Conquer Anxiety with a Colander: Samantha the “Stressed-Out” Squirrel’s Unique Mental Health Warrior Tool
- Bruce Schutter
- 4 hours ago
- 6 min read
It was one of those days where my stress was doing cartwheels and my thoughts were racing like they were training for the Squirrel Olympics. I was standing in the kitchen, staring blankly at a head of cauliflower, when I heard a frantic tapping on the window.
There, perched outside on the windowsill, was Samantha the "Stressed-Out" Squirrel. Eyes wide, tail twitching and holding something shiny above her head like she just raided a pasta-themed treasure chest.
"Bruce! Open up! I brought the thing! The brand-new Warrior Tool to fight anxiety—the Colander!"
Yes. You read that right.
A Colander!
Meet Samantha
Samantha the "Stressed-Out" Squirrel isn’t your average tree-dweller. She’s got a mind that never stops, an acorn schedule color-coded in six shades of panic, and an emotional energy that can power a small city.
But beneath the over-caffeinated exterior? She’s a deeply caring Mental Health Warrior who knows what it’s like to feel overwhelmed by anxiety.
She’s part of Marvin’s crew—alongside Doug the "Depressed" Dog and Andy the "Anxious" Aardvark—and while she may be a bit jittery, her heart is in it 100%. And today? She’s here to share a tool that changed everything for her.
Samantha Knows My Story
She knows I spent 20 years struggling with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. It left me feeling so powerless—I tried to end my life. But then I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming life’s challenges.
From my journey, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge! So you can take charge of your emotions, triumph over challenges and build the life you really want!
Samantha also knows that anxiety has always been one of my trickiest opponents. From GAD to Social Anxiety, and the pressure cooker of current events, it’s like the stress fairy keeps renewing my subscription without asking.
So, naturally, she wanted to share the latest unique creation from Marvin’s Warrior crew.
The Mental Health Warrior Colander Tool
“We made this,” she said proudly, setting the metal colander on the kitchen table like it was Excalibur.
Doug the "Depressed" Dog, Andy the "Anxious" Aardvark, and Marvin all helped her develop it.
“Everyone has one,” she chirped. “And we realized it can help you take charge and triumph over anxiety!”
I squinted. “You’re telling me this pasta strainer is now a mental health tool?”
“It’s a Warrior Colander!” she corrected. “Let me show you 5 ways it works!”
1. Sift Through the Stress
"When your head feels like a squirrel convention," Samantha said, setting the colander down with dramatic flair, "you strain it. You pour all the chaos in—deadlines, texts, squirrel-level panic—and let the small stuff drain out.
"What stays? The real worry. The thing that actually matters." She tapped the colander. "This little guy helps me stop spiraling and focus on just one thing at a time—so I can triumph over it."
Our Turn:
I’ve lived those days where everything feels urgent, and anxiety hijacks my brain like it’s trying to run every direction at once. That’s when I use this tool—mentally pouring my thoughts into a “colander” and letting the noise drain out.
What stays behind? Usually it’s one real emotion, one deeper fear, or one decision I’ve been avoiding. And once I see it clearly, I can take action.
This practice helps me move from chaos to clarity—because when I focus on one thing I can control, I make progress.
2. Strain Out the Bad, Get Empowered
"Sometimes," she said, "I imagine my bad emotions flowing out through the colander’s holes—stress, shame, squirrel spirals—leaving the day.
Then I see the good stuff—confidence, gratitude, tiny wins—getting caught in the mesh and I feel empowered."
Silly? Maybe. But does it work? Actually… yes!
Our Turn:
I’ve had my fair share of days where frustration, regret, or anxiety tries to set up camp in my mind. When that happens, I pause and use this tool.
I picture the emotional overwhelm pouring out through the colander—like draining all the gunk. What stays behind?
The things that fuel me: a small win, a moment of connection, or simply the fact that I didn’t give up!
3. Catch Your Wins
"Anxiety loves to tell you you’re failing," Samantha said, setting the colander down gently like it was sacred. " So, when you feel that spiral starting, you catch your wins—on purpose."
She held the colander up. "Each time you do something right—no matter how small—imagine tossing it in here. A calm breath. A task you finished. The fact that you didn’t run from your feelings. These wins get caught in the mesh, so your anxiety can’t wash them away."
Our Turn:
Back when my anxiety was running the show, I never gave myself credit. It always felt like I was behind, broken, or failing. That feeling fed the anxiety—and kept me stuck.
Now I use this tool. I imagine my mental colander and toss in three small victories from the day. Maybe I stayed grounded during a stressful moment, made a healthy choice, or just showed up when I wanted to hide.
Each win reminds me: I can handle this. I am making progress. And anxiety doesn’t get the final say.
4. The Warrior Megaphone
"Look, Bruce," Samantha said, flipping the colander upside down like a helmet-meets-loudspeaker, "when anxiety hits, the worst thing you can do is curl up and suffer in silence."
She tapped the colander. "This? It’s not just a strainer. It’s a Warrior Megaphone. I pretend I’m shouting through it to my tribe when I feel myself spiraling.
Not literally, of course—I don't want the neighbors calling animal control. But mentally, I use it to push through the fear and reach out.”
Our Turn:
I get it. When anxiety hits hard, my instinct used to be to shut down, go quiet, and try to "tough it out." But silence became a trap.
Now, I imagine the colander as a megaphone—a cue to speak up instead of shutting down. When I feel the panic rising or the shame creeping in, I use that mental image to remind myself: It’s time to call a Warrior.
For each time I reach out instead of isolating, I chip away at anxiety’s power!
5. Let It Be a Symbol
"Cooking time is check-in time," Samantha declared, rinsing broccoli like she was prepping for battle. "Every time I use the colander, I pause and ask myself, ‘How’s my anxiety doing today?’"
She shook the colander with flair. "I don’t wait until I’m overwhelmed or twitching like a tail in a thunderstorm. I check in early—because Anxiety often builds quietly, gaining strength in the background until it crashes in like a squirrel on espresso.
But when you make a habit of checking in early—during simple, repetitive moments like straining pasta or rinsing veggies—you interrupt that buildup. It keeps you emotionally grounded, aware, and in control before things spiral.
Our Turn:
This one hits home. For years, I didn’t check in with myself—I just reacted. And by the time I noticed my anxiety, it was already steering the wheel.
Now? The moment I grab the colander to rinse something, I take 10 seconds and ask: Where’s my anxiety at right now? Am I edgy? Racing thoughts? Avoiding something?
Sometimes I’m doing great—and I high-five myself (mentally). Other times I realize I’m carrying stress I hadn’t named yet. But naming it gives me the power to manage it—before it runs my day.
Bonus: Stronger Together
I stared at the colander. It was... kind of brilliant. Playful. And honestly, more insightful than anything I’d come across lately.
“So, you all made this together?” “Yep,” Samantha said. “Took us three days, two emotional breakdowns, and one lost acorn. Totally worth it.”
But what made it even more powerful wasn’t just the tool. It was the connection.
Marvin, Doug, Andy, and Samantha didn’t just design something useful—they built it together. They leaned on each other. Laughed through the stress. Cheered one another on through the overwhelm.
And that’s what the Mental Health Warrior Program is all about:
✅ Finding your tribe
✅ Sharing your tools
✅ Lifting each other up
So, the next time you see your colander, don’t just see a strainer. See a reminder that you are a Mental Health Warrior—and you are never alone!
Wrap-Up
Samantha may be a little squirrel with a whole lot of tail-twitching energy, but her wisdom runs deep.
Through the Mental Health Warrior Program, she’s learned how to turn everyday anxiety into something manageable—even meaningful. The colander might seem silly at first—but it’s more than kitchenware.
It’s a Warrior tool that empowers you!
So, the next time your thoughts start to spiral, grab your colander. Breathe. Sift. Reset.
Because you’re a Warrior—and even if a colander doesn’t fit easily on your Warrior toolbelt, it fits perfectly into your daily fight to triumph over anxiety!
Bruce Schutter
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