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A Few of My Favorite Things: 2025 Gift Guide · Lean Out Podcast

• 0:01
  Welcome to the lean out podcast.
• 0:03
  I'm your host, Dr.
• 0:04
  Don baker.
• 0:05
  Are you looking for a new approach to finding authentic and sustainable work-life balance?
• 0:10
  You've come to the right.
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  Place.
• 0:11
  For inspiration.
• 0:12
  information.
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  and a community.
• 0:14
  community.
• 0:14
  of like-minded.
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  Professionals.
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  Let's get to the show.
• 0:24
  Hello.
• 0:24
  Hello.
• 0:25
  Thanks for being here.
• 0:26
  It's nearing the end of the year, and for the past couple of years that I've been doing this podcast, I've taken a little break from publishing episodes in the latter part of December.
• 0:36
  I've got one more amazing interview episode for you coming out, which should be in the next week or two, and then I'm gonna take a break to focus on being present with my family during the holidays.
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  And by the way, happy Thanksgiving and start of the holiday season to you as well.
• 0:53
  I will also be thinking about how I'd like to move the podcast forward, who I might wanna have on the show in the future, and things like that.
• 1:00
  If you have opinions on the show, I'd love to hear them.
• 1:03
  Either send me a text by clicking the link in your listening app.
• 1:07
  Send me a message through my website or Instagram, or just go leave a review on iTunes and share your thoughts publicly.
• 1:15
  I want to evolve the show based on your needs and my needs.
• 1:20
  Two reminders this week.
• 1:22
  The Lean Out Confidence Course is on Black Friday.
• 1:25
  Deal through December 4th.
• 1:28
  Get the course for the lowest price I've ever offered it at$47, which gives you access to practical exercises, useful content, inspiring stories, all in the name of cultivating your own authentic confidence.
• 1:43
  One customer told me she bought four books based on my resource recommendations for going deeper into the module material, and she wanted to know what order she should read them in.
• 1:53
  There's so much value in this course, so get it now while the price is low.
• 2:00
  To get the deal, simply use the coupon code.
• 2:03
  Black Friday, all one word.
• 2:07
  The second thing is that I run a special every year on my one-on-one coaching packages.
• 2:12
  It's basically 20% off right now.
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  So if you've been thinking about coaching or you're looking at making a needed change to your work-life balance next year, sign up for free consultation.
• 2:22
  Call.
• 2:22
  The link will be in the show notes.
• 2:24
  Find more information as well@practicebalance.com slash coaching.
• 2:30
  Okay, on to today's episode.
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  Gift guides are so fun.
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  I just love making them and I love consuming other people's recommendations as well.
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  The internet has brought everyday people the ability to review and recommend products and services, which is something that.
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  30 plus years ago wasn't even part of the shopping landscape.
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  My recommendations this year are for anyone you might be buying a gift for and also for yourself.
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  I've probably mentioned this before, but for years I used to wait with bated breath to see what my husband might get me for Christmas or my birthday for that matter, hoping he would come through with a flash of creativity and romance.
• 3:13
  And then only to be disappointed and feel resentful when I didn't get a gift or didn't really get what I was expecting.
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  We finally had a heart to heart about this, and once I understood more about his personality and his particular love language, I decided to let go of the resentment.
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  I wasn't, it wasn't doing anything except hurting me.
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  Now I make sure to buy myself a gift every Christmas and birthday.
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  You might say, well, why doesn't he take your love language into account?
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  My love language is actually not giving and receiving gifts.
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  It's words of affirmation.
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  So it also took me being honest with myself about how important it is for me to get a gift from someone else.
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  And truly the answer is it's not that important.
• 4:01
  But anyway, I digress.
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  If you don't know your or your loved one's love languages, then go to five love languages.com and I will link to the quiz in the show notes.
• 4:14
  One other thing I need to mention is that some of the links I'll provide in the show notes are affiliate links, which as you probably know, means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase through those links.
• 4:26
  Using them doesn't affect the price you pay at all, but it does support the show and my ability to bring new and engaging content to you on a regular basis.
• 4:35
  Alright, first up on my gift guide is always books.
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  Reading is a vehicle for entertainment, but also for personal development.
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  And the latter tend to be the type iGI gravitate toward.
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  If you're looking for fiction recommendations, I definitely steer you somewhere else and I honestly don't really know where to send you.
• 4:57
  But for personal development, there are a few that made a big impact on me this year.
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  First off is let Them by Mel Robbins.
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  The ideas from this book fall into the simple but not easy category, in my opinion.
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  The premise is that in any area of your life, from work to family to romantic relationships, you need to stop trying to control things and people that you are not able to control.
• 5:24
  Let them and then turn it around and ask yourself, let me.
• 5:29
  My second book recommendation is The Inner Compass by Lawrence Yo, which is a short read about developing your intuition.
• 5:37
  It has powerful examples and easy to follow exercises that really focus on the power of journaling, which of course I'm all for.
• 5:46
  I also recommend Joy Prescriptions by Tiffany Moon, who was a guest on the show earlier this year.
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  This book.
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  Reads like a memoir cross with a self-help book, and I also particularly enjoyed the Purpose Code by Jordan Grumet, who was the first guest of this year on the show.
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  And I may have recommended this book last year because I read it before the beginning of the year.
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  I highly recommend going back and listening to both episodes with these authors to prime yourself for these books if you decide to get them.
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  And I will link them in the show notes in case you miss those episodes.
• 6:21
  Now I would be remiss if I didn't recommend my own book Lean Out, which makes a great gift and as many of you know, talks about the treadmill of achievement, why we're so drawn to it, how to recognize if you're on it, and how to get off so you can live your own authentic work-life balance regardless of what everyone else is doing.
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  Someone told me once that they wanted to gift this book to every college aged girl they know.
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  So keep that in mind if you have anyone in that age bracket that might be needing a gift.
• 6:56
  So when you're a busy professional, how do you fit time into read books?
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  I have a couple ideas, and one is to not watch TV shows, stop subscribing to shows or binge watching series on the weekends.
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  The other tip I have is to listen to your books while you're either commuting, driving places, or taking solo walks, which I also highly recommend doing several times per week.
• 7:20
  I really like using Audible, which gives you credits with your subscription, and they tend to have available books in all genres.
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  I use the Libby app as well through my local library, but they don't often have access to brand new books, or you need to wait in a long line maybe to borrow a new book.
• 7:39
  So in those cases, I always use Audible.
• 7:43
  I will drop a link to sign up for an audible subscription in the show notes as well.
• 7:49
  Many of you know I'm really into skincare and beauty.
• 7:52
  I used to be really into fashion and I subscribed to several different fashion magazines in the era when people got magazines mailed to them.
• 8:00
  But at some point during my adult years, particularly when I was an early career anesthesiologist who became a mom, I realized that following the latest fashion trends and having a closet full of fancy clothes that I never wear was just really not useful.
• 8:17
  And I was also getting older and I started looking into best practices for skincare.
• 8:23
  So my penchant for aesthetics in the form of clothes turned into one of skincare and beauty I love doing my makeup still every day just for me, even when I'm not going to see anyone, even when I'm up on my mountain property and there are literally zero cars driving by and no one except my husband and my daughter to see me, but I do it for myself.
• 8:44
  So here are my So here are my game changing beauty product recommendations.
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  The first is Thrive Liquid Lash Extensions mascara.
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  This is a tubing mascara where you just wipe your lashes off with warm water at the end of the day and it comes right off.
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  You don't need eye makeup remover.
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  And yes, it's not super environmental because there are little tubes of mascara that then go down the drain, but I pick my battles and this mascara is well worth it.
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  I started using it when we went on a sailing trip about five years ago, and I have never stopped.
• 9:23
  I often get compliments on my lashes from people like, or nurses that are standing close to me when I'm inducing anesthesia or my hairdresser who has her face right next to my face, and they wanna know if I use those lash lengthening medications that you paint on.
• 9:38
  And I always just recommend this mascara.
• 9:42
  The second game changing beauty item for me is Wonder Skin lip stain.
• 9:47
  This is the stuff you may have seen on social media where people put it on and it makes their lips blue and then they wipe it off to make a color.
• 9:56
  My lips are really light in pigment naturally, and I tend to look dead if I don't have anything on them.
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  Light lip colors also wash me out for the same reason, and.
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  Of course, being someone that works in the, or wearing a mask all day.
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  And then when I'm not working, leading an active life doing things outside, working out teaching yoga, farm chores and the like, I love to have something long lasting because if I need to put it on every hour, then it's not very practical.
• 10:26
  But on top of having lightly colored lips, I also have really dry lips at baseline, and I have tried many long lasting lip stain type products and they usually leave my lips feeling really dry and uncomfortable.
• 10:39
  But the wonder skin lip stain.
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  Does not do this.
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  Now, there are two formulations.
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  There's one where it paints on blue and you have to peel it off, and I think that maybe that one is supposed to last a little longer even, but I get the one where you paint it on and then you just wipe it off with a wet paper towel or washcloth.
• 11:02
  It works really well.
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  It leaves a subtle color on my lips, literally all day, and it does not make them feel dry.
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  And then you just put lip liner, lipstick or lip gloss on, on top of this, and eventually that wears off, but the stain stays.
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  After trying several of the colors that are available, the two I repurchase over and over again are charming and whimsical, and they are both a dusty rose color.
• 11:31
  Charming is cooler, and whimsical is a little bit warmer.
• 11:35
  Now this stuff is$22 for a tube, so it's a good price point for a gift.
• 11:40
  But if you're getting this for yourself and you happen to be really budget minded about makeup and you aren't really sure about lip stains just yet, then I suggest that ELF or elf, sheer for it.
• 11:52
  Blush tints.
• 11:53
  I have three of these and they cost about$5 a piece.
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  They are a stain that goes on lips and cheeks, so they definitely do double duty.
• 12:04
  They're really liquidy, kind of like benefit Benin if you've ever used that, but they're not messy and they're not hard to work with at all.
• 12:12
  If you put it on your cheeks, you definitely want to brush it in immediately so that it doesn't leave like a little circle on your cheek.
• 12:20
  But I find that on the lips, they last almost as long as the wonder skin lip stain.
• 12:26
  The colors I particularly like of the Elf product are Cherry Cola left on red and plums up.
• 12:34
  My last recommendation in the beauty department.
• 12:38
  Our BK beauty brushes, I have found over my years of experimenting with makeup that the right tools can really make your look.
• 12:48
  Bk Beauty brushes are super high quality, they're really soft, and the ones I have have lasted for many years.
• 12:56
  My favorites are the 1 0 9 for spreading my foundation stick very thinly and evenly.
• 13:02
  And also the viral a 5 0 6 brush, which I cannot live without for placing concealer right underneath my eyes.
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  Concealer is never something I wore until I turned about 45, but alas, it is needed and this brush keeps it from looking cakey or makeupy.
• 13:21
  On to some clothing items.
• 13:23
  I have a few cashmere sweaters and I can't believe how much warmer they are when I want something really cozy in the winter.
• 13:31
  As I've talked about many times, I'm very cold sensitive, so I tend to live in these cashmere sweaters all winter long.
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  And my favorite one is the Quince boat neck cashmere sweater.
• 13:43
  It really hits the mark between being warm and looking really stylish.
• 13:49
  There are a few different colors, but I have the brown one.
• 13:53
  I recently bought the Cool Huga, half zip fleece, and I've been wearing it constantly ever since I got it.
• 14:01
  I get compliments on it from random people like at the grocery store or wherever I wear it.
• 14:07
  It's super soft and it has just the right look of being loose versus fitted, and there's a kangaroo pocket in the front that I love.
• 14:16
  I think it's eye catching because there is this pretty retro trim around the zipper and the neckline cool as a company is fiercely independent and they do a lot to protect their brand and stand by the quality of their products and their fabrics.
• 14:33
  So I really love supporting them.
• 14:36
  If you're looking for a pullover with that retro feel, but a lower price point, then I recommend the RA best oversized pullover that you can get on Amazon.
• 14:47
  It has a half button front and it gives free people vibes, and this sweater is about 30 to$40.
• 14:56
  It's just the right length and it's also really baggy, so you can wear it with leggings to the gym and not feel really exposed, but also feel stylish at the same time.
• 15:07
  As you know, I am very into self-improvement and fitness, so I have a couple recommendations for you in this department as well.
• 15:15
  If you're looking for one item that can get you started on a strength training journey, I would recommend a 35 pound kettlebell.
• 15:24
  You can do so much with this.
• 15:27
  You can do traditional lifts like goblet squats and presses and things like that, but of course you can do a kettlebell swing, and if you don't know what this is or how to do it, check YouTube for some tutorial videos.
• 15:41
  It's such an effective exercise that hits both strength and cardio.
• 15:47
  If you're a woman, you will have a while to build up on your strength before the 35 pound bell is too heavy for you, but it's also not so heavy that you can't start with this level, especially for swings.
• 16:00
  Trust me, a heavier bell is actually better.
• 16:04
  I've been focusing on strength training for two years now, and my cardio mostly consists of walking.
• 16:11
  I try to take at least five walks a week with a weighted vest on as well.
• 16:16
  And if you're not familiar with walking with weight or what is called rucking, I will link an article in the show notes that talks about how beneficial it is for movement stability, bone density, and even weight loss.
• 16:28
  I have two weight vests.
• 16:30
  One is a style where you just swing it over your shoulders like a harness, and the other one is a larger zip up vest.
• 16:37
  I'm not sure which one I like better at this point.
• 16:39
  So take a look at the styles and reviews and see what you think might work better for you.
• 16:45
  I recommend starting with a weight that's somewhere between 10 to 20% of your body weight.
• 16:52
  Lastly, I have a couple gift ideas that if you're a physician, you're more likely to get for yourself as a gift of sanity, self-love and balance, versus gifting this to somebody.
• 17:05
  The first one is one-on-one coaching with me.
• 17:08
  If you've been thinking about getting some support through a work transition, or maybe you need a change in your work life balance, but you don't know where to start coaching would be an excellent gift to yourself this year.
• 17:21
  As I mentioned earlier, I have a special right now where you basically get one session for free when you sign up before the end of 2025.
• 17:30
  If you wanna see what other past clients have said about my coaching services, go to practice balance.com/coaching and read all the comments there.
• 17:40
  This is an investment definitely, but an invaluable gift for your own happiness.
• 17:46
  I would also like to invite all the physicians listening to gift themselves a retreat in 2026.
• 17:53
  I'd love it if you join me in the Red Rock Wilderness of Southern Utah at the revitalized Physician Renewal Retreat that I've mentioned a couple of times on the show.
• 18:03
  There is a coupon code Invite 200 and I will link it in the show notes.
• 18:08
  That gives you$200 off the registration price.
• 18:12
  And if you sign up for this retreat through my link, I will gift you an additional one-off coaching session after the retreat to debrief and find ways to integrate your retreat takeaways into your everyday life.
• 18:27
  So there you have it.
• 18:28
  My 2025 favorite things gift guide.
• 18:31
  I hope you find some great ideas for yourself and for others this holiday.
• 18:36
  What are the game changing products or services that you'd recommend to anyone who asks?
• 18:41
  Share your thoughts by sending me a text through your podcast listening app, leaving a comment on the blog post associated with this episode@practicebalance.com, or sending me a DM on Instagram.
• 18:54
  And by the way, the blog post that has all of the links for all of the products in it might be something that's easier than just listening.
• 19:03
  So you may want to refer to that when you're doing your shopping.
• 19:08
  Happy holidays to everyone and I'll talk to you again soon.
• 19:13
  Thanks for listening to the lean out podcast.
• 19:16
  If you find these conversations inspiring and useful, please forward them to a friend and also leave a review on iTunes or Spotify so that other people can find them easier.
• 19:28
  If you want to get in touch with me, you can find me at my website, practice balanced.com, where you can subscribe to my newsletter and get updates regularly about new podcast episodes, blog posts, speaking, engagements, and coaching services.
• 19:45
  You can also support my work by buying my book, lean out a professional woman's guide to finding authentic work-life balance for yourself, a friend, family member, or coworker.
• 19:57
  Have a great day and we'll see you next time