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:

Recently, I’ve been supporting my mom from afar as she’s gone through a complicated health issue. Like many patients, she didn’t show up with a single neat explanation. She had two separate issues—Occam’s razor didn’t apply. That alone created delays and misdirection, but this story isn’t about w...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 12, 2025 bandwidth care care over efficiency clarity connection discernment effort empathy experience informed action family perspective generosity going above and beyond gratitude groundedness healing healing moments humanity intention leadership meaningful meaningful effort medicine pacing perspective physician humanity presence prioritization professionalism relational medicine right effort right moment silent leadership timing wisdom

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

The Draft Reflection

At the start of the pandemic, my primary role was in a private practice setting, though I still filled in as faculty at the residency (as I do now). In our group of six physicians and one PA, we were constantly using every resource available to stay up to date on the ever-evolving science—what it...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 12, 2025 adaptability advocacy balance bandwidth burnout collaboration communication community drafting educaiton energy management information fatigue leadership misinformation overload pacing perspective priorities public health recovery reflection regulation resilience resource sharing solidarity support sustainability teamwork trust uncertainty

Reflecting on Two Things

In preparing for the AMWA Evolve Leadership Course for trainees session on Difficult Conversations, I've been reflecting on principles from Crucial Conversations, Super Communicators, Non-Violent Communication, and How to Work with Almost Anyone (all highly recommended books). We often fall into ...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 12, 2025 awareness balance binary thinking communication compassion complexity conflict resolution contradiction curiosity discernment emotional intelligence empathy fool's choice grace growth honesty kindness labeling mindset nuance overgeneralization paradox perspective polarity thinking reflection relationship self-regulation truth understanding wake

Story and Reflection: Lessons from Strife

During my part of my time as core faculty, I gained many humorous memories and more valuable (even if somewhat unorthodox) lessons. We were a large group (12 in all), and for a short while, the makeup of personalities and dynamics created some unruly situations. Many memorable and laughable lesso...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 11, 2025 adaptability agreement collaboration communication conflict consensus culture decision making emotional intelligence emotional regulation facilitation feedback group dynamics humanity humor leadership lessons perspective process productivity psychological safety reflection regulation relationship preservation repetition resolution self-awareness strategy strife systems teamwork yes-and

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

Reflection: What's Left?

A couple of years ago, at the BE Conference in Scottsdale, speaker and drama researcher, Cy Wakeman demonstrated a tool she called "Edit Your Story" to a room of hundreds of women physicians. She asked for show of hands of who worked with a difficult person on a regular basis. (I snapped the phot...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 11, 2025 agency boundaries choice clarity cognitive shift community compassion decision making detachment drama editing emotional intelligence empowerment facts groundedness interpretation mindset narrative next step ownership perception perspective reaction reality reframing resilience self-awareness self-regulation story editing workplace

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

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

Alaskan Pause: Story and Reflection

One fall, 17 years ago, as I was driving in my new state of Alaska, I was in a bit of a hurry (as was a natural state for me at the time). So you can imagine, I was a bit annoyed when the line of cars in front of me didn't move when the light turned green. The middle lane was empty, so I decided ...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 11, 2025 adaptability assumptions attentiveness awareness behavioral patterns connection curiosity decision-making empathy growth humor impulse control interpretation learning mindfulness mindset misjudgment patience pausing perspective presence psychological safety reaction reflection restraint safety self-awareness self-regulation surprise understanding

The Dilemma: Story and Reflection

Many of you have heard me tell how being a great wife landed me in Alaska from Florida in 2007. It has been a fantastic decision. I don't often talk about the fears I had. I worried about moving an 8th grader away from good friends and the sunny beach to an unknown, cold, dark place (the story of...

by Dr. Tonya Caylor — Jun 10, 2025 adaptation adjustment all-or-nothing binary thinking career catastrophizing compromise decision making emotional growth expansion fear flexibility gray-area identity mindset narrative opportunity options overthinking parenting perspective problem solving reframing resilience self-awareness success support transition trust vulnerability

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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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