Sandman, deep breath.

you’ve got some good technical feedback from 2 experienced players.

I am so new at this, so I may be talking rubbish, but I’m not really that focussed on perfectly strumming all the strings on an upstroke. It depends on the bass. With a G, I strum down, then either pick up a few of the high strings or middies. With an Em, I may let the bass note ring nicely going down, then pick up only 5 strings going up. What I’m saying is relax, count - down down up up down, and just go with it.

I also slightly shift direction of the pick. I had a look at Caren Armstrong’s tute of Runaway Train and that made it click for me. I used my thumb and thumb nail to get what she was showing me, then the pick.

you will get it, I was ready to chuck it in a few weeks ago but it suddenly started to flow. It’s tough to be a beginner, you want it to be perfect and as adults, we are often good at other things so why not this skill.

You are not hopeless. Maybe you’re trying too hard.