How to improve myself?

So I started playing this board game around 9-10 months ago. Started with 1200 rating, went to around 600 and now I am at 1200 again. I have never really "studied" openings, tactics etc except for the Sicilian defence - dragon variation, and an early trap playing as white from a youtube channel called "thechesswebsite". Should also mention that I tend to watch John bartholomew (also a chess channel) from time to time.

But it feels like I'm stuck at this rating. Should I just continue with trial and error method? Worked thus far... Or should I perhaps do something else. I was thinking about trying out a website I found on a youtube commercial called improvemychess.com with GM Mesgen something. Is that website good? I also just got a 7 days trial on premium membership here, but the drills are either easy or extremely hard. 

In summary: Any tips on getting past 1200 rating? 

Sell your soul to the devil.

Definitely keep watching Bartholomew's videos. They are the best!

                                                                      _______________________

  Should I just continue with trial and error method?

No!

Start using the following list:

Think of this list as an analysis tool.  Analyzing is taking a big complicated problem, like finding the right move(s) in a  chess position, and breaking the big problem into smaller simpler problems.  Think of the things on this list as  those smaller  simpler  problems that have to be solved in order  to solve the big problem of finding the right move(s) in a chess position,

Think of this List as a set of pegs in the calculation tree.  The pegs in the list will be great climbing aids in climbing much higher in the calculation tree than you ever could before.  This list is your calculation big tree tool.

Here is the list I have kept since I started playing chess:

Things to do before I  make a move

1. Am I sitting on my hands  now that I am seated at the chess board table?

2. Is my written list in my possession?

3. What is my opponent  threatening to do and what is my best move to stop his threat and  Kill as much of his counterplay as possible ( you will have to learn what killing counterplay is, and how to execute it on the chess board.)

4. What is the pawn structure  on the board and what are the pawn break points? 

     a. Remember pawn moves are permanent because they cannot move backwards.

     b. Are there any pawn majorities on either side of the board?

     c. Are there any open or half-open files on the board?  Who is in control of that file?

     d. Are there any pawn weaknesses on the board?  You will have to learn about (doubled pawns,

         isolated pawns, backward pawns, etc.) and how to exploit those weakenesses

     e. Is the center blocked.  Flank attacks succeed more often when the center is blocked

5. Are there any of  mine or enemy undefended Pieces and/or Pawns?

   a. Beware of pieces and or pawns that are defended indirectly. ( beware of tactics here!)

   b. Beware of pieces and or pawns that are defended backwards. (yes enemy pieces can defend their own backwards because pieces can move  forwards or backwards.  Pawns can only move  forward or  diagonally forward when capturing.

6. Are there any weak square complexes in the position?   Learn what these are and how to exploit.  

7. Have I checked all of these items above 2x before I make a move,

DO NOT USE THIS LIST IF YOUR ARE PLAYING BLIT OR BULLET CHESS!!! 

Do you mean reading on theoretical tactic strategy, or simply playing in the tactics section? 

@Fieldsofforce Thank you for the detailed guideline. When I play to my full potential my main problem is when step 4.e occurs, I don't know when to wage war upon my opponent. Btw, isn't BLIT best for learning, as you learn how to handle the board while time is out of the essence?

Possibly of interest:
Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/Shop/Images/Pdfs/7192.pdf
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf
The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1949)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Back to Basics: Tactics by Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233537/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
Discovering Chess Openings by GM John Emms (2006)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627114655/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen91.pdf
Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro (2014)
http://kenilworthian.blogspot.com/2014/05/review-of-pete-tamburros-openings-for.html
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/openings-for-amateurs/
https://www.mongoosepress.com/excerpts/OpeningsForAmateurs%20sample.pdf
Chess Endgames for Kids by Karsten Müller (2015)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/chess-endgames-for-kids/
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Chess_Endgames_for_Kids.pdf
A Guide to Chess Improvement by Dan Heisman (2010)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708105628/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review781.pdf
Seirawan stuff
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-winning-chess-endings
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627132508/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen173.pdf
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm 

 Good Chess Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/good-chess-books-for-beginners-and-beyond

Read books, kind of obvious lol.

Read the WHOLE Seirawan series, and check early master games, Morphy, Steinitz, Anderssen, Blackburne, you know, the good tactical stuff.

You can check them at chessgames.com:
http://www.chessgames.com/player/paul_morphy.html

http://www.chessgames.com/player/adolf_anderssen.html

http://www.chessgames.com/player/joseph_henry_blackburne.html

Do that and your rating will go up.

Also, practice tactics in chesstempo.com, use logic and calculation please and follow a method to solve them, do not just stare at the puzzle and think you will solve them by intuition.

And replace TV, netflix, and everything you do in your free time for John Bartholomew videos, blitz videos and bullet ones are fun to watch. 

First i say congratulations. Stabilizing on 1200 blitz is very strong for the first year. The other guys here are giving you a lot of advices, so its easy to find ways to improve. My best advice is "join a chess cub" and start playing otb tournaments, longhess. 

Logic and calculation do not necessarily equate an exact method, for mortals having a method and following it will probably bring the best results, especially when evaluating a position or solving tactics.

Thank you all for contributing with your time to help me get better. Your tips are loud and clear and I will follow them all. Reading and tactics are probably what I will be doing during this year (thanks a bunch for the links). Regarding a chess club, there is a small one in my region, however, if the prices are high, I'm afraid I won't be able to participate. 

Ignore all other advice and follow mine. Good luck.

I dont know about Sweden, but in Norway weekend tournaments cost 300-500 kr, clubchampionships and the series are free, and there is an annual fee for the club. I believe it is worth every singel coin. In one weekendtournament I got help from three strong players analysing, and one of them was IM Johan Sebastian Christiansen. These analyses after the game is very powerful learning for me. Playing 90min 30 sec games over the board is also very strong learning, spending a lot of time figuring out things.

Simply calling it a board game is your first issue. It is not just a board game, it is The Board Game.