I'm not talking for everyone and only for my case, but shifting really is a practice, something of like a skill. What I did before was wait for the skill to improve itself, hope for it to find me instead of me going for it, while the only times I actually got close to shift (and shifted) was when I was practicing. It's like planting a seed in the ground and waiting and hoping for it grow without nurturing it, without putting in the work of arousing it and taking care of it, and doing it continuously. And then getting upset when it wouldn't happen. It really is about consistency and practice. And while my problem now is impatience dealing with said consistency and practice, I feel more at ease knowing I can do it, because many times I've been close to do it, and because I've done it, knowing that shifting is within reach and not some great far off thing I need to reach for. Even though I still need to figure out some things for myself.