Changing careers at 7 years into a job, is it realistic? (Columbus)

My layoff made me rethink whether to stay in my field. I have read a lot of threads here and could not find my exact situation. My family is supportive but nervous. How did you start?

Try a small project in the new field before committing. It told me a lot about whether I would enjoy it.

I began with informational chats, then a short online course, then a related entry-level role. It took about 14 months.