Speaking my mind!

It's risky. You don't want to alienate people you actually like it might need.

I have a friend, one I’m trying to distance myself from. She’d say she’s just speaking the truth, or her mind. I, & multiple other people just find her rude

There is a fine balance here

If it's causing you problems, I'd try to temper it down, a bit.

Our views and opinions become more settled with age so that we tend to think they are right.
Some of us (I include myself) need to remind ourselves to keep an open mind, listen to others and consider before we speak.

Yes you can have and voice an opinion , but it shouldn't sound as if you are dismissive of everyone else's too. So perhaps it's the tone of your voice that might come over as being too much for others to handle. I would try prefixing with "in my opinion" or " sorry if I offend you but"
That comes over as less aggressive.
But if you really don't care about offending people carry on.

My mil was awful and embarrassing and often downright rude the older she got the worse she got. I dont want to end up like her.

there is a fine line between voicing and coming over as i know best, you can give your opinion and not loose your temper, i never shout or loose my temper in the usual way, i just get very clipped, i won't say something if i know it is going to upset someone or cause hurt, if i really need to voice my opinion i just say that is what i think and leave it at that. i have noticed in the last 10 years i am much calmer and less things bother me than they did when i was younger, i am 62 and my thought process is more of a whatever attitude. try not to cause problems with the people around you as these things can fester and people will not what to spend time with you, and that is not worth it, bite your lip and walk away.

I find the speak as I find, and I speak my mind, use it as a excuse to be bloody rude. They can also cause hurt to people.

Speaking your mind can appear rude and upsetting to others. I know people who do and find they are avoided.
Probably better to be a little more subtle if you want to stay friends with people. I do have a friend who doesn't really care what people think if she knows she is right.

No, I try to avoid situations or people which may cause less than pleasant outcomes! I know my limits (arthritis pain) and tend towards 'tweaking' my schedule for optimum pleasure.
A silly example - I normally go to the supermarket very early, park close, nice chat with the coffee shop staff, wander the empty(ish) aisles and back home with plenty of morning left.
Not so today and I felt decidedly frazzled by the busy buzz of everything.
I no longer feel obliged to chat to anyone who brings my energy down and don't watch the news more than once a day.
I try to find meaning in life through nature, interesting books & hobbies and pursuits
Peace and calm are my number one goals and I work at filtering out a lot of the other 'life noise' that might other wise impact my welbeing.
I personally believe that we are not meant to know all the things all the time!

Thank you for your comments and I think I needed to hear them! My husband says I’m like a Rottweiler when I get going. I can hardly believe this is me…so maybe I need to be more considerate!,

Two hackneyed sayings, but hackneyed because they are true

It is not what you say but the way that you say it Express your opinions but in a more measured way and allow for the fact tha other people may disagree with you

Discretion is the better part of valour Sometimes is best to rein your opinions in and say nothing.