It's been my experience in playing other instruments that these "slumps" are not only normal but also "necessary" as well. These plateaus of learning always follow a jump in our skill level where we've had some sort of breakthrough. After the breakthrough, in my experience it seems we work through "refining" what we've learned in that breakthrough until eventually we make the next breakthrough and the next leap.

Learning instruments is a series of steps up a staircase of learning. Some of the steps lead to little terraces of learning, while others feel almost like hallways of learning where we have to walk on the same "floor" for a while before we're ready to continue going up.

I believe in hard work and dedication and daily practice, although I always allow myself "1" day of the week where I don't focus on music or practice. Our brains and muscles sometimes need a day to "recuperate" and process into memory everything we've learned. Alot of times, when working hard on stuff, it's after those "breaks" that I'll have that sudden breakthrough of something.

Sometimes on my day off though, I'll watch some isntructional videos, or especially, listen to some good music, some really competent fiddlers and just try to soak up what they're doing. It's surprising how much we learn without even having the instrument in our hands and just listening and watching...

It's hard not to despair at times...we all do, myself included. But those are the moments to just say "hey" "I'm on my way and I'm walking towards my goal and I can't learn it any faster than it's going to happen" "but, at least I'm heading towards my goal and one day, I'll cross it"

I dunno, mentally it works for me....