Hello Everybody!

I'm new here, my name is Chloe, I'm 21 and I've been trying to become lucid for about a month.
I believe I used to lucid dream but didn't realise I was lucid dreaming, and from the age of 18 til 20 I noticed I haven't been able to remember my dreams , this is strange to me because I used to remember at least one dream every night and all my dreams were very vivid. Even now I remember most dreams I used to have when I was little till around 18, and some I remember in great detail, I also used to have recurring dreams and a dream character that would show up from time to time. From 18 onwards I slowly remembered less and less til I only could remember my emotions/feelings of my dreams, it's a rarity now. This not only upsets me for the obvious reasons but my dreams helped me create my art and confront my fears, I haven't been able to do that for years.

I made a new friend in art college when I turned 20, she was into illustration and like me used her dreams to create art, she introduced me to lucid dreaming. I had never heard of it before and at first I didn't believe that one could realise they were dreaming when dreaming and can gain control of their dreams!
She told me what she could do in her dreams and her first experience. I did a little research and now I desperately want to be able to become lucid.
Everyone was saying how easy it is, but I had read a lot of people didn't find it easy to do and I was very discouraged because no matter who I ask or where I researched about lucid dreaming I need to have good dream recall, time and dedication. Now I've read a lot about it and know some techniques, I stumbled upon this site and want to dedicate myself to learning to become lucid and maintaining lucidity.

My Experience so far:-
I've had a dream journal for two months and have only remembered four vivid dreams which is a considerable amount more than what I used to remember. The first time I tried to lucid dream before knowing any techniques was quite scary for me. I didn't achieve lucidness because I realise now I was going into sleep paralysis and had an OBE. My body went numb I was looking out of my eyes and could see my dark room I could see a dark figure at the end of my bed I could feel my body sinking in my bed and woke myself up from being scared. I laugh about it now because when I go into sleep paralysis now it doesn't frighten me because I understand it now and I become too impatient and wake up before allowing myself to try and become lucid.
Since Thursday I have been meditating once everyday, either morning or before bed and throughout the day being aware of everything, internally and externally. I've been questioning whether I'm dreaming, doing reality checks and looking out for dream signs whenever I can remember. As I fall asleep I have been setting my intent "My dreams are vivid", "I will wake up after a dream and when I wake up I will remember my dreams'. I have also been visualising a simple dream scenario which involves performing reality checks, where I realise I'm dreaming and I become lucid. So far, I find it hard to concentrate on my dream scenario as I drift off to sleep my mind wonders off or/and alters the dream it also does that when I say and repeat my intent in my head . I do stop and go back to my intent and dream scenario but then I find it difficult to sleep .
The results since Thursday are no visual memory or emotions/feelings of any dreams.

I hope to make lots of new friends and get advise on my journey to lucid dreaming for reading!