Changing careers at 8 years into a job, is it realistic? - 10 months and counting

After 8 years as a nurse's aide I am thinking about moving into a different field. It has been weighing on me all week. I have good customer skills and I am comfortable with spreadsheets. Did you take a pay cut?

I took a small pay cut for a year, and it was worth it for the growth afterwards.

I began with informational chats, then a short online course, then a related entry-level role. It took about 10 months.