I see that you have one very distinct advantage in this journey of yours, that most others do not take into consideration. From what I recall, you basically went into this with the thought that you may lose your $1,000. Extrapolating from that, you are doing it with money you have no need for. It is money you can afford to lose. Like trading with $1,000 you found on the street, as a crude example.
That is very beneficial. It is like trading a live account with money that you just "came across and have no need for". That is a tough barrier to break, mentally. "Hmmm, I found $1,000 in the street, in a bag. I don't need it. Let me try to trade it and make more with it. If I lose it, *shrugs*, oh well." <----If that is what you are doing here, you have an edge.