I did change - I changed the way it bothered me. some of the things that used to bug the heck out of me no longer do because I ignore them. I let DH pitch his fit and no longer try to "fix" the problem. I ignore certain people and have actually turned a few people who used to snark at me when they had a chance into being friendly - because I did not snark back.
One lady went from snark to taking me out to lunch last week because of that little award. All I did to turn her around was praise what she has done in town since she retired from her "previous life". She now does something I tried to get started about 10 years ago and all I said was it did not happen then because the time and people were not right. It needed HER to make it work - and she knows I meant it (because I do).
So people do change - it just depends on what you want changed and how you go about trying the make that change.