Food for Thought No. 16
Mentorship, the shape of success, and abundant mindsets
Hi friends,
After a very long hiatus, this newsletter is back. I have deeply missed all of you—and the joy of writing to you.
Welcome to Issue #16 of Food for Thought.
This week, I've been reflecting on the quiet forces that shape our lives: mentorship as a bidirectional gift, a holistic view of success, and the felt difference between abundance and scarcity. These themes surfaced in conversations, in my own inner work, and in noticing how our impact shifts when we change our mindset.
As always, here's your 3-2-1:
3 ideas to explore | 2 things to read/watch/listen | 1 question to reflect on
3 Ideas to Explore
The bidirectional gift of mentorship
As a CEO of a fast-moving company, I often try to act quickly in giving feedback and pointing out what could be better—this is not mentorship. Mentorship is more spacious and generous. It sees the light and brilliance in the people you have the privilege of working with, and it calls to them to unleash their potential.
In a world where speed and efficiency trump, it is important to be intentional about mentorship. To see the gifts people have, and to help them unlock their brilliance. To believe in them, to have them feel seen and deeply encouraged. To give them feedback in ways that make them feel enough and encourage them to stretch. In a world where work is remote and AI agents are replacing entry-level work, this mentorship will become even more valuable and sadly scarce.
Giving mentorship is extremely rewarding—it is an act of giving, and when I reflect most on my career, watching and supporting young people thrive may be one of the greatest gifts I have given myself. It is incredibly rewarding to have played a small part in helping people grow. Being on the receiving end of great mentorship can be lifechanging; I am forever grateful to the generous and brilliant people I have been lucky enough to have as mentors. Thank you to all of you who believed in me, especially in the times where I was my own worst enemy. With so much gratitude for the exchange of great mentorship and the cycle of life.
The Circle of Success
When I think about life and what marks my vision of success, I picture a circle—a bubble blown anew each month. It's not always perfectly round. Some days it bulges in one direction; other days, a side caves in a little. But if you averaged its shape over time, it would trend toward wholeness.
My definition of success is well-rounded, a holistic measure. It includes my physical health and well-being, my family, my friendships and community, my mindset and mental health, spirituality, my career and work, my curiosities and passions, my giving back to the causes that matter, and my financial wellness. Every year—sometimes each quarter—I score these out of 10 on a wheel of life. It's a simple check-in, not to judge but to notice. If one spoke dips too low, it gently nudges me to pay attention.
But here's the catch: if one part of the wheel gets stretched too thin for too long—say, over-investing in work while neglecting health—it risks bursting. That's the tension. Success isn't about maxing out each spoke at all times, but about maintaining harmony across the circle. The goal isn't a perfect wheel, but a dynamic one—resilient, balanced, and growing outward over time.
This 360° view of success has kept me grounded. It reminds me that a life well-lived is multidimensional. For me, success is Gestalt—greater than the sum of its parts.
The impact of an abundant mindset in scarce times
It's amazing how subtle—and profound—the shift in mindset from scarcity to abundance can be. I've noticed lately how much of the world feels steeped in trauma, crisis, and scarcity. Some of it is extremely real; it is hard to be in an abundant mindset if you are not able to make ends meet. As an immigrant child, I've long been attuned to the scarcity instinct in survival: being strong, in control, hypervigilant, driven, resilient. These are powerful traits. But when control takes the lead for too long, it can quickly become something else—critical, rigid, harsh, devastating.
I have noticed that when I allow myself to feel more abundant, I can release the grip of fear and control and remember: things flow better when there is spaciousness. Abundance can be just a state of mind—it's the idea you have more than you need. In our society this is barely ever the case; we are taught to never have enough, regardless of how much we already have. This scarcity mindset drives the hustle, but an abundant mindset can drive reflection, growth, and value.
I have witnessed how my impact feels so different when I act from abundance. From abundance and spaciousness, generosity becomes possible. When we are generous, others feel safer. When people feel generosity and safe space, they can bring their full potential to work and their lives. We can be abundant in our spaciousness, kindness and empathy, even when we are managing through hard times—that's the quiet art of leadership. It's a fine dance between pragmatism and survival in hard times and the empathetic leadership and creative possibility that blooms when we lead from abundance.
2 Things to Do
✨ Celebrate Mother’s Day
Whether you are a mom, have a mom, hope to be a mom, or simply cherish the mother figures in your life—today is a beautiful moment to celebrate the energy and impact of motherhood. Take a moment to give thanks to a mother in your life today.
When I reflect on the most meaningful experience of my life, it is, without question, the privilege, purpose, and profound joy of being a mother to my two boys. It has shaped who I am more than anything else.
And when I think about who has had the most lasting influence on me, it is my own mother. Today, I want to honour her. My mother has always chosen to see the good. She taught me early on that what we focus on, expands. She instilled in me the quiet confidence of belief—the kind that fuels possibility. Through her, I’ve learned what resilience really looks like: life may knock us down, but it’s how we rise that defines us.
Most recently, my mom overcame what doctors said was impossible. After being diagnosed with a massive Stage 4 spinal tumour that broke her spine, she was told she would never walk again. Today, she is not only cancer-free—she’s walking with strength and grace, looking more radiant than ever.
She has shown me how to hold myself with grace through adversity. And perhaps most of all, she taught me the power of generosity—in love, in kindness, in presence. Here’s to you, Mom. Thank you for being you.
Go celebrate a mother that inspires you today.
🏛️ Visit The Auschwitz Exhibit At the ROM
This week, I had the profound honor of hearing Holocaust survivor Nate Leipciger speak at the ROM’s Auschwitz: Not Long Ago, Not Far Away exhibit. At 97, Nate carries the weight of history with extraordinary presence and urgency. He reminded us that the unimaginable—six million lives lost—is not just a number, but a warning. His message was clear: this can happen again, and the only way to stop it is by remembering, understanding, and resisting hatred in all its forms.
What moved me most was Nate’s deep commitment to honouring the “Righteous Among the Nations”—those rare souls who refused to be bystanders and chose, instead, to help. His words were piercing, poetic, and resolute. He shares his story so we don’t forget. So we don’t repeat.
If you’re able, I encourage you to visit the exhibit. It’s not easy—but it’s necessary. Not long ago. Not far away. 🔗 Auschwitz at the ROM
1 Question for Reflection
What's something you're quietly wondering about that deserves a moment of reflection?
Wishing you a week of intention, connection, and quiet abundance. With warmth and wonder,
Candice
P.S. I'd love to hear what resonated most with you this week. Just hit reply 💌