I think it definitely is a good sign that you are on the right track. You are probably more aware of yourself while sleeping, so you notice when you wake briefly throughout the night. Keep trying to build this awareness of your nighttime behavior. You will probably be surprised at how often you wake or regain brief consciousness.

I find it difficult to transition straight from hypnopompic sleep paralysis into a lucid dream. They are normally only very brief, because I just woke from the end of a dream cycle. Not much dream left to enter back into. Sometimes, in the early mornings, or while sleeping-in on a lazy weekend, I can slip back into some good dreams from a brief awakening or sleep paralysis.