#165 - Karo and Matt’s 2026 New Year’s Res-BRO-lutions - Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

Episode #165: Karo and Matt’s 2026 New Year’s Res-BRO-lutions

Hosts: Matt Ritter & Aaron Karo
Date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this special end-of-year episode, Aaron Karo and Matt Ritter—comedians, best friends, and self-proclaimed friendship experts—continue their annual tradition: New Year’s “Res-BRO-lutions.” With their signature mix of humor, nostalgia, and practical advice, they reflect on their 2025 resolutions, trade friendly barbs, and set out new, concrete friendship and personal goals for 2026. Along the way: hilarious detours about holiday cards, gym mishaps, the value of helping friends, “what’s the best that could happen,” and the importance of hosting and social fitness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Year in Review: Family, Holiday Cards, and Friendship Touchpoints

Matt’s Reflections on Family Growth and Time Passing
- Matt discusses how having a new child changed his perspective on time:
  “When you have kids, they say the days are long, but the years are slow. I'm starting to get that now.” (00:50, Matt)
- He recounts childhood memories of measuring height with his siblings—now looking to start that tradition with his own kids (01:08–01:42).
Holiday Cards as Tools for Friendship Maintenance
- Matt sends his first family holiday card, sparked by both recent family photos and the motivation to reach out to his wider circle: “It’s an easy way to just be like, hey, I care… I value our friendship. Here’s what’s going on in my life.” (03:14, Matt)
- Aaron pushes back, suggesting a card isn’t real connection. Matt disagrees, insisting even small gestures matter (04:00–04:26).
The Absurdity of Address Keeping
- Matt’s system: he snaps photos of friends’ holiday cards and keeps them in a phone album labeled 'Addresses’—to Aaron’s endless amusement and light ridicule (05:06–05:50).
- Matt uses Postable to compile addresses, prompting a funny comparison of life admin habits (05:54–06:21).
Household Evolutions: The Non-Magnetic Fridge Crisis
- Matt laments modern (more expensive) fridges are no longer magnetic, cutting off the classic tradition of displaying cards (06:44–07:50).
- Aaron is shocked: “That’s like most of that—that’s the whole point of refrigerator.” (07:27, Aaron)
- They discuss different ways of displaying holiday cards and the nostalgia of kitchen communication.

2. Revisiting and Grading 2025 Res-BRO-lutions

Matt: Tripling Down on the Inner Circle
- Focused most of his time on close friends, family, and neighborhood connections. He feels “very content” and doesn’t regret not expanding his social circle dramatically (10:17–10:54).
Aaron: Honoring Inner Circle & Being Reflective
- Narrowed his friend group, prioritized meaningful core connections, and worked on becoming “more reflective and less reactive.” He feels he has internalized this over the year (11:48–12:51).
- Reflection on therapy: both started and quit, poking fun at each other—the cycle is representative of their approach to self-improvement (13:12–13:41).
Health and Fitness Accountability
- Matt set a goal to find a fitness accountability partner and succeeded, joining a local gym with his friend Dan and seeing major improvements in strength (15:08–16:52).
  - “In the past couple of months I’ve gotten insanely strong… I can now do like sets of 20 pullups… the creatine’s help.” (16:33, Matt)
- Creatine discussion leads to comic confusion about supplements and aging bodies (17:02–17:44).
- Aaron, an early riser for exercise, contrasts habits with Matt’s afternoon workouts (17:44–18:11).
Taking a Big Swing & Making a Movie
- Aaron: Set a vague but open-ended goal to take a “big swing,” but felt he still hasn’t found that major leap—will be rolling it over to 2026 (18:21–18:42).
- Matt: Aimed to “make a movie” but will also roll that over; both joke about the “rollover minutes” of Hollywood dreams (18:54–19:02).
Aaron’s New Physical Challenge
- Aaron ran a triathlon, inspired by the accountability of the podcast: “I did the triathlon basically because of the resolutions. Because of this.” (21:18, Aaron)
- They joke about the intensity of Ironman events (19:35–20:02) and swap triathlon war stories, with Matt learning just how hard a full Ironman really is (20:00–20:34).

3. Setting 2026 Res-BRO-lutions: Concrete, Selfless, and Aspirational

[Timestamps Begin Around 21:30]

Friendship Goals

Aaron:
Resolution: “Friendship traveling” — See friends outside of New York, visit others in different parts of the country and the world.
(21:40–22:12)
- Inspired by Matt’s trips to see law school friends in Florida.
Matt:
Resolution: “Help a friend achieve something”—intentionally assist a friend with a goal, whether career advancement or otherwise.
(22:23–23:28)
- “Maybe that’s why I’m not achieving my own. Maybe look outward and see if that’ll—you know, it’s like, all comes full circle.” (22:49, Matt)

Personal Growth and Mindset Shifts

Aaron: “What’s the best that could happen?”
(24:42–25:24)
- Mantra discovered serendipitously on a bodega sign in NYC: “I tell you, Matt, I stopped in my tracks… Because I never even thought of it that way." (25:08, Aaron)
- Adopted it as a mindset—displayed on computer and fridge as a daily reminder.
Matt: “You can just do things”
(25:52–26:00)
- Encourages taking initiative without waiting for permission:
  “You don’t need anybody’s permission to start anything you want to do… There’s no impediment other than in your own mind.” (26:02, Matt)
Matt: Host More, Build Community
(26:15–27:09)
- Wants to return to frequent hosting as a “community anchor,” integrating family, friends, and neighborhood connections.
  “I want to do more…events at the house and see how I can, you know, kind of leverage that to do things that I like.” (26:57, Matt)
- Practical info: kids go to bed by 7:30, so gatherings can resume post-bedtime.
Aaron & Matt: “Take a Big Swing” Returns
(27:31–28:03)
- Aaron rolls over the big swing resolution, tying it to the “just do things” philosophy.
Matt: “Get in the best shape of my life”
(28:06–29:24)
- A “Karo-esque” goal, committing fully for the first time and using social sports (basketball, pickleball) to make daily movement routine.
- Gym accountability, healthy eating, and maximizing physical potential.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Friendship Rituals
“There’s this thing with friendship… It’s very hard to have a reason to reach out to a large group of people… It’s an easy way to just be like, hey, I care.”
—Matt, 03:14
On Narrowing the Social Circle
“Spent a lot of time with the close friends. Sort of narrowed the circle…if you don’t see the core crew—you know, I didn’t love that.”
—Aaron, 11:48
On Small Windows of Opportunity
“I always ask myself, okay, what can I do in these 27 minutes?”
—Aaron, 09:30
On Selflessness in Friendship
“Try to help a friend achieve something. Maybe there’s some positive energy I could use towards that.”
—Matt, 22:23
On Mantras and Mindsets
“What’s the best that could happen?”
—Aaron, 24:42
“You can just do things.”
—Matt, 25:52
On Accountability
“The fact that I forgot mine last year is not great.”
—Matt, 30:49

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 00:39 | Introduction of “Res-BRO-lutions” tradition | | 01:08 | Family traditions—tracking kids’ growth | | 03:14 | Why send holiday cards? Connecting with friends | | 05:06 | Matt’s wild address-keeping system | | 07:33 | Modern fridges and displaying holiday cards | | 09:49 | “What can I do in 27 minutes?” — mini productivity | | 10:17 | Reviewing last year’s friendship resolutions | | 12:43 | Evolution toward being more reflective | | 13:12 | Therapy: started, quit, cycle continues | | 15:08 | Fitness accountability: Matt & Dan’s gym sessions | | 16:33 | “Creatine’s help”—strength gains | | 17:02 | Hilarious confusion on creatine supplements | | 19:02 | “Rollover” resolutions—big swing & making a movie | | 21:18 | Aaron’s triathlon: facing the swim, starting slow | | 22:12 | 2026 resolutions: friendship traveling (Aaron) | | 22:23 | “Help a friend achieve something” (Matt) | | 24:42 | “What’s the best that could happen?” mantra (Aaron) | | 25:52 | “You can just do things” philosophy (Matt) | | 26:57 | Hosting as anchor of community | | 28:06 | Matt: Best shape of his life goal for 2026 | | 30:49 | On accountability and future check-ins |

Episode Tone & Style

Playful, self-deprecating, and sincere. Karo and Matt bounce off each other like old friends—because they are—riffing on quirks, trading jabs, yet always circling back to genuine advice and encouragement about building social fitness and maintaining close relationships.

Final Note

Listeners are encouraged to submit their own “res-BRO-lutions” for 2026, keeping the podcast’s spirit of ongoing friendship support and camaraderie strong:

“Be good to yourself. Be good to your friends. Love you buddy.” (31:24, Aaron & Matt)

End of Summary

Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

Episode #165: Karo and Matt’s 2026 New Year’s Res-BRO-lutions

Hosts: Matt Ritter & Aaron Karo
Date: December 30, 2025

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Year in Review: Family, Holiday Cards, and Friendship Touchpoints

Matt’s Reflections on Family Growth and Time Passing
- Matt discusses how having a new child changed his perspective on time:
  “When you have kids, they say the days are long, but the years are slow. I'm starting to get that now.” (00:50, Matt)
- He recounts childhood memories of measuring height with his siblings—now looking to start that tradition with his own kids (01:08–01:42).
Holiday Cards as Tools for Friendship Maintenance
- Matt sends his first family holiday card, sparked by both recent family photos and the motivation to reach out to his wider circle: “It’s an easy way to just be like, hey, I care… I value our friendship. Here’s what’s going on in my life.” (03:14, Matt)
- Aaron pushes back, suggesting a card isn’t real connection. Matt disagrees, insisting even small gestures matter (04:00–04:26).
The Absurdity of Address Keeping
- Matt’s system: he snaps photos of friends’ holiday cards and keeps them in a phone album labeled 'Addresses’—to Aaron’s endless amusement and light ridicule (05:06–05:50).
- Matt uses Postable to compile addresses, prompting a funny comparison of life admin habits (05:54–06:21).
Household Evolutions: The Non-Magnetic Fridge Crisis
- Matt laments modern (more expensive) fridges are no longer magnetic, cutting off the classic tradition of displaying cards (06:44–07:50).
- Aaron is shocked: “That’s like most of that—that’s the whole point of refrigerator.” (07:27, Aaron)
- They discuss different ways of displaying holiday cards and the nostalgia of kitchen communication.

2. Revisiting and Grading 2025 Res-BRO-lutions

Matt: Tripling Down on the Inner Circle
- Focused most of his time on close friends, family, and neighborhood connections. He feels “very content” and doesn’t regret not expanding his social circle dramatically (10:17–10:54).
Aaron: Honoring Inner Circle & Being Reflective
- Narrowed his friend group, prioritized meaningful core connections, and worked on becoming “more reflective and less reactive.” He feels he has internalized this over the year (11:48–12:51).
- Reflection on therapy: both started and quit, poking fun at each other—the cycle is representative of their approach to self-improvement (13:12–13:41).
Health and Fitness Accountability
- Matt set a goal to find a fitness accountability partner and succeeded, joining a local gym with his friend Dan and seeing major improvements in strength (15:08–16:52).
  - “In the past couple of months I’ve gotten insanely strong… I can now do like sets of 20 pullups… the creatine’s help.” (16:33, Matt)
- Creatine discussion leads to comic confusion about supplements and aging bodies (17:02–17:44).
- Aaron, an early riser for exercise, contrasts habits with Matt’s afternoon workouts (17:44–18:11).
Taking a Big Swing & Making a Movie
- Aaron: Set a vague but open-ended goal to take a “big swing,” but felt he still hasn’t found that major leap—will be rolling it over to 2026 (18:21–18:42).
- Matt: Aimed to “make a movie” but will also roll that over; both joke about the “rollover minutes” of Hollywood dreams (18:54–19:02).
Aaron’s New Physical Challenge
- Aaron ran a triathlon, inspired by the accountability of the podcast: “I did the triathlon basically because of the resolutions. Because of this.” (21:18, Aaron)
- They joke about the intensity of Ironman events (19:35–20:02) and swap triathlon war stories, with Matt learning just how hard a full Ironman really is (20:00–20:34).

3. Setting 2026 Res-BRO-lutions: Concrete, Selfless, and Aspirational

[Timestamps Begin Around 21:30]

Friendship Goals

Aaron:
Resolution: “Friendship traveling” — See friends outside of New York, visit others in different parts of the country and the world.
(21:40–22:12)
- Inspired by Matt’s trips to see law school friends in Florida.
Matt:
Resolution: “Help a friend achieve something”—intentionally assist a friend with a goal, whether career advancement or otherwise.
(22:23–23:28)
- “Maybe that’s why I’m not achieving my own. Maybe look outward and see if that’ll—you know, it’s like, all comes full circle.” (22:49, Matt)

Personal Growth and Mindset Shifts

Aaron: “What’s the best that could happen?”
(24:42–25:24)
- Mantra discovered serendipitously on a bodega sign in NYC: “I tell you, Matt, I stopped in my tracks… Because I never even thought of it that way." (25:08, Aaron)
- Adopted it as a mindset—displayed on computer and fridge as a daily reminder.
Matt: “You can just do things”
(25:52–26:00)
- Encourages taking initiative without waiting for permission:
  “You don’t need anybody’s permission to start anything you want to do… There’s no impediment other than in your own mind.” (26:02, Matt)
Matt: Host More, Build Community
(26:15–27:09)
- Wants to return to frequent hosting as a “community anchor,” integrating family, friends, and neighborhood connections.
  “I want to do more…events at the house and see how I can, you know, kind of leverage that to do things that I like.” (26:57, Matt)
- Practical info: kids go to bed by 7:30, so gatherings can resume post-bedtime.
Aaron & Matt: “Take a Big Swing” Returns
(27:31–28:03)
- Aaron rolls over the big swing resolution, tying it to the “just do things” philosophy.
Matt: “Get in the best shape of my life”
(28:06–29:24)
- A “Karo-esque” goal, committing fully for the first time and using social sports (basketball, pickleball) to make daily movement routine.
- Gym accountability, healthy eating, and maximizing physical potential.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Friendship Rituals
“There’s this thing with friendship… It’s very hard to have a reason to reach out to a large group of people… It’s an easy way to just be like, hey, I care.”
—Matt, 03:14
On Narrowing the Social Circle
“Spent a lot of time with the close friends. Sort of narrowed the circle…if you don’t see the core crew—you know, I didn’t love that.”
—Aaron, 11:48
On Small Windows of Opportunity
“I always ask myself, okay, what can I do in these 27 minutes?”
—Aaron, 09:30
On Selflessness in Friendship
“Try to help a friend achieve something. Maybe there’s some positive energy I could use towards that.”
—Matt, 22:23
On Mantras and Mindsets
“What’s the best that could happen?”
—Aaron, 24:42
“You can just do things.”
—Matt, 25:52
On Accountability
“The fact that I forgot mine last year is not great.”
—Matt, 30:49

Timestamps of Important Segments

Episode Tone & Style

Final Note

Listeners are encouraged to submit their own “res-BRO-lutions” for 2026, keeping the podcast’s spirit of ongoing friendship support and camaraderie strong:

“Be good to yourself. Be good to your friends. Love you buddy.” (31:24, Aaron & Matt)

End of Summary

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#165 - Karo and Matt’s 2026 New Year’s Res-BRO-lutions

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Summary

Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

Episode #165: Karo and Matt’s 2026 New Year’s Res-BRO-lutions

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Year in Review: Family, Holiday Cards, and Friendship Touchpoints

2. Revisiting and Grading 2025 Res-BRO-lutions

3. Setting 2026 Res-BRO-lutions: Concrete, Selfless, and Aspirational

Friendship Goals

Personal Growth and Mindset Shifts

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps of Important Segments

Episode Tone & Style

Final Note

Summary

Man of the Year - Champions of Friendship

Episode #165: Karo and Matt’s 2026 New Year’s Res-BRO-lutions

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Year in Review: Family, Holiday Cards, and Friendship Touchpoints

2. Revisiting and Grading 2025 Res-BRO-lutions

3. Setting 2026 Res-BRO-lutions: Concrete, Selfless, and Aspirational

Friendship Goals

Personal Growth and Mindset Shifts

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps of Important Segments

Episode Tone & Style

Final Note