Being a nerd, I've kept a riding diary since getting back into cycling. My first entry from a few years back, shows a distance of 3.2km with the comment 'Utterly stuffed'.

So yeah, it IS possible to start from a low baseline and improve somewhat, just by doing it.

The most liberating thing I ever did was to buy a bike carrier for the car. This means that I'm not restricted to starting from my front door (which is nice seeing it's an uphill finish). I can ride to somewhere nice and ride from there. I can visit new places and new tracks. Novelty is a great motivator.

You'll get there mate and even if this forum isn't the perfect place for your needs, the old pharts here muddle through enough to make it work.