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: creativity
Showing 12 results:
Brads Over Lectures
When our youngest daughter was about four, she was watching my husband rescreen a door.
She stood there studying what he was doing and asked, “What’s that, Dad? Are you putting in brads, Dad?”
I remember thinking, What’s a brad?
She knew because she had spent a lot of time following her dad aroun...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Sep 11, 2026
adaptability
apprenticeship
coaching
collaboration
confidence
creativity
curiosity
development
discovery
education
engagement
experience
exploration
figureoutable
gme
growth
healthcare
independence
initiative
inquiry
leadership
learning
learning by doing
medicine
mentorship
modeling
observation
parenting
persistence
physicians
practice
problem solving
reflection
residency
resilience
resourcefulness
teaching
training
Pick Up the Phone
A couple of weeks ago, I was juggling multiple time-sensitive projects when someone began doing work which I felt was mine to do, that I wanted to do, and in an order that made no sense to me.
I initially reacted from momentary frustration.
Becoming a coach does not uninstall the old neural pathw...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jul 31, 2026
acceptance
activation
adaptability
awareness
breathing
burnout
centering
compassion
connection
creativity
curiosity
emotional intelligence
emotions
empathy
grounding
growth
learning
mindfulness
mindset
nervous system
neuroscience
pathways
patience
perspective
reactions
reflection
regulation
relationships
residency
resilience
responding
self-awareness
self-regulation
stress
transformation
trust
wellness
The Penstock Paradox
I've been catching up on Lisa Rosenbaum's Not Otherwise Specified podcast series on primary care. https://not-otherwise-specified-podcast.nejm.org/e/when-no-ones-watching/
The final episode is titled When No One's Watching.
Near the end, Jonathan Han, a family physician and residency director, ta...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 23, 2026
alignment
artistry
authenticity
balance
burnout
caring
community
compassion
connection
contribution
creativity
encouragement
energy
engagement
excellence
flourishing
fulfillment
generosity
gratidtude
humanity
impact
influence
inspiration
intentionality
joy
kindness
leadership
legacy
meaning
mentorship
motivation
presence
purpose
purpose driven
regognition
rejuvenation
relationships
relection
renewal
resilience
restoration
service
significance
stewardship
sustainability
values
wellbeing
What Renovation Taught Me About Teams
My husband and I are back in the messy middle of building.
We are not a strangers to it. We completely renovated a historic home over seven years and our Alaskan home over ten, with my husband acting as contractor, doing the work he enjoyed and subbing the rest out.
And now, we’re building remote...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Mar 13, 2026
adaptation
alignment
behavior
building
change
clarity
co-creation
collaboration
communication
conflict
construction
creativity
decision making
development
dynamics
expectations
forming
friction
group
growth
homebuilding
innovation
leadership
learning
marriage
mindset
organization
partnership
patience
performing
problem solving
process
progress
reflection
remodel
renovation
resilience
satisfaction
storming
structure
teams
teamwork
transformation
uncertainty
vision
The Myth of Ready
This week, I tried a simple AI morning brain-warm-up experiment at the suggestion of Alex Morgan from The Neuron.
I gave ChatGPT this reflective prompt: Share one interesting assumption I might hold without realizing.
The response: Sometimes we assume we need clarity before we’re allowed to move....
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Feb 06, 2026
action
balance
burnout
clarity
contribution
creativity
decision
default mode
direction
equlibrium
experimentation
growth
healing
insight
leadership
learning
metaphor
mindset
momentum
movement
neuroscience
paddleboarding
progress
reassessment
recovery
reflection
resilience
rest
strategy
thinking
uncertainty
Suitcases, Constraints, and Where Possibility Lives
Last week, I wrote about a familiar moment in medicine: when you’ve used every skillful form of influence you have (data, stories, coalitions, reframing) and nothing moves. When effort stops matching outcome, (high importance, low control, and your influence stalls), there are a few ways forward....
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Dec 12, 2025
acceptance
adaptation
agency
burnout
constraint
control
creativity
energy
flexibility
impact
influence
leadership
limits
navigation
possibility
problem-solving
reframing
resilience
strategy
systems
A Ditch on Each Side of the Road (and How to Avoid Them)
Leadership often feels like driving a narrow road. You’re trying to keep the vehicle moving forward, but there’s a ditch on each side that can take you out if you drift too far.
Recently I had the chance to moderate an STFM GME Leadership Panel with three seasoned leaders in academic medicine — D...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Oct 10, 2025
accountability
balance
boundaries
burnout
collaboration
communication
creativity
delegation
development
discipline
efficiency
empowerment
engagement
feedback
focus
growth
leadership
longevity
mentoship
mindset
organization
oversight
perspective
prioritization
reflection
resilience
skillset
strategy
structure
support
sustainability
time
transparency
vision
Staying Power Reflection
A couple of weeks ago, I had the gift of facilitating a panel discussion with seasoned leaders in academic family medicine — people whose careers span decades, whose influence is immeasurable. I asked them to name a single word or phrase that captured what contributed to their longevity in this w...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 12, 2025
belief
calling
creativity
detachment
emotional wisdom
endurance
generativity
hope
imagination
impact
inspiration
leadership
legacy
longevity
meaning
mindset
optimism
purpose
resilience
ripple effect
sustainability
trust
vision
Time Hack and Emotions: Story and Reflection
Time Hack - I'm modeling scheduled rest and boundaries, so I got creative with scheduling this week's reflection. 😊 Time-hack - make your work count twice. I'm working smarter not harder - linking you to the reflection from my blog rather than writing something new while I'm off.
The story: I'm o...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 12, 2025
automation
balance
boundaries
creativity
delegation
efficiency
emotional awareness
flexibility
intentionality
off-grid
pacing
prioritization
reflection
rest
self-care
self-permission
simplicity
smart working
sustainability
time management
All That Jazz Story and Reflection
I'm going to give away one of the truths that throws people off when I play two truths and a lie. I learned to tap dance and even performed on stage after I was a practicing physician. I know, I know - hard to picture. 😉
My daughter was taking violin lessons in a studio that had just started offe...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 12, 2025
all-or-nothing
awkwardness
challenge
control
creativity
discomfort
encouragement
expectations
feedback
fun
growth mindset
inspiration
learning
letting go
mastery
mindset
motivation
patience
perfectionism
performance
perseverance
personal growth
practice
reflection
reframe
resilience
role modeling
self-awareness
self-compassion
vulnerability
Best Laid Plans: Story and Reflection
I enjoy it when people expand and contrast the meanings of words. It gives me a better grasp of various approaches. I came across a quote from Sahil Bloom that did just that:
"Preparation always beats planning. Planning is based on the expectation of order. Preparation is based on the expectation...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 11, 2025
adaptability
calm
control
creativity
emotional intelligence
engagement
evolution
expectations
flexibility
foresight
grace
humor
idealism
improvisation
leadership
learning
mindset
perspective
pivoting
planning
preparation
presence
problem solving
recovery
reflection
resilience
responsiveness
self-regulation
teaching
uncertainty
Polarities Reflection
"I can either run on time, or I can address the patient's needs"
"I can either get my work done, or build relationships with the staff."
"I can either shirk my responsibilities at work and be there for my family, or I can shirk my responsibilities for my family and be there for work."
These are o...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 11, 2025
adapatation
all-or-nothing
balance
binary thinking
choice
collaboration
connection
creativity
curiosity
experimentation
false dichotomy
flexbility
growth
integration
intersection
mindset
perfectionism
perspective
polarity
prioritization
problem solving
reflection
reframing
resourcefulness
responsibility
scarcity
self-awareness
tension
time-management
venn-diagram
work life integration
Joy in Family Medicine – Stories & Reflections
