
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: journey
Showing 4 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
Running Up Mountains Story and Reflection
Have you ever been isolated during a race? Me neither, until I was. I participated in a small fundraiser weeknight race after work in late May several years back. It was my first (and last) mountain race.
It was a race up "Peak 3" in the Alaska Chugach Range, with the finish line at the top, smal...
by Dr. Tonya Caylor —
Jun 10, 2025
accomplishment
comparison
compassion
disappointment
disorientation
empathy
exhaustion
expectations
experience
fear
fear response
frustration
growth
humility
identity
isolation
journey
mentorship
metaphor
mindset
normalization
overwhelm
parallel
perseverance
reflection
resilience
self-compassion
transition
uncertainty
vulnerability
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
Joy in Family Medicine – Stories & Reflections
