49. How I Got Out Of The Rut
In this episode of Aware & Aggravated, Leo Skepi shares his personal experience with burnout and his journey to prioritize self-care. He discusses how constant giving through social media, podcasting, and business ventures led to physical and mental exhaustion, prompting him to establish boundaries and decline opportunities—including those in Las Vegas—to maintain his well-being and sobriety.
The episode also covers Skepi's response to California tax rates through his plans to establish a nonprofit organization. He aims to redirect funds toward charitable work, with an initial focus on clearing lunch debt at his former elementary school in Pensacola, Florida. Throughout the discussion, Skepi explores the relationship between giving to others and taking care of oneself, including his discovery that allowing himself to receive appreciation helped him recharge.
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Overcoming Burnout and Prioritizing Self-Care
Leo shares his journey through burnout and his decision to prioritize self-care. He describes feeling physically and mentally unwell, with his energy constantly depleting from giving to others while neglecting himself. Despite having numerous opportunities in Vegas, including promotions for PowerSlap, UFC, and other ventures, Leo chose to maintain his sobriety and focus on his well-being instead.
Balancing Giving and Taking Care Of Oneself
Through his experience, Leo identifies a destructive cycle where his constant giving through social media, podcasting, and TikTok led to exhaustion and resentment. He explains how even routine obligations like managing payroll began to feel burdensome when he was depleted. To break this cycle, Leo implemented boundaries, including taking time offline and declining opportunities that didn't align with his self-care goals.
Leo discovered that by allowing himself to receive appreciation without pressure, particularly through positive customer interactions and genuine public encounters, he could recharge and feel rejuvenated. He notes that turning off social media notifications helped him experience appreciation without the constant pressure to give.
Frustration With Taxes and Charity Funding
In response to his frustration with high California tax rates, Leo Skepi is developing plans to establish a nonprofit organization. Through this initiative, he aims to redirect funds from taxes to meaningful charitable work. His immediate goal is to clear all lunch debt at Lipscomb Elementary School in Pensacola, Florida, where he attended school, ensuring no child goes hungry due to financial constraints.
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Counterarguments
- While prioritizing self-care is important, it's also crucial to balance personal well-being with professional responsibilities and opportunities.
- Declining opportunities for self-care is commendable, but it's also important to consider the long-term impact of such decisions on one's career trajectory.
- Implementing boundaries is a healthy practice, but it's essential to communicate these effectively to avoid misunderstandings with colleagues and followers.
- While turning off notifications can reduce pressure, it may also lead to missed opportunities for engagement and important communications.
- Establishing a nonprofit to redirect tax funds to charity is a noble endeavor, but it requires careful planning to ensure compliance with tax laws and regulations.
- Focusing on a single charitable goal, like clearing lunch debt at a specific school, is admirable, but broader initiatives might have a more widespread impact.
- Frustration with tax rates is common, but taxes fund essential public services, and the challenge is to ensure they are used effectively rather than avoiding them.
Actionables
- You can create a self-care checklist to ensure you're balancing giving with personal wellness. Start by identifying daily, weekly, and monthly self-care activities that are non-negotiable for your well-being. This could include things like a daily 10-minute meditation, a weekly hobby session, or a monthly day off from all work-related activities. Keep this checklist visible and commit to completing these activities as diligently as you would any other important task.
- Establish a 'no notifications' hour each day to disconnect from the constant demand of social media. Choose a time that's typically busy or stressful for you, and turn off all notifications on your phone and computer. Use this time to engage in activities that help you relax and recharge, like reading a book, taking a walk, or practicing a hobby, without the interruption of digital alerts.
- Consider setting a personal finance goal that aligns with your values, similar to how Leo is planning to clear lunch debt. For example, you might decide to save a certain amount of money each month to donate to a local food bank or to sponsor a child's education. By doing this, you're not only managing your finances with intention but also making a positive impact in line with your personal beliefs and values.
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Overcoming Burnout and Prioritizing Self-Care
Leo's journey through recognizing burnout and choosing to prioritize self-care over external obligations serves as a profound example of the importance of attending to one’s well-being.
Recognizing the Need to Focus On Well-Being
Leo Recognized His Cycle of Giving and Neglect, Leading To Burnout and a Need For Self-Care
Leo describes how he felt physically and mentally unwell and noticed that substances like alcohol only exacerbated his irritation and clouded his judgment. The feeling of his energy constantly "bleeding out" to others but not keeping any for himself led to the realization that he needed to start practicing self-care and self-love.
Choosing Self-Care Over External Obligations and Opportunities
Leo Prioritizes Health Over Lucrative Opportunities
Though he had many things lined up in Vegas, including promotions for PowerSlap, UFC, a tequila company, and a nightclub, Leo chose not to attend. Being 12 days sober, he didn’t want to drink alcohol and decided that going to Vegas would have stressed him out and ruined his experience.
Leo recognized it was better not to push himself while sick and not in a mental state to meet obligations, especially since he was not being paid but merely getting free experiences. During his recovery process, he even turned down deals and expressed gratitude for the ability to choose when and about what he spoke, which signified his preferenc ...
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Overcoming Burnout and Prioritizing Self-Care
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Actionables
- You can create a "No" jar to practice turning down non-essential commitments; every time you say no to something that doesn't serve your well-being, write it down on a piece of paper and put it in the jar. This visual representation of your choices can reinforce your commitment to self-care and remind you of the importance of setting boundaries.
- Start a weekly self-check-in ritual where you assess your physical and mental health, noting any negative impacts from substances or social interactions. Use a journal to track patterns over time, which can help you make informed decisions about what to avoid for better health.
- Develop a personal ...
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Balancing Giving and Taking Care Of Oneself
Leo examines his personal journey, emphasizing the need to find a balance between generosity and self-care to avoid resentment and exhaustion.
Identifying the Cycle of Excessive Giving and Resentment
Leo expresses that his continuous giving led to a cycle of resentment, particularly when he needed care himself and felt alone. His constant devotion to others through social media, podcasting, and TikTok caused him to enter a rut. Leo described feeling energetically bled out from over-giving and hating what he once loved to give. Public recognition further pressured him to give when he had nothing left, often leading to a desire to hide away.
Leo's Generosity Led To Resentment and Exhaustion
Leo’s generosity took a toll on him, leading to feelings of resentment and exhaustion. He details that obligations like payroll seemed like things being taken from him when he was down, ruining his ability to relax and be there for himself. Leo admits that his perception shifted to feeling taken from, rather than giving freely, which turned to resentment when he felt unappreciated.
Setting Boundaries and Prioritizing Personal Needs
To escape this exhaustive cycle, Leo began setting boundaries for himself. He prioritized his health and personal needs by deciding against attending events like going to Vegas, which disappointed others but was a necessary step for his self-care. Leo learned to distinguish between giving when he wanted to and giving out of obligation and to say no to things not right for him. Despite the difficulty of disappointing others, he decided to decline certain opportunities to choose himself.
Leo Prioritized His Needs, Disappointing Others He Supported
Leo reached a point where he needed to take care of himself, even though it disappointed those he usually supports. He shows the same love and prioritization to himself that he customarily shows to others. Investing love into himself included taking a break and going offline, ghosting everyone who depended on him, and losing traction on social media to focus on personal well-being.
Recognizing the Value Of Receiving
Allowing himself space, Leo found that he could recharge ...
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Balancing Giving and Taking Care Of Oneself
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Counterarguments
- While setting boundaries is crucial, it's also important to communicate effectively with those who depend on you to avoid misunderstandings or feelings of abandonment.
- Prioritizing self-care is essential, but completely ghosting everyone can have negative repercussions on personal and professional relationships that require a more nuanced approach.
- Taking breaks and going offline is beneficial, but finding a sustainable work-life balance that doesn't require extreme measures might be more effective in the long run.
- Relying on external validation, such as customer appreciation, can be a double-edged sword and may not be a reliable source of rejuvenation if customer behavior changes.
- Turning off social media notifications can help reduce pressure, but it may also slow down response times and impact engagement or customer service quality.
- While receiving appreciation can be therapeutic, it's also important to cultivate internal sourc ...
Actionables
- You can create a "Generosity Gauge" by tracking your acts of kindness and your energy levels in a journal. Note down each time you do something generous and rate your energy level on a scale of 1-10 before and after the act. This will help you visually see the impact of your generosity on your personal energy and identify when you might be overextending yourself.
- Develop a "Self-Care Swap" system with a friend or family member where you both agree to take turns taking care of each other's needs. For example, you might cook dinner for them one night, and they could cover a task for you another day. This reciprocal arrangement ensures that both of you are receiving care and not just giving it away.
- Initiate ...
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Frustration With Taxes and Charity Funding
Leo Skepi is voicing his discontent with the current tax system and is exploring alternative ways to utilize his money for the betterment of society.
Tax Anger and Government Accountability Issues
Leo Frustrated by High Taxes, Claims Government Misuse
Leo recently expressed his frustration over the high amount of taxes he had to pay last year, with particular grievances toward California's tax rates. His dissatisfaction hints at a deeper mistrust in how the government allocates these funds.
Exploring Ways to Use Money For Social Good
In response to his frustration with taxes, Leo Skepi is compelled to establish a nonprofit, aiming to use the money for social good while also reducing his tax burden.
Tax Burden Inspires Leo to Start Nonprofit to Reduce Taxes and Pay Off Student Lunch Debts
Leo's plan for the nonprofit is strategic; he intends for the funds to go towards the organization as a write-off, preventing the money from being handed over to the IRS. Through this effort, Leo is determined to direct resources where he believes they will be more efficiently utilized.
Goal: Pay Off Leo's Elementary School's Lunch D ...
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Frustration With Taxes and Charity Funding
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Counterarguments
- High taxes can be justified by the need for government to fund essential services and infrastructure that benefit society as a whole, including education, healthcare, and public safety.
- Government accountability and efficiency are valid concerns, but there are mechanisms in place such as elections, audits, and oversight committees to address misuse of funds.
- Starting a nonprofit can be an effective way to address specific social issues, but it does not replace the role of government, which has the capacity to address problems at a larger scale.
- Tax deductions for charitable giving can reduce government revenue, potentially leading to budget shortfalls that affect public services.
- While paying off student lunch debts is commendable, it is a temporary solu ...
Actionables
- You can start a small-scale community fund to tackle a local issue you're passionate about by pooling resources with friends and neighbors. For instance, if you're concerned about educational resources in your community, you could create a fund specifically for purchasing books or supplies for a local classroom, ensuring that your contributions have a direct impact.
- Consider volunteering your skills to a local nonprofit that aligns with your values to make a tangible difference without starting your own organization. If you're skilled in web design, offer to revamp a nonprofit's website to increase their online presence and potential for donations, directly contributing to their cause.
- Engag ...
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