Joy in Family Medicine – Stories & Reflections
Lessons, lightbulb moments, and honest reflections from life inside and outside medicine - served with a side of perspective.
Tags: acceptance
Showing 12 results:
Two Travelers and A Mountain: Tale and Reflection
Two explorers set out on a journey to find a hidden village high in the mountains. Both were experienced travelers, used to well-marked paths, sturdy bridges, and reliable guides.
They started on different sides of the mountain which strattled two countries. The first traveler was started in an...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 12, 2025
acceptance
adaptation
agency
awareness
calm in chaos
clarity
comparison
expectation reset
expectations
frustration
internal shift
journey
mindset
orientation
perspective
presence
privilege
purpose
reframing
resilience
resistance
surrender
systems thinking
transformation
trial and error
Wake Up Call in Paradise: Story and Reflection
In 2018, our annual mid-winter break took us to Hawaii with our adult daughters and our one grand-little at the time. We stayed together in an Airbnb, soaking up the warmth and beauty of the islands.
One morning, I took the grand in the stroller while the others split into two groups of runners h...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 12, 2025
acceptance
calm in chaos
clarity
composure
detachment
emergency
faith
false alarm
family
gratitude
grounding
instinct
legacy
meaning
mindfulness
mindset
perspective
presence
priority reset
reflection
resilience
surrealism
surrender
uncertainty
value alignment
Twin Perspectives: Story and Reflection
One day a few of years ago, my husband and I started watching Medici - the historical Netflix series set in medieval Italy. The two main brothers looked so much alike during those first two episodes. I kept getting so confused.
After asking Mark for the 6th time which brother was speaking, he fin...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 11, 2025
acceptance
adjustment
attentiveness
awareness
balance
clarity
confusion
distortion
emotional regulation
focus
humility
insight
judgment
lens
mindfulness
mindset
narrative
overwhelm
patience
perception
perspective
presence
proportion
reframe
self-awareness
self-reflection
storytelling
strengths
values
zooming-out
The Tale of Two Challenges
Challenge #1 The Hike. When my kids were both back in Alaska, they insisted that we climb the frontside of Flattop one rainy day. It's a popular local hike. It's my least favorite because I loathe the "scramble" at the top, where you create your own rock climbing path up. It's not particularly st...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 10, 2025
acceptance
adaptability
agency
automatic thoughts
challenge
control
discomfort
emotions
experience
fear
flexibility
frustration
growth
humor
memory making
mindset
narrative
negativity
ownership
perspective
reactivity
reflection
reframing
resilience
responsibility
self-awareness
self-compasssion
self-talk
storytelling
thoughts
transformation
Envy or Esteem Reflection
They're everywhere.
Physicians who own their own thriving practices.
Physicians who lead departments and hospital systems.
Physicians who lead well-being initiatives in effective, meaningful ways within their systems.
Physician coaches who work clinically full-time.
Physicians who have retired a...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 10, 2025
acceptance
admiration
agency
appreciation
aspiration
authenticity
celebration
choices
comparison
confidence
discontent
envy
esteem
fulfillment
highlight reel
identity
inspiration
journey
joy
mindset
priorities
purpose
reflection
self-doubt
self-worth
shift
strenghts
uniqueness
values
Anniversaries and Analogies Reflection
Just prior to marrying the man in this photo (throwback to big hair 😂), his dad handed us an article torn out of a magazine. It used comparative imagery of two rivers coming together to describe marriage. The takeaway gist in my young mind was 1. Don't be shocked by the rapids, which are a natura...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 10, 2025
acceptance
adaptation
celebration
challenge
change
curiosity
emotions
endurance
evolution
forewarning
growth
imposter syndrome
journey
marriage
metaphor
mindset
navigation
partnership
perspective
phases
preparation
reflection
relationships
resilience
self-doubt
support
transformation
transition
uncertainty
whitewater
Forced Pause Story and Reflection
My leisurely start to morning clinic with a no-show was short-lived. The kind, new MA took longer than experienced MAs to room patients, which began stacking up. I had almost caught up when I walked in to see another patient. Based on the CC, I was fairly sure this would be my opportunity to "get...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 09, 2025
acceptance
burnout prevention
cocreation
compassion
connection
control
disruption
empathy
frustration
grace
listening
mindfulness
pause
perspective
presence
reflection
reframe
repair
resilience
systems
Story Reflection
This past week, I listened to a webinar featuring Dr. Paul Chelminski from UNC - Chapel Hill (and my former faculty advisor in the CHARM GME Wellbeing Course). He stated that much of our discontent in medicine comes from taking too much refuge in the idealized version of medicine. (My interpretat...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 08, 2025
acceptance
advocacy
agency
aspiration
boundaries
compassion
connection
discontent
gratitude
grounding
idealism
inspiration
mindset
perspective
presence
purpose
realignment
reality
reflefction
satisfaction
Edit Reflection
When we lived in Florida, we had a lab mix named Snickers. True to his breed, he loved to be right next to his people. While we were temporarily in a rental house, he had to stay outside, and he became an escape artist. One day driving home from work, I saw him happily trotting on the side of the...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 08, 2025
acceptance
adaptability
bias
compassion
connection
forgiveness
grace
growth
humor
identity
interpretation
learning
lightness
mistakes
ownership
perspective
redemption
reframing
rescue
storytelling
Optional Suffering
This week I invite you to look for one area of optional suffering you may want to address.
That is one in which you allow your mind to automatically go. I experienced it firsthand after a bike crash left me with broken ribs. (There's not even a cool story to go along with it - I just make a rash ...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 08, 2025
acceptance
awareness
change
clarity
compassion
discomfort
distress
emotion
focus
habits
healing
mindfulness
perspective
presence
reflection
regulation
relief
resilience
suffering
thoughts
Fall Focus Reflection
"What you focus on expands." (multiple attributions)
I recalled this quote while watching my brilliant friend, Dr. Tricia James, explain how her modification of Stephen Covey's circles of influence and concern applies to us in medicine.
The outer circle applies to all of those things that are ou...
Jun 03, 2025
acceptance
attention
awareness
boundaries
control
emotions
empowerment
energy
focus
growth
influence
intention
leadership
medicine
mindset
perspective
reframing
regulation
resilience
suffering
Virtue or Weight
I had a conversation recently with someone who discussed how judgment - when it's our own - feels very virtuous. And yet, it often changes nothing except it is like a weight we bear.
I invite you to experiment with me - find something that evokes a bit of judgment. But, let's not go for the deepl...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 03, 2025
acceptance
awareness
compassion
curiosity
emotion
experimentation
exploration
growth
insight
judgment
mindfulness
nonjudgment
openness
perspective
presence
reflection
righteousness
suspension
tolerance
understanding
Joy in Family Medicine – Stories & Reflections
