So…
We’ve all been there. There is a learning curve, even for a recovering Cricut user. The good news is that lots of us came from that world, myself included. My advice is to embrace the learning process and try to take small bites at first, learn things one step at a time.
As for which programs are “best”: that’s so subjective, but in terms of capability? Any of the big players (including Inkscape) can do a lot. Every single project I’ve done has been Inkscape-based, if you’re curious about what I’ve gotten up to you can skim these threads:
https://community.glowforge.com/search?q=%40evansd2%20in%3Afirst%20%23glowforge-project-examples
So, if you’re having problems, just ask here. Inkscape is giving you fits? Present what you’re trying to do and we can give you specific advice. Trying to design a box? Start with some box generators, then learn how to modify those, then graduate to making your own from scratch.* That sort of thing… take small bites of the mountain.
Heck, describe a specific project and ask how the rest of us would approach it, we can give you even broader advice about our workflows, which can be invaluable as you build your skills.
As for what to read to get started here, it sounds like you’ve done the absolute basics, which is great. Here’s a list of common questions and answers, some of it might be new to you:
The learning curve can be really fun and rewarding, I hope some of this have been helpful!
* Then realize that hand-designing your own boxes is usually more trouble than it’s worth and go back to using generators and modifying their output 