I'm not getting better (or am I?)

Recently, my rating has been going up drastically however, I don't feel like I'm improving at all. I have not improved in my strategic planning, my ideas aren't different. It just seems like my opponents are dropping pieces more. It's not like my tactics have improved- its just basic things like leaving a pawn hanging or basic trapped pieces. My fide rating is almost 2000. What is happening??

That's one way to do it.  If you can't get any better, just make sure your opponents are getting worse!

I've been playing since I was 21. Was in an old mansion on the welsh border renting a tiny room when a friend offered to teach me. About 60 games later I started beating him. Here i am 20 years later and no stronger - weighing in at around 1100/1200 max for 5min games.

I'm convinced blitz/5min chess is my downfall! I don't have time to study the game so the 'speed format' suits my busy schedule

I've set up 2 chess clubs in my life, and eventually I feel I have to withdraw because I can't play at the same level as the youngsters. I'm 45 and work for a University.

I'm quite healthy - I've had an interesting life, but I could never study... couldn't do abstract stuff. Happy enough playing for peanuts though.

Watch some chess videos on youtube. Watch some opening strategy so u get some idea what to do in beginning and so you dont fall behind on clock. You can also watch some blitz chess from high rated players. Some are posting blitz videos every day usually between 5-20 min long. They play far from perfect ofc since its short time controll, but u dont need to play perfectly anway to improve from 1200. You can get some general ideas by listening to how they think and by watching them play. Get some generall concepts and its quite entertaining aswell. 

It doesn't feel like we're improving because it's gradual.  A funny thing happens when we get better, since we're exposed to many positions in literature where players leagues stronger than us make mistakes we know we could very well make the same mistakes in a more glaring manner, and thus the better we become the less we actually want to compete. 

When you're new you want to just do some tactical drills and opening study and think reading Think Like a Grandmaster (and casually at that) will make you an instant master.  Then you compete, feel stupid that players above 1300 seem "invincible" and have a hard time reconciling how it's supposed to be bad so they should logically be making mistakes.  They aren't even intermediate after all likely for very logical reasons, which obviously involve them making mistakes that intermediates can understand and exploit.  Likewise intermediates aren't experts for the same reason, though the mistakes are more subtle and different.  A master is an expert with better pattern recognition, calculation, judgment, and technique.

Well a funny thing has just happened. Whilst not a meteoric rise through the rank and file - I have gained 150 rating points in less than 2 weeks, and appear to have plateaued again.But I'm grateful for the improvement.

I've been stresed to the max over the last month - (good, work related stuff), and I was wondering if anyone else has experienced an improvement in chess through a 'positive' stressful period? (I mean a very busy/active/purple patch).

Less bullet and blitz.

I've improved by playing longer games.

I was 1320 by June 2014 and 1821 at February 2015 on Live Standard, so I can tell you first hand that this statement is correct.

I was doing this in 5 minute games too; losing on time with a better position. It sucked but I was happy to have a good position. It made me feel like I had the right ideas, just not the speed. So I increased to 10 minute games and I feel like I found a good time to allow me to think a little but still require me to make a decision.

Thanks for encouragement kleelof