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I want to be truly happy with myself and the things I have done and overcome.

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-Abraham Lincoln

Happiness is the universal feeling we all aspire to experience more of, yet, we can be an angry, moody, depressed bunch, can't we? The science of happiness tells us that being happy is, indeed, a choice. But if you're still struggling to make lemonade when life hands you lemons, maybe you just need a little swift-kick-in-the-pants motivation.

Here are 7 reasons why you should be happy right now.

1. There are people in your life who love and depend on you.

Who are the most important people in your life? Chances are, you'd do anything for these folks, right? If you're looking for a reason to be happy, this is the place to start. No matter how bad life gets, there will always be someone who loves you unconditionally. Do you think your loved ones want to see you unhappy and miserable? Of course they don't. So choose happiness for the people who love you. It will make your relationships much more enjoyable.

2. Life could change dramatically at a moment's notice.

The thing about life is it's completely unpredictable. Any of us could wake up tomorrow and lose our job, lose someone we love or realize we have a life-threatening disease. The point is, you never know. So don't wait until tomorrow to be happy. Choose happiness today and enjoy every single moment you have.

3. Happy people are more productive.

Who do you think gets more accomplished in an average day? The person who is optimistic, happy, and driven or the person who spends his energy complaining, and venting about how his life isn't fair? Happy people, in general, are more productive and are more likely to accomplish their goals than unhappy people.

4. The world needs more happy people.

It seems as if every week we hear about a new tragedy that makes us question the human spirit. Unfortunately, we live in a world where there will inevitably be war, famine, poverty, and destruction. But here's the thing: good always trumps evil. The actions of one happy person can create a ripple effect that can literally change the world. So be the change you wish to create. Choose happiness.

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.
-Omar Khayyam

5. You're alive.

No matter how sick, tired, sad, or unhappy you are, there's one thing you can still be grateful for and that's the fact that you're still here. People we love leave us unexpectedly on a regular basis. Think about what you would do if you knew this was your last day on earth? Would you spend it brooding and thinking about all the stuff you don't have? Probably not. You'd make an effort to spend time with those you love most, to relax, laugh and live.

6. Happy people have better relationships.

In most surveys, married people are happier than unmarried people. That doesn't mean you need to be married to attain happiness. What it means is that when you choose to be happy, you're more likely to have better work relationships and better relationships with friends, family members, and other loved ones.

7. Happy people are healthier.

If you need another reason why you should be happy right now, here's a good one: research shows a direct correlation between health and happiness. Happy people tend to take better care of themselves by exercising more and eating healthier than unhappy folks.

So don't wait until tomorrow ...choose happiness now!

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.
-Marcus Aurelius

TIME. IT'S THE CURRENCY OF LIFE.

But unlike money, you can't make more. You can, however, maximize each and every second you spend. Lifehack's mission is to help you make enormous gains with the limited time you have. With the insights we provide, your seconds can be worth hours, and days can be worth years in value.

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7 Reasons Why You Should Be Happy Right Now

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Abraham Lincoln Happiness is the universal feeling we all aspire to experience more of, yet, we can be an angry, moody, depressed bunch, can't we? The science of happiness tells us that being happy is, indeed, a choice. But if you're still struggling to make lemonade when life hands you lemons, maybe you just need a little swift-kick-in-the-pants motivation.

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I would love to travel the world and experience/learn new things.

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Travel and Study Abroad both opens your mind to new perspectives, and you also have the time of your life. Why do you think you should travel the world? Comment below! CAMERA: http://amzn.to/2hKIVaB GOPRO: http://amzn.to/2hqcuBK INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/jetsetterjenna/

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I want to be able to start a family and be able to provide for them.

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How to Know if You Are Ready to Start a Family

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Deciding to start your own family is a difficult decision. Although it can be one of the most rewarding areas in life, it is also demanding of your time, money, and there's no guarantee of success. Assess your maturity level. Are you an...

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I want to graduate from college and start my career.

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Graduate College | Arizona State University | Top-ranked programs

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Create the future you want. Join a top-ranked graduate school that solves real world challenges with award-winning faculty and 400 graduate degree options.

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I need to decide which college will be best for me and my future.

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Question: I got into multiple colleges. How do I decide where to go?
Pat's Take

If you do a Google search, you will find many "generic" articles on how to pick the best college for you. We're going to offer a slightly more politically incorrect (but painfully honest) point of view on how to best select your college. Keep in mind, that we typically write on career-related topics, and I'm the author of Making College Count, which is about how to approach college to land the best possible job when you graduate, so the perspective we will share will have a strong career slant to it.
Know that brands matter
For the next 50 years, when you shake someone's hand to introduce yourself, one of the first things you will be asked is where you went to college. Branding matters in today's world. You like to wear Under Armour, not Kirkland. People like to hire students from colleges with strong recognizable brand names too, whether those are regional or national college "brands."
Go where professors care
When you go to a campus, try to get a sense of how engaged the professors are. They're are actually rankings for the engagement level of professors. I teach in in the Farmer School of Business at Miami University, and the professors are incredibly engaged with their students. It makes a big difference in your overall learning experience. Ask students at a given school who their favorite professor is and why, and how comfortable they would be picking up the phone and calling that professor to ask a favor. Some schools have a culture of professorial engagement with undergraduate students. I have a strong bias toward those schools.

Look at schools that are great at what you want to do. The reputation or ranking of the school doesn't matter if it is not strong in your particular field of interest. If you think you want to study journalism, find a school that is strong in journalism, not just a "name" school.
Look at schools that are also great at your backup career interest
The reality is that many students change their majors. If you think you might have interest in a couple of different potential majors, pick the school that is good at both. Don't pick a more specialized school that doesn't offer a range of majors unless you're 100% locked in on a career path.
Surround yourself with excellence
Most of us either rise or sink to our environment. If you surround yourself with the strongest academic students possible, you are likely to perform at a higher level. If you go to the school where you can coast, you will likely coast. This will be fantastic - until it's time to get a job. Recruiters know the difference between strong academic schools and party schools.
Look at who hires students from your school
This is where the rubber hits the road. Go to the career center and ask who hires students from your major at the college. Find out how many they typically higher each year. Remember, college is very expensive. Pick a school that will allow you a reasonable economic opportunity to pay off your loan after college.
Don't forget about social environment
Many students are shocked to go to a college and find that everyone goes home on the weekend. Most colleges do not market the fact that they are commuter campuses. Show up on a weekend and see what the social environment is like. The reality is that there's a lot more to college than just studying, and you want to be at a school that is also fun.
Look at the cost of the school, after all financial awards and aid is baked in
Sticker price does not matter. It's the amount you will actually pay that matters. Work aggressively with the school's financial aid office, and don't be shy about asking for additional consideration if you don't like the initial numbers that they share with you. They will not always increase the money they offer if you ask, but there might be more flexibility than you think.
Pat's Bottom Line
Work hard over the next several weeks to pick the college that is the best fit for you. Remember, however, that you can be successful from any school so don't freak out about this decision. You can make any choice work. I just want you to start from the best place possible for you.

Susan's Take

It's the opening week of baseball season, and Pat already hits one out of the park. Not much room left for me to add to his thorough list, so as he's rounding the bases and heading for home, I'll add in my 2 cents worth.
Go where you can stand out
Crazy as it might sound, the "best" school you got into based on rankings might not be the best school to prepare you for a successful career. Why? Because standing out matters. While you want to have a fun and productive and memorable four years in college, you also want to prepare yourself for professional success after college (or after graduate school). That means winning the attention of professors who will write your recommendation letters and give you in-college opportunities that matter to employers or grad school admissions committees. Think about how you'll stack up against your classmates, and choose the school where you can stand out.
Work backwards
Know the data. If you want to graduate and get a job in NYC, look at the college job placement rate in NYC. Don't make any assumptions based on college brochure general information, and what one person told you on a college trip. If you know where you want to go or do after college graduation, work backwards and figure out the college with the best odds on getting you there.
Susan's Bottom Line
I'm a person who goes with her gut, so my college choice would be largely based on a gut feeling of where I'd be happiest and most successful. While gut is an important factor, don't let a major decision like where to go to college be made on gut alone. Make an informed decision based on the 10 factors we outlined for you above.

Are you transitioning from college to career or working in your first job after graduation? If so, we'd love to answer any question you may have related to career success. Send your first name, school, and/or employer to AskPatandSusan@gmail.com and we'll try to address your question in a future article.

This article comes from The "College Contributor network. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of USA TODAY. You understand that we have no obligation to monitor any discussion forums, blogs, photo- or video-sharing pages, or other areas of the Site through which users can supply information or material. However, we reserve the right at all times, in our sole discretion, to screen content submitted by users and to edit, move, delete, and/or refuse to accept any content that in our judgment violates these Terms of Service or is otherwise unacceptable or inappropriate, whether for legal or other reasons.

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Ramsey Touchberry, University of Florida

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Deciding where to go: How to pick the perfect college for you

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Question: I got into multiple colleges. How do I decide where to go? If you do a Google search, you will find many "generic" articles on how to pick the best college for you. We're going to offer a slightly more politically incorrect (but painfully honest) point of view on how to best select your college.

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I want to get a job to start saving for things I need without depending on my parents.

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We've all heard this advice before: Follow your passion. And many of us have wondered what exactly it means?

Yes, when you're looking for your next job or considering changing fields, zeal can be a good indicator that you're on to something meaningful. But it's not the only, one-size-fits-all intuition to follow, and it's certainly not the only reason to say yes to a new opportunity.

There are plenty of reasonable, logical, and frankly inspiring reasons to have a career that isn't your life's devotion. Here are 11 of these below.

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11 Solid Reasons to Accept a Job You're Not Passionate About (Because It's Never That Simple)

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We've all heard this advice before: Follow your passion. And many of us have wondered what exactly it means? Yes, when you're looking for your next job or considering changing fields, zeal can be a good indicator that you're on to something meaningful.

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I want to visit a college campus to get a vibe of what it will be like.

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New programs for all ages

Ambition, curiosity, creativity and passion don't fit in any one box. No matter who you are or how you learn, ASU is ready to serve learners at every stage of life. ASU for You is the first step in a larger movement - a movement that's breaking down education barriers and building up high quality, affordable and accessible learning opportunities for everyone, from K-12 to midcareer to postretirement and every individual in between.

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Arizona State University | Arizona State University

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New programs for all ages Ambition, curiosity, creativity and passion don't fit in any one box. No matter who you are or how you learn, ASU is ready to serve learners at every stage of life.

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I want to get my diploma to help motivate me for a successful future.

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The Importance of Graduating High School

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Why is it necessary to graduate high school? Well, this video will help you understand why a high school degree is important and necessary