Making the choice to decrease our lifestyle is certainly a significant factor in why it feels hard to "follow the dream." I do have a wife and kid and that complicates it a lot. Although my wife does not work in a very lucrative field and she's open to a little adventure, so she's not pushing against this much - although it's still hard to have her leave her family and current status at her current job. :/

Your last point is very interesting. I hadn't thought of an approach like that. Hmm...