Grounded, Calm and in Control: Winnie the Pooh and the Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin
- Bruce Schutter
- Oct 21
- 6 min read
It was a quiet Tuesday morning when my doorbell rang. I wasn’t expecting anyone, so I shuffled to the door, still clutching my diet soda.
To my surprise, there stood Winnie the Pooh — honey jar in hand, but not his usual cheerful self. His red shirt was crooked, his fur a little ruffled, and his honey-sweet calm had been replaced with something else: frustration and defeat.
“Pooh?” I asked, blinking. “What brings you here?”
He sighed, shoulders drooping. “Oh, Bruce, it’s just awful. I keep trying to triumph over my challenges, but every day feels like a losing battle. One problem after another and I just lose focus. I was hoping you might have a suggestion — something to help me stay centered and triumph over my challenges.”
I nodded and gestured for him to come in. Pooh waddled inside and plopped onto my couch, looking like a bear in desperate need of a pep talk — and, let’s be honest, probably a snack.
The Warrior Backstory
As I refilled my diet soda and handed Pooh a mug of honey-infused tea, I said, “Pooh, let me tell you something — I’ve been there.”
For 20 years, I battled Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. They ran my life, and left me feeling so powerless I tried to end it. But in that dark time, I discovered something life-changing: Mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.
Armed with that knowledge, 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, rise above their challenges and build the life you really want.
Pooh nodded earnestly, clutching his honey jar like it was a lifeline. “Yes, yes, Bruce, that’s why I started following the Warrior Program! The mindset shifts, the lifestyle changes — they’ve helped me so much. But every time I face a challenge during the day, I just… forget that I’m supposed to be a Warrior.”
“Well,” I said, smiling, “I’ve got the perfect tool for you. Something to keep you motivated, focused, and ready to tackle the day—no matter what comes your way.”
Pooh’s ears perked up. “Oh, what is it? Is it honey-flavored motivation?”
“Not quite,” I laughed. “It’s the Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin.”
A Warrior’s Daily Ally
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a shiny Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin.
“This isn’t just any coin,” I explained. “It’s a tangible reminder that you’re a Warrior. You can carry it in your hand or pocket, feel its weight and hold it during moments of stress — like meetings, arguments with Rabbit, or when Tigger bounces on your nerves.”
Pooh nodded solemnly. “He does bounce quite a lot,” he muttered.
I smiled and flipped the coin over. “Each Warrior Coin has a different Warrior Wisdom engraved on the back — a message of strength for different moments in life. This one,” I said, turning it so the light caught the words, “reads: ‘I am stronger than my challenges.’”
Pooh’s ears perked up. “That’s rather nice,” he said quietly, almost to himself.
“This,” I told him, placing the coin gently into his paw, “is your new daily ally. Whenever you feel overwhelmed — this coin will remind you of your strength. It’s like carrying the entire Mental Health Warrior Program in your pocket.”
Pooh studied the coin, his reflection shimmering in the polished metal. Then, with great seriousness, he asked, “How do I use it? What do I do with it?”
Tool 1: Stay Grounded in Stressful Situations
Pooh thought for a moment and said, “Sometimes, when Rabbit is being particularly bossy about my honey-eating habits, I get really flustered. I feel like I’m losing my cool.”
I nodded and offered some advice. “Pooh, next time Rabbit starts lecturing you, take a deep breath and pull out your coin. Hold it in your hand and feel its weight. As you rub your thumb over the words, ‘I am stronger than my challenges,’ remind yourself that you’re in control — not Rabbit or anyone else.
Let the coin ground you and bring you back to a place of calm.”
Pooh’s face brightened. “So instead of getting upset or arguing, I can remind myself that I’m a Warrior and calmly tell Rabbit I’ll eat honey at my own pace.”
“Exactly,” I said, grinning. “That’s the Warrior way.”
Our Turn:
Just like Pooh, I use this same technique whenever life tries to rattle me. When I’m sitting in a tense meeting, dealing with an unexpected curveball, or caught in traffic with my stress climbing faster than my patience — I reach for my coin.
I don’t even have to look at it. Just feeling its cool weight in my hand or pocket helps me breathe, refocus, and remind myself: I’m in charge of how I respond.
Sometimes, I silently repeat my coin’s Warrior Wisdom — “I am stronger than my challenges.” Other times, I just hold it until the chaos passes.
It’s not magic; it’s mental armor — a small, steady anchor that brings me back to calm in the middle of life’s storms.
Tool 2: Flip the Fear
“What about when I feel scared?” Pooh asked. “Like when I’m climbing a tree for honey and realize I’m really high up?”
“That’s a perfect time to use the coin,” I said. “When fear creeps in, take a deep breath and hold the coin. Feel its weight in your hand. Then say to yourself, ‘I am stronger than my challenges.’
It’s not about pretending you’re not afraid — it’s about remembering that courage doesn’t mean the absence of fear. It means climbing the tree anyway.”
Pooh nodded, his expression brightening. “So next time I’m up a tree, instead of freezing, I’ll hold the coin, breathe and remind myself that I can do it — even if I’m a little scared.”
“Exactly,” I said with a grin. “That’s called the Warrior Way Up.”
Our Turn:
Fear doesn’t just show up in the Hundred Acre Wood — it shows up everywhere.
For me, it happens right before a big presentation or interview — that moment when anxiety tries to convince me I’m not ready, that I’ll mess it up, that I’m not good enough. That’s when I reach into my pocket and grip my coin.
I take one slow breath, feel the cool metal against my skin and repeat my Warrior Wisdom: “I am stronger than my challenges.”
Almost instantly, my heart rate slows, and I remember — this feeling isn’t weakness. It’s energy. It’s power preparing for action.
Because fear might knock on your door — but courage always gets the last word.
Tool 3: Warrior Wind Down
Pooh scratched his head. “What about at the end of the day? Sometimes I just feel like I didn’t accomplish much.”
“That’s the perfect time to use the coin,” I said. “Sit quietly, hold the coin, and think back over your day. What challenge did you overcome — even a tiny one? Maybe you didn’t conquer the whole forest, but you took a step, and that counts.”
Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “So, even if I only collected one jar of honey instead of two, I can still feel proud of that?”
“Absolutely,” I said. “That’s progress, Pooh. Warriors don’t measure success by perfection — they measure it by showing up.”
Pooh smiled, turning the coin over in his paw. “Then I’ll hold it every night and remember that even small steps make a big difference.”
Our Turn:
This one’s part of my nightly routine too. Before bed, I take my coin out of my pocket, hold it for a moment, and ask myself a simple question: “What did I do today that proves I’m still in the fight?”
Sometimes it’s big — like finishing a tough project. Sometimes it’s small — like getting out of bed when I didn’t feel like it. Either way, I let that moment sink in. I let it remind me that progress isn’t about finishing every battle — it’s about still showing up for the war.
So tonight, before you close your eyes, hold your coin, take one steady breath, and say to yourself: “I made progress today. And tomorrow, I’ll rise again.”
Wrap Up
After we finished discussing how to use the coin, I handed Pooh a Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin engraved with the words: “I am stronger than my challenges.”
“Bruce,” he said, clutching the coin tightly, “this is exactly what I needed. I feel like I can take on anything now. Thank you!”
I smiled as I watched him waddle off, holding the coin like a treasure. Sometimes, all it takes is a small, tangible reminder to help us stay focused, motivated and ready to triumph.
So The next time stress, fear, or doubt sneaks in, don’t retreat — reach. Reach for your coin, take a breath and remind yourself who’s really in charge.
Because courage doesn’t come from waiting for calm — it comes from choosing strength in the storm!
Bruce Schutter
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!
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