Popularity is overrated

In the last 6 months to 1 year I've learned who my TRUE friends are. And sadly some I thought were my real friends were really just users or negative vampires or attention whores. I feel despondent that loyalty counts for nothing these days. That some people are perfectly content to take and take and take.  There must be a reasonable balance when it comes to friendships. I'm just not seeing that much lately.
I know I've changed a lot in terms of being less of a people pleaser and more about standing up for myself. And perhaps that makes me less popular than before.  But that's okay. Popularity is overrated.
Out with the old and on with the new as they say...