The first step is to decide, at your own pace, if you accept the thousands of years of Jewish tradition and history as your way of life. If so, the Torah our nation received at Mt. Sinai is Divine and is going to be your guide for life. So it makes sense to seek out an expert in Torah.
A Rabbi must be qualified, ordained by a recognized body, respected by his colleagues and have a good reputation, and it is essential that you are able to communicate with him easily.
In the end you are not submitting your life and its decisions to the Rabbi. The end decision of what to do is always yours, but you are seeking the guidance of a Torah expert because you want to know what the Torah says to do. There are differences of opinion in the Rabbinic world, and that is OK within the parameters of Torah. As long as you are consistent, and find yourself a reputable Rabbi, you don't have to worry about the other opinions.
