I agree that the way you're taught has a big impact on your success... my dad tried to teach me and that was a disaster. He made me feel angry, stupid, despondent, and like telling him where to shove his calculator LOL. Unfortunately, those associations lasted for a long time. For awhile, it was very difficult for me to learn math with anyone, until I found a reason to learn it on my own. In my case, it was a class I really liked that required a heavy amount of math. I don't know what I'm trying to say... it sounds like you have already found a subject which interests you that requires math. The gist of my comment, I guess, is to not let feelings of fear or failure take over. Much, much easier said than done, I know.