Do you smell burnt toast... or is it just me?

^{A STRATEGY, SYSTEM & SKILL}

Do you smell burnt toast… or is it just me?

You know that weird saying about smelling burnt toast being a warning sign?

For me, dissociation is the burnt toast of my mental health.

It’s how my brain tries to keep me safe when things get too heavy — and April? It brought the whole smoke show. CPTSD, decision fatigue, and a dash of “what am I even doing anymore?”

But here's what I realized in the fog:
I don’t want to build anything that leads to more burnout — not for me, and definitely not for you.

So I’m doing something radically collaborative instead.
Instead of guessing what you need next from Candid, I’m asking you to tell me. (It’s short. It’s honest. It’s low-key a rebellion against the whole “create content alone in a vacuum” hustle model.)

There’s even a $25 gift card in it for one lucky responder. Because co-creating the future should come with coffee.

THE STORY: It's Mental Health Week. So Let’s Be Honest.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week — and wow, the timing could not be more perfect (or brutal).

Because here’s the truth: I’m not thriving.
I’m kinda just…surviving. And I figured, if there’s ever a time to say that out loud, it’s now.

April is always a rough month for me. Living with CPTSD, I tend to dissociate through big chunks of major life events. It’s not glamorous or inspiring — it’s messy and heavy. Sometimes I feel like I’m on autopilot just trying to not collapse.

But through it all, there’s been a thread I’ve held onto:
This community. This vision. This hope that what we’re building together actually matters.

I’m not doing it alone anymore — and I don’t want you to either.

THE STRATEGY: Help Me & Win a Coffee!

I’ve been split between two missions lately:

• Helping folks become self-employed

• Helping solo professionals scale with marketing & community systems

Both matter. But trying to do both? It’s a recipe for burnout. (See above: crispy.)

So instead of guessing, I’m asking:

THE SYSTEM: Why This Isn’t Just User Research

This is about building the Candid Ecosystem into the #1 resource for solo professionals who want:

• Content systems that don’t require your whole soul

• Community-building tools that actually scale (without burnout)

• And honest conversations about what’s really going on

Mental Health Week isn’t just about bubble baths or breathwork (though — yes to both 🛁).

It’s also about making choices that protect your energy long-term.
That’s why I want to build programs, tools, and workflows that actually lighten your load.

TL;DR (Because…You're Probably Burnt Too)

• I’m deep in burnout mode. CPTSD + April + decisions = emotional pothole season.

• It’s Mental Health Week — and I want to make Candid work better for you and the team behind the scenes.

• Fill out the survey (5–10 mins). Help shape where we go next.

• You might win a £20 gift card. You’ll definitely get a free webinar invite.

• Your input = fewer assumptions, better content, and more aligned support.

👉 Take the survey here — imagine that mini date you can take yourself on with that voucher!

Sending virtual ginger tea and permission to not do “all the things,”
Your fellow human on the edge of “meh”!

^{RSVP FOR THIS FREE UPCOMING EVENT:}

KNOWLEDGE DROP:

These are the latest bits of expertise directly from our Candid Consultants just for you: