Basically, the subject says it all... I'm trying to figure out how to keep from becoming discouraged (and thus depressed) and I need some tips or advice from all of you

So, when I was younger, I used to want to be a professional ballet dancer. I had no plans of going to school. My parents supported me. I wasn't great, but I wasn't bad. I danced in pre-professional classes for 9 years. The last two years were after we moved and I had to switch schools. The school was very different (not as high quality, but the best I could get in the area) and the instructor wasn't very good either. I ended up getting really frustrated and quitting when I was about 14. Well, I didn't know what else to do with myself so I finished high school, applied to colleges, went to one far from home for two years, took a year off (when I saw a therapist who basically ruined therapy for me forever also telling me ballet was a pipe dream at that point in my life; I was 20-21), then transferred to a school closer to home for another two years, and just left that school still without a degree. Basically, college isn't working for me right now.

I've finally realized that a part of me is never going to be happy, never going to allow myself to succeed in anything else, until I really try to give professional dance a shot, really try my hardest. I'm not going to be a principal dancer, probably not even a soloist if I am able to succeed. But I'd really like to try, and hey, maybe just be in the choir or something.

The problem is I'm 23, which is old in dancer years. I still have a lot of my technique, but my strength and flexibility are shot and going to need some time to get up to par. I also need a lot more strength to go on pointe again and I have only taken a few classes of partnering skills. What's more, the classes I take are going to mostly be with girls a lot younger than myself, often a lot more skilled. What I really need to know is how to keep myself from getting discouraged by this and really push through? I've tried to get back into dance before, but I always ended up discouraged and upset with myself. I really want to make it work this time. So far I'm trying not to be too hard on myself and not look at other dancers in class so much, plus stretching and working out outside of class.

If anyone has any tips for not getting discouraged, whatever has worked for you (need not be related to ballet or physical fitness), or ways you didn't let depression get in the way of your dreams, please let me know!

Thanks so much everyone, and sorry this post got kind of lengthy.

to all,
Ro