The 5 Types of Friends All Women Need

I'm willing to bet that if you stopped and thought about your group of friends, you would be able to identify a need that each one of them fulfills for you, and if I asked them to do the same about you, there's a spot that you fill that no one else would be able to. Friend relationships are not a one-size-fits all proposition; we have different types of friends and different types of friendships. When you have a crisis or a funny story to tell or you need advice, you know immediately who you are going to call. You wouldn't call the friend who always makes you laugh when you need some solid advice, and you wouldn't call your friend who gives great advice when you really need to just vent.

You may only need one spouse (um, I hope?) but you definitely need more than one BFF in life.

Here's a quick list of the five types of friends all women should have in their life:

1. Always got your back

This is the friend who will always be on your side, even when you both know you're completely in the wrong. This friend will stand up for you to anyone, at any time and any place. She will drop whatever she's doing to come and help you if you're in a jam, and will be the first person in line when you need a helping hand with absolutely anything in your life. She is your biggest cheerleader, your number one fan and the one who always believes in you, even when you don't! These friends are a treasure not to be overlooked when you're counting all the things in life you are thankful for!

2. The Comedian

Sometimes the situation seems so hopeless there's only one thing that you can do to keep from losing your last shred of sanity: Laugh. Hysterically. Until you pee your pants. Laugh at how ridiculous life is and how badly you screwed up; laugh at yourself, laugh at her, it doesn't matter. Just laugh until you feel better! This friend will always figure out a way to make you see the bright side or the completely ridiculous side to any situation. Laughter truly is the best medicine, so keep this girl's number on speed dial.

3. Devil's Advocate

You're wrong, and you know you're wrong, but you don't want to admit... yet. This friend will help you see the other side of every situation by playing devil's advocate, not sparing your feelings and telling you exactly how things are. This is the friend you call when you need a reality check or you need someone to tell you to quit whining and suck it up. Sometimes, this friendship isn't easy, and it takes a little more work than your other relationships do, but deep down you know you need this person in your life to keep you balanced. Just like you need a cheerleader, you also need someone to help you keep it real.

4. Wise Old Soul

Every one of us needs that one friend who knows more about any given subject than we do. If you need advice on parenting, on cooking, on finding a mate or balancing your bank statement, this is the friend to call. If she doesn't know how to fix what's broken, there's a good bet she knows someone who will, or she'll research the problem until she's got a handle on it. Car problems? She'll figure it out. Computer issue? She's your girl. Can't help your kid with his homework? She's a phone call away. Whatever you need, she'll figure it out or die trying!

5. Instant Connection

Whether or not you believe in love at first sight when it comes to your romantic relationships, I'm here to tell you it absolutely does exist when it comes to girlfriend relationships. There are people in this world you are simply meant to be connected to for whatever reason. Maybe your past is so similar you feel like you led parallel lives, or maybe your history is so different you can't even imagine growing up like she did. It does not matter one bit, because this person is your soul sister and you'll be friends until the day you die. You may lose touch through the years, but you'll always reconnect and feel like absolutely no time has passed. This is the friend you can tell absolutely anything to because there's no judgment and no gossiping. She just gets you on a level that sometimes you feel like nobody else does, including your husband or partner. The friendship with this one person will continue through boyfriends, husbands, children and jobs. What originally connects you quickly drops away because all that matters is that you have this person in your life and that alone makes you happier.

You may read this list and think that one person in your life fits multiple categories; that's completely possible! I also think that sometimes friends change categories. The person who always made you laugh can suddenly be the perfect person to tell you how it really is, and the person who gives great advice may be the one who just hugs you and lets you cry on her shoulder. As long as all five categories are filled, even if they're all filled by one amazing person, you're one lucky woman.