 Are you happy with the friends you have in your life right now? Do you think you're surrounding yourself with the right kind of people? The company you keep matters a whole lot. Because your friends can greatly influence the way you feel, think, and behave. So it's important that we all take the time to reflect every once in a while on the quality of our friendships. After all, we all deserve to be with people who value, respect, and uplift us. So with that said, here are five types of friends you should surround yourself with, according to experts. Number one, the motivator. According to a 2013 study, having strong-willed friends can increase your own self-control, which can in turn improve your focus and make you more likely to achieve your goals. So it's important to surround yourself with people who inspire and motivate you to push yourself the same way they do. Having friends like this helps us to grow, challenge ourselves, and to keep ourselves accountable for our progress. The empathetic listener. Everyone needs a friend who can help them through tough times by being a shoulder to cry on, or a safe space to turn to. The innate need we all have to connect is what makes our friendships so fulfilling. We need friends who can validate our feelings, perspectives, and experiences. Someone who can make us feel seen and heard. So having an empathetic listener in your corner can contribute a lot to our feelings of emotional connection and belonging to those around us because we know that they are genuinely interested in us and our well-being. The optimistic dreamer. These are people who love life and thrive on positivity. They're idealists who can help you see the silver lining in everything and uplift you. They passionately go after their dreams and encourage you to dream big for yourself too. Their attitude to gratitude can be infectious and spending time with them will have you falling in love with life again in no time. Hey, if you're finding this video helpful, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more. The authentic open-minded friend. This is the friend who never puts up pretenses and who you can be yourself with. Genuine and down-to-earth. You trust them to be honest with you and keep you grounded too. They're not bare-weather friends who suck up to you just because they want or need something from you. No, they're real friends who are fiercely loyal and non-judgmental. And you'll know when a friendship is good for you, says clinical social worker Amy Morin, when the connection is easy and natural. Like it is when you have this kind of friend around. The funny friend. There are many benefits to having a good sense of humor, to name a few. It boosts your immune system, releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones, which relieve chronic pain and improves your mental and emotional well-being. So find yourself a friend who makes you laugh and who can remind you not to take yourself or life too seriously all the time. Surround yourself with people who know how to have fun, let go, and even laugh at themselves every once in a while. Having a funny friend by your side can go a long way in brightening up your life. So what are your thoughts on this video? Let us know in the comments down below what kind of friends you surround yourself with, and if you have any advice for finding the right people. Because friendship is beautiful and an important part of life, and everyone deserves to experience it. If you found this video helpful, be sure to check out our video on five types of people you should stop being friends with. Until next time, Psych2Goers, remember, you matter.