Put down awake but sleepy..

I need some advice on how to get my guy to fall asleep on his own. I just don’t know where to start with putting him down in his bassinet awake but drowsy and really want to be able to do that instead of spending no less than 30 min rocking him to sleep and me getting all hot, back hurting and frustrated. I do follow taking Cara babies but I’m so nervous to just do it as she suggests cus I’m not mentally prepared to have him cry like I know he probably will cus I’m always so tired myself. I feel like it would turn out to be like the cry it out method in the end. Any advice in not making it be like that?