Career change after a layoff, where to begin? - 5 months and counting

After 9 years as a customer-service rep I am thinking about moving into a different field. There are 9 people counting on me, so I am trying to be careful. My family is supportive but nervous. Has anyone made a similar move?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 5 months ago, and it got easier once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

I began with informational chats, then a short online course, then a related entry-level role. It took about 5 months.