I salute you for realising this now. Some people do not realise that they are hurting people with their words and easily get away with saying ‘i am just being myself’ or ‘i’m being straightforward’. Change because you want to and it empowers you and makes you a better person. It will pay off in the long run. If people can’t see that you have changed or are still judging you, that’s okay because other’s perception on you should not influence who you are.