Mental Health Disorders — You Are NOT Broken: John Wick and the Power of a Warrior Mindset
- Bruce Schutter
- Jul 28
- 5 min read
It happened on a random Tuesday. I was grabbing a diet soda at a quiet little café when I felt a presence — intense, laser-focused, and lightly scented with gunpowder and emotional growth. I turned, and there he was: John Wick... legendary assassin, dog lover and fellow Mental Health Warrior.
Now, you’d think a conversation with John Wick would revolve around revenge, tactical gear, or maybe an underground network of secret hotel assassins.
But not today. Today, we talked about something far more powerful.
John leaned in, eyes sharp but soft. “People think that if you struggle with mental health disorders, you’re damaged. Flawed. Broken.
But that’s a lie! And lies are what keep us stuck!”
My Warrior Story
He was right. As the creator of the Mental Health Warrior Program, I know all too well how damaging that belief can be. For 20 years, I battled Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. I hit rock bottom and I tried to end my life. But in that darkest of times — I discovered something life-changing: Mental Health isn’t a weakness, it’s our strength!
Armed with this knowledge, I built 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!
John knew my story. In fact, he was one of the first to read my book, I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior.
But he didn’t just read it — he joined the mission. He took action. He used the mindset. He used the tools. And he started winning battles most people never even see.
So there we were — two Warriors, sipping diet sodas and dismantling the myth that we’re broken.
And John, being John, didn’t just nod along. He shared three powerful ways to break free from that limiting mindset — and step boldly into YOUR strength!
Action 1: Take Back Control – One Choice at a Time
John sipped his diet soda like it was a tactical maneuver.
“First move?” he said. “Figure out what you can actually control. You can’t rewrite the past. You can’t erase the diagnosis. But you can control your next step — and that’s where the real power lives.”
This is the core of SELF-HELP leading to SELF-EMPOWERMENT.
When we shift focus to what we can control — our thoughts, routines, and actions — we move from powerless to powerful.
John’s Takeaway:
hen I start to spiral,” he said, “I clean my weapons. Every piece, every detail. It brings clarity. It grounds me. And yeah… sometimes I alphabetize my ammo just to feel centered again.”
Our Turn:
You don’t need a tactical arsenal. Try these simple actions to take back control and ground yourself like a Warrior:
Make your bed. (Yes, Mom was right.)
Take a walk — get your blood and brain moving.
Eat like a Warrior — use the 3 Food Rules.
Pick a tool from the Mental Health Warrior book — and use it.
One simple choice at a time can change everything — That’s where your strength begins!
Action 2: Reframe the Narrative
“The story you tell yourself is everything,” John said, staring into the distance like he was narrating his own internal documentary. “If you keep saying you’re broken, your brain believes it. But if you say you’re a warrior — even if you’re limping — that story has power.”
This one hit home!
For years, I labeled myself by my disorders: I am bipolar. I am anxious. I am a failure.
But once I reframed it to: “I am a Mental Health Warrior learning to manage bipolar,” the shame started to fall away. My identity shifted — from victim to fighter.
John’s Example:
“When people hear ‘John Wick,’ they think of the boogeyman,” he said. “But you know what I think of? A man who refused to let grief destroy him. I used to think I was just angry.
Now I know — I’m healing. One day, one emotion at a time.”
Our Turn:
Change the way you speak to yourself — because your brain is always listening.
Instead of “I’m broken” — say “I’m growing.”
Instead of “I failed again” — say “I’m still in the fight.”
Instead of “I can’t” — say “I haven’t yet — but I will.”
The warrior mindset begins with the story you tell yourself. So make it a powerful one!
Action 3: Armor Up with Daily Tools
“Consistency beats intensity,” John said, pulling a shiny coin from his pocket. It wasn’t one from The Continental — it was his Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin. “I carry this everywhere. When things get rough, I hold it. It grounds me.”
That’s the secret sauce: Warrior Tools.
The Mental Health Warrior Program is packed with them — not gimmicks, not fluff. Real tools that help you manage emotions, shift your mindset, and take action even when your brain says, “Don’t bother.”
John’s Example:
“Every morning, I journal,” he said. “I write down three things I can control, three I can’t, and three things I’m grateful for.
Then I move my body. Doesn’t have to be combat training — sometimes it’s just yoga with a YouTube guy named Kevin.”
Our Turn:
Start your day with one Warrior Tool.
Keep a grounding object in your pocket — like your own Challenge Coin.
Move your body — even if it’s just to “Eye of the Tiger” in your kitchen.
Over time, these simple, consistent actions become your mental armor — keeping you focused, calm, and strong when life throws punches.
Because the truth is, you don’t need to be perfect — just prepared!
And that’s what Warrior Tools are for.
The Wrap-Up: Not Broken, Just Battle-Tested
John looked at me, half-smiling in that “I’ve seen things” kind of way. “You know, Bruce… people think mental health strength means never breaking.
But real strength? It’s what happens after the fall. It’s becoming a Mental Health Warrior. It’s the rebuilding. The rising!”
I nodded and handed John my book, I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior, so he could pass it along to someone who needed it next.
We both smiled — because even a quick meeting between Mental Health Warriors is a win.
Because here’s the truth:
We’re not broken — we’re battle-tested.
We’re here — we’re learning.
And every day we choose to show up — we win!
Bruce Schutter
Comments