People don't change, PERIOD!
Came to that conclusion long years of observation. People grow, get weak, improve, degenerate, get comfortable, learn to accept, but... Nope, don't change.
Dissatisfaction with life is a moving factor if its not bared in deep depression. Success is a choice, no matter of education, salary or social position.
Relationship is the hardest achivement, more minute, every hour work, compromises, solutions, but is an ultimate point. Relationship with yourself perhaps come first, if you are not happy with yourself , who is going to be happy with you? Some oblivious soul, who is blind with love temporary? Yes, it is a big puzzle, but yet a greatest reward.

Nice job Vicky....right on in my book!

I guess it's very hard to change, but I think people can change. So if I'm a distrustful person, chances are I will always be this way??

I think dissatisfaction with life is not healthy because you will never be happy. People should find peace with what they have in their life good, not be dissatisfied all the time no matter how much a person has. I grew up taught to be happy with what I have, humble, and did not have desire to keep wanting more, more more like I see some people are like. I am bit dissatisfied with life and depressed at moment. I am not mentally ok.

People are capable of change but only if they sincerely believe and have a realistic goal to aim for.

For instance three months ago I was a very judgmental person, I reasoned that is was unhealthy for me to be, and it is and was, so changing myself to being a nonjudgmental person became my goal, and I have achieved it, and my reward is I am now the happiest I have ever been in my adult life.

I have become a caring compassionate person, something I always struggled to be.

People can change, it just requires motivation to do so. We are the only animal by the way that can change from nothing to something.

Old Codger...It sounds to me like you have found Christ in your life. He certainly has the ability to change someone.....Take time to read my journal on " contentment".........

I think setting realistic attainable goals, is very healthy (short term and long term, perhaps the short term more realistic/ attainable within grasp).

However, part of the problem I've seen with this, is some people will attain those goals, and still be restless, dissatisfied, complain, whine, be ungrateful (like of course they earned it, but deserved more-WTF).

If the goal was unrealistic, and they were not able to attain it (like making a million dollars within three years), typically mindset, of course it was everyone else's fault!

If you can set goals, and be happy no matter the outcome, slightly disappointed, fine, keep going great!!! But to constantly complain, or blame everyone else, not ok...

I think that there are some inherent traits in people that will stay no matter what, but some of the more superficial aspects can be changed. I'm in my late 20's and I can safely say that I am a much different person than I was, at say, 20. There is growth that occurs with experience. I bet anyone that was 50 could say they are not the same as they were at my age.

Life has natural ups and downs, but it's all in how you handle those. Career downs can give you the push you need to better yourself with more education or to really go after another job instead of hemming and hawing around. The highs can give you a sense of security and allow you to finally relax for a bit. Relationship lows can force you to address the issues or admit that it's time to leave. The highs can make you happier than you've ever been.

If the relationship is what is causing dissatisfaction in your life, you should assess it immediately. Like a BandAid, it's best to just get to the root of it. If it's not, you have to make yourself separate the other issues in your life from the one thing that may not be a problem. My ex-boyfriend was unhappy with the growth of his business, unhappy that it wasn't covering all the things he wanted and expected in his life and it ate away at him. He started to bring that stress home and I was becoming the punching bag (not physically, but emotionally.) There wasn't anything wrong with US but those issues were creating them. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to acknowledge it and after a lot of miserable months with no improvement...I left. I cared about him more than anyone else in my life, but I saw a future of misery completely dependent on how he felt about his business. I couldn't bank my own happiness on that.

Great responses, peeps, thanks.

I'm definitely happier when I'm not financially abjectly poor. I don't need a lot, just want to know that the bills are covered and I've got a little left over for myself, y'know? To save, to buy myself a little sumpin' sumpin' that I want for all my hard work. I'd love to pursue more education, but don't want to go further in the hole financially with student loans. Either self-training through reading magazines or the web or a relatively quick, inexpensive certificate of completion course in some specific vocational/technical skill is definitely appealing, if only I could find something I really want to do and that I know will immediately lead to bigger bucks upon graduation.

With regard to relationships, I'm continually disappointed, in myself, in terms of my lack of being able to sustain passion, and in others, who in theory are supposed to be a source of solace and comfort, but inevitably only lead to more stress and confusion. We are complicated creatures, aren't we? It's what makes us fascinating, I suppose.

According to Mick Jagger, "I can't get no...sa-tis-fac-tion...I can't get no...girlie action...and I try...and I try...and I try...and I try..."

So maybe it really does boil down to lust, sex, the base instincts. I'd like to think the whole physical/mental/emotional constitution has to be there, for any of us to be truly satisfied in a relationship.

About 15 years ago someone asked me if I thought people ever change and my response was "only if the Holy Spirit helps them to change". And I wasn't super religious either--that's just what came into my mind. Most of the time the leopard doesn't change his spots. But I know for myself that I eliminated some of my vices and personality weaknesses and am not capable of doing stuff I used to do! Wish I could have changed much earlier in life. But there is that proverb "We get too soon old and too late smart."

Right on Living Water.....I hear you......your so right. God Bless

That said, I'm not totally satisfied with life, feel I'm not realizing my true brilliance, which I think resides in movies, film (directing, cinematography, editing, sound mixing, visual effects, screenwriting). South Florida bores the hell out of me with its sweat, traffic and self-absorbed people. Lack of money is keeping me from moving to L.A., where that business is. No great love of the city of Los Angeles, I'd rather live near San Francisco like George Lucas, but, with the exception of working for Georgie, who seems stuck in kid fantasy Saturday matinee serials (I'd rather make adult technological thrillers), L.A. is where the money in the movie business is. I don't want to move out there and starve to death like every other poor artist schmuck who arrives on the bus with a dream. I want to move out there with some cush and the means to say "fuck this", quit and move elsewhere if I feel like it.

I don't know what the hell to do about it, except continue to play the Florida lottery in the hopes of winning at least a few hundred grand so I can move out there and flounder for a few years until I find a pleasurable, lucrative niche, all the while having money to support myself and not have to sweat living expenses.

Relationships are great as long as they're creative and support that creative impulse. If they don't, they're just a burden.