It’s all about inspiring friendship this week.  We talked about our best friends and heard a great song about friendship by James Taylor and Carole King. Now, it’s time to highlight some great friends everyone should have.

If you’re lucky, you can find these traits all in one person, but for most of us, the kind of person that uplifts and enriches your life will come in a parade of different people throughout your life. No matter what form they come in, here are the five friends you need to know:

The Counselor

Everyone needs a good listener. This is the friend you can go to with a bad day or a great triumph. They can help you sort out a complicated problem or just sit and listen to you vent.

The Cheerleader

Every friend you have should be this kind of person to some extent. We all need someone who will be in our corner and encourage us when times get rough. “The Cheerleader” is there to let you know, whatever you’re going through, you can make it!

The “Tough Love” Coach

There are friends who will coddle and hug you, but then there’s that brutally honest friend who will tell you like it is. Like your old high school sports coach, they are here to push you to your best or at least keep you away from mixing paisleys and stripes.

The Inspiring One

It’s good to be around people who are better than you at certain things. For example, if you want to become proficient at a certain instrument, hang out with people who play. If you want to worry less, be friends with people who are carefree. Just being in their presence inspires you to higher heights.

The “Do-Nothing” Friend

You can find people who will go to a concert or out to dinner, but it’s a special breed of friend who will do nothing with you. This is the one you call just to come over and hang out. You don’t need entertainment; just each other’s company is enough.

What are some other friends that are vital to your life? Post a comment.