Hi Robyn,
I can relate to your wariness in reading the kit: I too felt a bit daunted in the early days. But it is invaluable. What I did in the end was scan the topics and content, so that I knew where to find something as and when I needed it. Limiting how much I had to absorb a bit at a time helped me stay alert, but not over-anticipate what might lie ahead and that has worked well for me.
I'm not sure where you are, but if a 'Look Good, Feel Better' workshop is available in your area I can highly recommend it - it's lots of fun and you meet some really lovely people who are all walking a similar path.
cheers
Megan