People come and go. This is often beyond a person’s control, yet they can’t help but build friendships anyway because it brings them comfort. Having people that you can truly call friends is special, and it’s something that many people seek out over the course of their lives.
Humans are innately social beings who crave other people’s company. This is a big reason the old saying, “No man is an island,” still rings true today. Indeed, no man can live a happy and fulfilling life without good company because life is too overwhelming to navigate alone.
However, it’s important to note that people should have different friends for different reasons. This is because putting the pressure on one person alone can be too heavy a burden for them to carry. With different friends, you can gauge their strengths and weaknesses to see who you can reach out to for whatever matter you need help with.
This doesn’t mean that you prefer one friend over the other or vice versa because you have different reasons for being friends with them. It just means that you know your friends enough to personalize your relationship with them in a mutually beneficial way. Here are the four kinds of friends that you need in your life:
#1 Friends who have settled down
If you’re single but have friends who have started building their own families and planted their roots, then you should do your best to keep in touch with them. This can be difficult because they might have different priorities than you, but staying friends with them can give you wisdom for when you begin the next chapter of your life.
Of course, the setting will be different. You might only be able to see them catch their breath during their kid’s birthday party once a year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t communicate through other means like social media. Parents are still people who need friends, and they can benefit from having friends that don’t have children of their own.
This might often require you to go to an online store for baby gifts so that you can easily pick out onesies for their little ones or even novelty mugs for the parents who work hard. But having friends that are slightly ahead of you in life can provide you wisdom on things you never even thought of before.
#2 Friends who chase after adventures
If you’re someone who needs to be shoved out of the comfort zone before trying new things, you will do well with friends who chase after adventures. These people are constantly seeking out adventurous highs, and that kind of spontaneity is what you need to maintain a well-rounded life.
Living is all about experiencing new things, learning about new ideas, and seeing the world with your own eyes. It can be impossible to start this kind of adventure on your own, especially if you’ve only lived in one place your whole life.
However, if you had friends who encourage you to leave your comfort zone, then you might be able to enjoy your life more. This doesn’t mean that you should always be on the next flight out to uncharted territory, but having that change of pace can be beneficial to your life once in a while.
#3 Friends who push you to be better
If you’re surrounded by people who always give in to your whims, you will need friends who will push you to be a better person. This can mean giving you the harsh truth, even when it’s not comfortable to hear, because that’s the only way you can grow.
This friendship can go both ways because you can provide them with the same level of harsh and constructive honesty that they need to make good decisions. Honesty is important in all relationships, but not everyone is wired to tell the brutal truth for fear of destroying the friendship.
But you can’t go through life by walking on eggshells, so if you find a person that can be brutally honest with you to push you in the right direction, keep them. These friends can be the people you run to for advice on making the hard decisions, such as love, money, or even health.
#4 Friends who have your back, no matter what
In life, you will need people who will love you no matter what. They might not be supportive of your every whim and idiocy, but they will be there for you through it all. Besides, having that contrast is also important to keep some semblance of balance in your life.
These friends are your ride or die because they won’t judge you for being yourself. In fact, they might even come along for the ride despite knowing that the end destination isn’t very appealing. These people are your soul mates, so you should put in the work to keep them in your life.
Life is too short and too lonely not to have a great time with your friends. People who have a special place in your heart give life meaning and purpose, so life can be devastating without them. Friendships are important not only for your physical well-being but also for your mental, emotional, and spiritual sanity.