Mental Health Is Your Superpower: How the Minions Use It Every Day
- Bruce Schutter
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
It was supposed to be a quiet Saturday. I had my diet soda, my laptop and exactly zero plans to deal with small yellow sidekicks.
Then I heard it — chaos. High-pitched yelling. Loud thuds. Something crashing that definitely violated several laws of physics. I looked outside.
Minions. Dozens of them. Wearing superhero capes made from kitchen towels, socks on their heads and one somehow dressed like Wonder Woman using spaghetti noodles and duct tape.
Kevin waved at me with a frying pan. “BRUUUCCCEEE!”
“We want to be heroes,” Bob said, slumping onto my porch. “But the world’s crazy. We mess up. And honestly? We’re exhausted.”
I sat down. “You don’t need laser eyes or a cape to be a hero. Want to know a real superpower?”
They leaned in. “Mental health.”
They blinked. “Seriously?” Stuart asked. “Not laser eyes?”
“Nope,” I said. “Mental health is what helps you stay focused, bounce back and show up again and again. Without it, even Batman would lose his Batmobile keys and cry into his cereal.”
The Warrior Story
The Minions know my story. For 20 years, I battled Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. It left me feeling so powerless, I tried to end my life. But in that dark time, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.
Armed with this knowledge, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge!
So you can take control of your emotions, triumph over challenges and build the life you really want!
While you can start your Warrior journey with any of the books or the Challenge Coin, my book I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior lays out the full blueprint.
It’s where I explain the four core components of becoming a Warrior — how to embrace your emotions, take charge of them and use their power to rise above whatever life throws your way.
Basically: Superhero training — just with fewer explosions.
Minions Try Superpowers (And Fail Hilariously)
The Minions wanted to test this idea. Naturally, they started with traditional superhero moves.
1. Super Strength
Bob tried to lift a parked car. He got a hernia and a stern lecture from a squirrel.
2. Flight
Stuart built a rocket backpack using soda bottles and Mentos. He is currently lodged in a tree.
3. X-ray Vision
Kevin made cardboard goggles with holes poked in them. He promptly walked into a fence.
Finally, exhausted and slightly scorched, they slumped to the ground. “Maybe,” Kevin said slowly, “we try your way.”
I smiled. “Let’s train like real heroes — Mental Health Warriors!”
Superpower 1: Emotional Strength
I used to think strength meant pushing through, toughing it out, or pretending I was fine when I wasn’t. That mindset nearly destroyed me.
What I learned instead is this: real strength comes from holding space for my emotions — and still choosing to move forward.
When I stopped fighting my emotions and started working with them, everything changed. Even the messy ones became useful. That’s real warrior power!
Minion’s Takeaway:
When we feel overwhelmed, we stop and name it.
“I feel anxious.”
“I feel angry.”
“I feel stuck.”
We don’t pretend it’s not there. We don’t fight it. We just say it out loud.
That’s emotional strength — and it’s our favorite superpower.
Superpower 2 : Resilience
When life knocks me down — emotionally, mentally or just from the weight of everything — I don’t wait to feel strong or motivated. I focus on progress, even if it’s messy and slow.
Sometimes resilience for me looks like getting back up on shaky legs and choosing one small action that moves me forward.
That’s how I stay in the fight — one step, one choice, one comeback at a time.
“Like Rocky?” Kevin asked.
“Exactly,” I said. “But with fewer stairs and better music.”
Minion’s Takeaway:
When life goes sideways, the Minions don’t panic — they reset.
They each have a Bounce-Back List: three simple things that help them lift their mood and regain momentum.
Go for a walk
Call a friend
Dance to their favorite song (usually the Minions’ version of “YMCA”)
They don’t overthink it. They pick one and do it.
Because resilience isn’t just about getting up — it’s knowing how to lift your mood when life faceplants you.
Superpower 3: Mindset Mastery
I’ve learned that not every thought deserves my attention — or my belief.
When fear, stress, or doubt shows up, I don’t try to overpower it with forced positivity. I pause. I notice the thought. And then I decide whether it’s actually true or just my mind throwing jabs.
Mental strength isn’t about controlling every thought. It’s about choosing which ones get my energy.
“That’s why we work on it,” I said. “Every single day.”
Minion’s Takeaway:
When something annoys the Minions, they don’t explode (well… not as much).
They follow Mindset Rule 2: Respond Not React.
They pause. They take a breath. Then they choose how to respond.
“Okay,” Bob said. “But no throwing bananas?”
“Bonus points if you don’t,” I smiled. “Even when they really deserve it.”
Wrap Up
Before they left, we ran a full Mental Health Warrior montage: deep breathing, power stances, positive affirmations, and a group chant that echoed down the street — MENTAL HEALTH IS MY SUPERPOWER!
Because sometimes, triumph looks like standing tall. And sometimes… it looks like falling over in a pile of capes, goggles and banana peels — and getting back up together.
The Minions came looking for capes and explosions. They left with something even stronger:
The courage to feel.
The resilience to rise.
The mindset to move forward.
That’s what being a Mental Health Warrior is all about!
Before they left, I handed them each copies of I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior — so they could keep spreading the message.
So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, burned out, or like you’ve lost the plot — you don’t need to leap tall buildings. You just need to take one bold step forward… and become a Warrior.
Because Mental Health isn’t a side quest — it’s the superpower behind every victory!
Bruce Schutter
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!
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