High Quality People equals a High Quality Life.

I've been seeing a lot of people talk about not being able to trust others and not needing other people in their lives lately. It makes me sad and I feel as though I need to share what I have learned in the past few years thanks mainly in part to a close friend from high school. I haven't had an easy time and the relationships that I've had have definitely given me reason to crawl into a hole never to return to human contact. I've been cheated on, lied to, physically/emotionally/mentally abused, and countless other things. If anything, I should never want to be around people again, for the rest of my life.
Then I was given some advice that I try to live my life by. ""If the guy that is talking to you doesn't have the life you want, his opinion doesn't matter". Basically, what I have come to learn is that you have to surround yourself with high quality people in order to achieve success in both life and your relationships. If you want to have a successful career, seek out people who already have one. If you want a happy, long lasting marriage, seek out people who have already done it. If you want happy, healthy children, seek out people who have them. Don't surround yourself with people who bring you down to their level. Surround yourself with people who build you up.
When you are in a situation where someone hurts you, sometimes you'll make a general opinion regarding all people of that sex, race, etc. Then, in order to continue believing this stereotype that you've concocted, you decided to seek out people who fit that stereotype in order to prove you are right. For example, I have a friend who was cheated on and lied to by an ex. He says that all women are untrustworthy and dishonest. When he met me, I was as honest with him as I could be, I was straight-forward about my past and explained everything I'd been through and done. I've been honest with him since. He couldn't deal with that because I didn't fit his self-fulfilled prophecy of "women are not to be trusted". But then I see the women that he continues to surround himself with and they are definitely "not to be trusted". As far as I know, they have slept with most of my friends (at the same time) and are definitely NOT high quality women. By seeking out these women, my friend is fulfilling his stereotype, therefore proving himself right.
High quality people lead to high quality relationships. I have had to cut many a person from my life because they were not high quality people who had something to offer to the relationship. I have friends that are merely acquaintances, people that I will go for a drink with once in awhile, but never anything more. But then there are people that I respect and look up to, people who are good to their friends, family, have successful careers, etc.
All I am asking is that everyone takes a moment to really reflect on their relationships with people and their lives. If you feel that everyone always lets you down and you can't trust the people in your life, look at the people around you. Are they high quality people? Do they care enough about their own lives that they are secure, successful, and happy? If not, it will be hard, but you may need to weed out some friends and sometimes even family.