall well-being.

Regardless of what percentage of our daily behaviors are habits, it's possible that a significant portion of them are bad habits. Therefore, it's crucial to be able to eliminate those that limit us in some way, prevent us from further development, or that simply don't serve us. It's also crucial to become our own psychologist to some extent, that is, to be able to observe our behavior and draw conclusions from these observations. Knowing where our habits come from, whether they're good or bad for us, and when we typically fall back into old patterns is self-knowledge, without which we won't take such a crucial step towards change for the better.

A good start to getting to know ourselves is to ask ourselves three questions that will help us gain basic knowledge about our habits:

1. Does what I do help me be healthier, happier and more fulfilled?

If the answer to this question is even partially "no," it's a sign that some habits are dragging us down. Unfortunately, eliminating the problem isn't easy, because habits become ingrained in our brains as patterns of behavior. However, you can try to change the purpose of a troublesome habit. If  If you spend your free time lying on the couch watching TV, and you know that's not good for both your physical and mental health, try to turn off the TV every once in a while, put down your cell phone, and reach for some worthwhile literature. Remember that we can achieve more with small steps than with one big leap.

2. How is my habit formed?

Without understanding our habit, it will be impossible to change it, let alone eliminate or even accept it. Every habit has several components: a determinant – a fixed time of performance; a specific emotion, place, person, or activity; a routine – a cyclically repeated behavior; and satisfaction – even bad habits bring us some "pleasure." If they didn't, we wouldn't have initiated them.

3. How many habits do I want to change?

Only we know what serves us and what drags us down. What is good for our body and mind, and what habits would make us happiest – which would contribute to our life satisfaction the most. It's also up to us which habits we want to work on to achieve  ultimately, get rid of them. Changing a bad habit or making a new friend must be our, and ours alone, conscious decision.

Remember that changing habits, contrary to what you might think, is absolutely possible. Even if it's difficult at first—and beginnings usually are—the longer we persevere with our resolution, the closer we'll get to our goal. There are several strategies for changing habits that we can test to build both our mental and physical strength. However, remember to first examine your habits, examining their origins and their consequences. Mindlessly rushing into change can only result in frustration or a drop in motivation after just a few days.