I thought you were talking about me in the improvement area. I am going through the same thing, and I am looking for answers also. Sometimes I wonder if I am trying to hard, or too long and so forth.
My fingers are having a hard time moving also. The speed is next to a turtle race at some points, and sometimes they feel like they are drunk and go wobbly, but I am going to keep moving forward as much as possible.
I also play alone and I am trying to play along with the instructors and at times it is hard, but it is some old habits I am trying to break out of also.

Keep moving forward and believe you are improving even though it may not seem so. This is what I try to do when those tougher times hit.