Who's Pulling Your Puppet Strings- Assistance or Hindrance?

I realized about a week ago I have very few friends.  I sat down to dig deeper into my memories of yester-years to reflect on the friendships I used to have.  I realized as I matured my choice in friends did not.  I looked at the people I gravitated to and I was shocked at what I was drawn to.  The past few years I can say I have had only two friends.  It took for me to experience a low point in my life to realize who my true friends were.  It hurt me deeply to know that the people I would willingly give my last too. Were the ones pulling the strings on  my puppet.  It has made me very distrustful of peoples motives.  It has taken a long time for me to really notice the link between reflection and perception.  I used to be friends with people that did not have the same values and morals that I held.  I would constantly say when people asked me. Why I could associate with such people.  I remember saying "what they do is their business and has no reflection on me."  People perceive you to be a certain way if they have meet someone you associate with.  Regardless, if you want to admit it or not our friends are reflections of us.  I want to be successful.  So for me I know that a big part of success is to surround yourself with positivity.  I refuse to be friends with someone that is hindering me.  Hinder is a obstacle or impediment.  Sometimes our associates, families, and friends can become a hindrance to us.  We exert so much energy into holding onto relationships that are dead weight we often sink ourselves.  I have learned to ask myself is this person a assistance or a hindrance to me.  It is so easy to be negative but it is often a daily up hill battle to be positive.   I prefer to surround myself around those that have similar values and morals as I do.  Positivity, is a assistance everyone could use more of.  Ask yourself this do I currently hold relationships with people that are hindering me?  Am I a hindrance in my relationships?