Podcast Summary — Aware and Aggravated, Episode 57: “My New Year's Resolution That Already Worked”

Date: January 4, 2026
Host: Aware and Aggravated (Leo)

Episode Overview

In this candid and energetic episode, Leo reflects on his singular New Year's resolution—immediate action—and how it has already transformed his mindset and habits just days into 2026. The episode weaves personal stories, practical realizations about motivation, musings on detachment and energy management, psychological exploration of sexuality, and a spirited critique of the Golden Rule. Leo’s signature humor and no-nonsense approach permeate the discussion.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Immediate Action as a Resolution

• Resolution: Act on ideas and tasks the moment they arise, rather than procrastinating.
• Implementation: Whether going to the gym, recording the podcast, or carrying things up the stairs, Leo applies a “do it now” mentality, even when tasks are inconvenient.
• Insight: Taking immediate action builds energy—contrary to his prior belief that doing so would be draining.
• Quote:

  “As soon as I get an idea for something that I know that I need to do, like for my own betterment or just like a random task, I’m doing it. I’m not dragging nothing out.” (02:46)

2. Energy Management & Momentum

• Snowball Effect: Doing things right away leads to more ideas, increased productivity, and less stress.
• Rest vs. Push: Leo emphasizes knowing when to take action and when to rest, but finds that acting on inspiration is self-sustaining.
• Quote:

  “When it’s an actual just like intuitive thought… it builds the energy. Like it snowballs. I thought it would deplete me. No, sitting there thinking about it depletes you. Getting up and just doing gets you moving.” (10:41)

3. Taking Control & Standing Up for Yourself

• Bank Scam Story: Leo recounts seeking a refund after being scammed, prepping for a fight but finding support instead. He draws parallels to lessons in creating urgency (childhood DMV anecdote).
• Customer Agency: He insists on expecting fair treatment, jesting about switching banks over “ugly” debit card colors and a refusal to compromise on service.
• Quote:

  “If I’m not being treated that way, I’ll get the fuck out.” (22:51)
  “What am I having a bank for if you’re not going to look out for my money?” (24:48)

4. Detachment & Emotional Resilience

• Quick Detachment: Leo explains that immediately moving on from setbacks or irritations—like a disappointing gym session—prevents emotional hang-ups.
• No Rumination: “If you’re going to leave, then do it… don’t think about it again.”
• Application to People: Extends this approach to relationships (“boot with somebody to the curb”), prioritizing forward momentum over lingering on past events.
• Quote:

  “How fast can I detach from a situation and move to the next one?” (34:00)
  “If you’re going to leave, okay, leave. And don’t think about it again.” (37:14)

5. Observing Others & Not Taking Things Personally

• Self-Removal: By removing himself from the center of other people's behavior, Leo feels less affected by negativity—from rudeness at the gym to requests for help.
• Social Media Take: Negative comments are “comments, period. It don’t gotta be about you.”
• Quote:

  “When you remove yourself from people’s behavior… you just watch their behavior. Like, oh, this person looked funny. …Take yourself out of the equation and just observe their behavior.” (38:17)

6. Psychological Exploration of Sexuality

• Introspection: Leo discusses his ongoing self-examination around sexual desire, power dynamics, and emotional safety—especially in relation to men.
• Power Dynamics: Notes a pattern in pursuing only power-oriented sex, stemming from trust and safety issues with men since childhood.
• Longing for Change: Expresses curiosity and intention to “purify” sexuality, removing manipulative elements and seeking safety and genuine closeness.
• Quote:

  “There’s a lot more to it than I ever knew… my sexual desires and my sexual attraction is linked to unsafety. It’s linked to men. And I’m trying to understand and figure out what is that link?” (45:16)
  “I don’t know what it’s like to like genuinely love someone and be with them sexually. I’ve always had some twisted kind of game I was playing.” (51:40)

7. Challenging The Golden Rule (Bible Segment)

• Irritation With “Do unto others…” Leo shares frustration with the Golden Rule, initially dismissing it as naïve and unhelpful, especially when dealing with people who wrong him.
• Cultural Note: Jokingly contrasts his Albanian sense of revenge with the “eye for an eye” concept (“I want both of your fucking eyes…”).
• Re-examining the Rule: Ultimately recognizes the lesson is about consciousness and intent, not just behavior—seeing people’s pain rather than merely responding to actions.
• On Compassion: Admits a struggle to feel compassion for those he perceives as choosing the wrong path but acknowledges internal perspective matters more.
• Quote:

  “I’ve been taking very diligent notes as I’m reading the Bible… Do to others as you would want done unto yourself. Like, come on, that’s child's play.” (54:10)
  “Maybe this whole teaching of the Golden Rule is to make you turn inward… What consciousness would you want someone to look at you, you with?” (57:39)
  “Violence is not going to change the behavior… The way to get there is you have to show them their worth. Does beating the shit out of somebody show them their worth?… No, they’ll just get more creative in different ways to scam.” (1:01:18)

8. Letting Go & Accepting Limits

• Scammer Resolution: After observing his own reactions, Leo lets go of the urge for vengeance, recognizing some outcomes—like helping others find self-worth—are beyond his control.
• Let God Handle It: Even if reluctantly, he yields the outcome to a higher power.
• Humorous Honesty: Despite a softened attitude, he jokes that his “Albanian” tendency toward harsh revenge isn’t entirely gone.
• Quote:

  “The only thing I have to say left is God could deal with it. You could deal with your little rat ass kids, okay, you can go make him feel valued the same way you did it to me.” (1:05:47)

Memorable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On Resolutions & Action

  “I want things to change fast. Like, anything I can control, I want it done immediately. I want to see things shifting quick.” (04:07)

• On Making Life Harder on Himself for Growth

  “I don’t give a damn that I forgot something upstairs. I don't want to go back up and down, up and down. No, I'm gonna go up and down, up and down until I do what I need to do.” (05:42)

• On Creating Urgency for Others

  “Make it inconvenient for them to have you standing there and they will want to get you out faster.” (18:13)

• On Immediate Detachment from Emotions

  “There’s no time to get emotionally like caught up in things not going right or like letting yourself down or not completing a task fully. It's like when things go wrong, I just immediately detach from it and go to the next thing.” (34:55)

• On Sexuality & Power Dynamics

  “I’m not attracted to feminine guys... That’s a power dynamic. It’s like a power play… It’s always been a power dynamic. And I think there’s also a subconscious, like, only way of gaining closeness with a man is through sexual needs and desires.” (47:03)

• On the Golden Rule

  “I have a hard time with forgiveness and compassion. I don’t tolerate people doing things that I didn’t do when I was in the same position.” (55:45)

• On Letting Go of Revenge

  “My harshness of revenge is softening a little. But don’t tempt me, don’t test it, because my first reaction is always like, I want to cut off a limb.” (1:08:11)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:32] - Start of episode proper, Leo’s upbeat check-in and New Year’s mindset
• [04:00] - Introduction of immediate action resolution
• [10:40] - Discovery that immediate action creates energy, not exhaustion
• [17:40] - Story about urgency at the DMV and bank
• [24:40] - Stand-off at the bank, customer/provider dynamics
• [34:00] - Shift to detachment—quickly moving on from disappointment
• [38:10] - Removing oneself from others’ behavior, taking nothing personally
• [44:50] - Deep dive into sexuality, power, and safety dynamics
• [54:10] - Rant on the Golden Rule, initial rejection, and later reflection
• [1:01:18] - Realization about motivating behavioral change (seeing others' pain, not seeking revenge)
• [1:05:47] - Acceptance that not everything is under personal control; “Let God handle it”

Tone & Style

• Direct, irreverent, and humorously blunt
• Candid self-reflection and storytelling
• Bold language and strong opinions balanced by vulnerable admissions

Takeaways for Listeners

• Acting immediately on inspiration or tasks can boost energy, productivity, and alignment with desires.
• Detachment—not over-investing in setbacks or slights—enables emotional resilience and freedom.
• Observing others without centering yourself in their actions reduces stress and frustration.
• Understanding your own psychological patterns opens pathways to healthier behavior.
• Growth can emerge from challenging sacred wisdom; honest engagement with spiritual lessons transforms them.

Listener Prompt

“What emoji you want to do this week? Do the little running emoji. …Because we run in towards. As soon as God gives us a little spark, a little urge, a little idea, we running for it.” (1:11:21)

Leo invites listeners to leave a “running emoji” in comments for solidarity with the episode’s energy-driven theme.

End of Summary