Another difference between Dreadnought and folk size is string length. Most Martin Dreads have a string length of something like 25.5". The Gibson LG range string length is about an inch shorter. The 00 and 000 range are somewhere in between. This means that any gauge of strings will feel tighter on a Dreadnought than it will on a folk guitar when tuned to the same pitch.
You can get used to this but I found moving to Dreadnought size dispiriting and went back to the shorter size.
The advice to listen to someone else playing is good. What you hear when you play may not be what others hear, but most important is how it feels in your hands.