Stories & Reflections from a Family Medicine Physician Coach

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: perspective

Showing 12 results:

One of the most powerful things we can learn is that the way we think about a situation shapes how we experience it. The facts of a situation may be outside our control. (Other people certainly are.) But between what happens and how we respond, our brains are busy making meaning – it automaticall...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Oct 23, 2026 acceptance accountability adaptability agency authenticity behavior beliefs change coaching communication confidence courage curiosity emotional intelligence emotions empathy empowerments graciousness growth identity influence intention judgment leadership mindfulness mindset personal growth perspective processing professionalism purpose reflection relationships resilience response self-awareness self-development self-judgment thoughts transformation values

Called Up

Not too long ago, I was coaching a resident who had been struggling. Over the course of our work together, we unpacked a lot. On the last session, she said something that I will carry forward from here on out. When I asked what she was taking away from our coaching, she told me she had remembered...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Oct 16, 2026 accountability advocacy behavior belief change coaching compassion confidence development emotional intelligence empathy empowerment encouragement expectations faculty development feedback growith mindset growth human potential identity kindness leadership leadership coaching leadership development learning medical education mentoring mentorship mindset opportunity patience personal growth perspective possibiity potential professional growth professionalism psychological safety reflection relationships resident coaching resilience self-awareness self-compassion servant leadership strengths transformation trust understanding

Part Two: Damage and Discovery

Among the casualties of our move was a beautiful glass hourglass that normally sits on my desk. It was a small, beautiful thing, given to me by a friend and doing exactly what it was supposed to do – beautifully measure time. I think it's great comedic timing that the (now shattered) hourglass sh...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Oct 09, 2026 acceptance adaptability aftermath balance caregiving challenges change chaos collaboration community construction damage delegation discovery disruption endurance exhaustion family flexibility gratitude healing imperfection leadership life logistics moving opportunity organization overwhelm patience perseverance perspective planning preparation priorities productivity recovery reflection relocation resilience setbacks stress support teamwor time trtansition uncertainty work

Preparing for Storms, Part 1

I’m writing this on Tuesday morning, September 22, before the storm hits. To be clear, the actual weather here in Central Washington is supposed to be pretty perfect. I mean all the things. Tuesday night: Husband arrives from Alaska. Furniture moving and construction-site Tetris begins. Wednesday...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Oct 02, 2026 acceptance adaptability change chaos construction control courage endurance expectations faith family flexibility furniture growth home hope hurricane imperfection letting-go moving overwhelm patience perseverance perspective planning plywood preparation preparedness priorities readiness reality reflection relocation resilience resourcefulness responsibility storms supplkies surrender transition trust uncertainty unpacking vulnerability

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 River Gets Wider

Just prior to marrying my husband, his dad handed us an article torn from a magazine. It used the imagery of two rivers coming together to describe marriage. The gist that stuck with my young mind was:1. Don’t be shocked by the rapids. They’re a natural outcome of two forces merging.2. Marriage w...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jul 25, 2026 acceptance adaptability adaptation adjustment balance becoming career change coaching commitment confidence courage endurance expectations flexibility gratitude growth hope imperfection joy leadership life transitions marriage medicine mindset navigation partnership perseverance perspective physicians preparation presence progress purpose rapids recovery reflection relationships renewal resilience self-copmpassion stability strength transformation transition trust uncertainty wellbeing whitewater

The Price of Value

This week's theme comes straight from Facebook Marketplace. My husband (who is not a social media guy) asked me to list his Kubota skid steer for "69-9." So I did. I had just sold his utility trailer for $2,200, so I entered all the details, uploaded the photos, and hit Publish. Within seconds, s...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jul 17, 2026 abundance advocacy appreciation authenticity awareness belief business compensation confidence contribution courage empowerment encouragement entrepreneurship expertise family medicine financial health generosity gratitude growth identity impact influence leadership medicine mentorship mindset negotiation opportunity perception perspective physicians purpose recognition reflection self-advocacy self-worth service support sustainability undervaluing validation value visibility worth worthiness

The Bump Nobody Warned You About

A webinar this week about the evolution of a rural residency program inspired this week's reflections. In addition to the successes and growing pains, the thing that caught my attention was the sheer number of changes they had both created and endured. In just 11 years, the program had 4 Chief Me...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jul 10, 2026 acceptance adaptability adaptation agility alignment awareness change change management collaboration commitment communication complexity continuity culture endurance evolution expectations flexibility growth healthcare innovation leadership leadership development medicine mindset mission mission focus navigation organizational health organizations perseverance perspective preparedness puprose reflection residency resilience rural stability stewarship sustainability systems teamwork transformation transition trust turbulence turnover uncertainty

The Tyranny of the Unfamiliar

Recently, I brought a situation to my coach because I was concerned I might be facing an ethical dilemma. As we worked through it together, it became clear I was actually on solid ground. What I was experiencing wasn't an ethics issue. It was just discomfort. What's interesting is that I've sat w...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 26, 2026 acceptance adaptability adaptation adjustment agility awareness calibration capacity chagne challenge coaching confidence coping courage curiosity development discomfort emotional-intelligence endurance enviornment experience familiarity flexibility growth leadership learning mentorship mindfulness mindset perseverance perspective planning preparation problem solving progress readiness recovery reflection resilience resourcing self-awareness strategy support sustainability transformation uncertainty wellbeing

Broadening the Differential: A Lesson in Agile Thinking

I've been spending time with colleagues lately exploring the concept of agility in the research literature. And as a result, I keep finding the need for it everywhere. This week alone, our house build presented a wiring issue that no longer aligned with the original lighting and door-swing plans ...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 12, 2026 adaptability adaptation advocacy agility anchoring assumptions awareness bias caregiving change chaos clinical thinking collaboration communication complexity contingency curiosity decision making diagnosis efficiency execution family flexibility growth home building humility insight judgment leadership learning logistics medicine openness perspective perspective shift planning prioritization problem solving realignment reassessment recalibration reconsideration reflection reframing resilience responsiveness rethinking structure systems truth seeking uncertainty

Cognitive Dissonance (From the Archives)

Growing up, my world consisted of good kids like Spook, Ryan, Barry, Jean, and Christy. Especially Jean, she would draw fun pictures and write nice things in a note folded up for me at school: "To Tonya, my friend. From: Jean, your friend." There were bad kids like Eddie - who would come to our s...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 07, 2026 acceptance accountability ambiguity authenticity balance boundaries change character cognitive dissonance compassion compelxity complexity conflict conviction courage discernment emotional intelligence empathy ethics forgiveness grief growth humanity humility integrity judgment leadership learning loyalty maturity medicine nuance perspective physicians principles reconciliation refleciotn reflection relationships resilience respect sadness self-awareness trust understanding values wisdom

The Hidden Curriculum of a Career

Over the past several weeks, I’ve introduced you to John, a fictional physician whose story reflects common themes many physicians wrestle with. He’s a mid-career family physician struggling with a career dilemma I hear often: “I’ve never stayed in one job more than x number of years. I feel like...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 06, 2026 adaptation appreciation becoming career clarity communication community conribution culture development discernment evolution experience expertise fulfillment gratitude growth impact insight intentionality knowledge leadership learning legacy maturity meaning medicine mentorship operations perspective physicians progress purpose recognition reflection relationships renewal resilience self-awareness stewardship sustainability systems teaching teamwork transformation wisdom

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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: perspective

Joy in Family Medicine – Stories & Reflections

Lessons, lightbulb moments, and honest reflections from life inside and outside medicine - served with a side of perspective.

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