I feel regret for having kept bad friends?

I finally got rid of bad friends in my life, but I feel like I did very little about my problems. I feel that I was waiting too long to finally get tell them that I no longer want to have anything to do with them, I have been too afraid to express my feelings and waited three years since I met them, just a few luckily until finally I had enough. Feels good to finally have gotten my anger out, but I was waiting so long.