Mental Health Is Your Superpower: Just Ask the Minions How They Use It Every Day
- Bruce Schutter
- Jul 30
- 6 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.
And then I heard it—the unmistakable sound of chaos. High-pitched yelling. Loud thuds. A crash that sounded like a blender meeting a trampoline.
I peeked outside.
Minions! Dozens of them. Wearing superhero capes made from kitchen towels, socks over their heads, and one somehow dressed like Wonder Woman using spaghetti noodles and duct tape.
Kevin waved at me with a frying pan. “BRUUUCCCEEE!” Oh no!
The Mission: Become Superheroes
Turns out the Minions had been binge-watching superhero movies all week. Batman, Spider-Man, the Avengers—if it wore a cape or dramatically jumped from buildings, they were into it.
“But we feel… not super,” Bob admitted, slumping onto my porch.
“Yeah,” Stuart added. “We mess up. We don’t know what to do. The world’s crazy. We try to help, but it’s exhausting. We want to be like heroes. Save the world!”
I sat down with them. “You don’t need to leap off a skyscraper to be a hero. Want to know a real superpower?”
They nodded eagerly. “Mental Health!”
The Minions blinked. “Seriously?” Stuart asked. “Not laser eyes?”
“Nope. 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.”
Why They Came to Me
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 anything life throws at you.
Basically: Superhero training — just with fewer explosions.
Minions Try Superpowers (And Fail Hilariously)
The Minions wanted to test this idea. First, they tried a few traditional superhero moves.
1. Super Strength – Bob tried to lift a parked car. He got a hernia and a lecture from a squirrel.
2. Flight – Stuart built a rocket backpack using soda bottles and Mentos. He’s currently lodged in a tree.
3. X-ray Vision – Kevin made cardboard goggles with holes. He walked into a fence.
Finally, exhausted and slightly scorched, they slumped down. “Maybe we try your way,” Kevin said.
I smiled. “Let’s train like real heroes: Mental Health Warriors!”
4 Warrior Superpowers for Real-Life Heroes
Superpower 1: Emotional Strength
True strength isn’t about lifting cars. It’s about holding space for your feelings — and still moving forward.
Real Warrior strength isn’t loud or flashy. It’s not pretending everything’s fine or bottling things up. It’s knowing that emotions — yes, even the messy ones — aren’t signs of weakness.
And when you listen to them, manage them, and use them wisely... that’s powerful!
Bob raised a finger. “Even if feelings are messy?” “Especially then,” I said.
Minion’s Takeaway:
Next time you feel overwhelmed, take three deep breaths and name the emotion.
“I feel anxious.”
“I feel angry.”
“I feel stuck.”
Just naming it gives you power over it. Why? Because Mental Health Warriors don’t fight their emotions — they work with them. That’s the real superpower: turning your feelings into fuel, not fear.
“Like when Gru says, ‘I’m disappointed in you,’ and we cry for three hours?” Stuart asked.
“Exactly. And then we wipe the tears, grab a tool, and get back to building the life we want.”
Superpower 2 : Resilience
Life knocks everyone down. Warriors get back up — not because it’s easy, but because they’re trained for it.
Resilience isn’t about bouncing back instantly. It’s about refusing to stay stuck. It’s the decision to rise — even on shaky legs — because the mission still matters.
Mental Health Warriors don’t wait to feel perfect. They lean into progress, one comeback at a time.
“Like Rocky?” Kevin asked. “Exactly,” I said. “But with fewer stairs and better music.”
Minion’s Takeaway:
Create your own Bounce-Back List — three things that help you reset when life goes sideways:
Go for a walk.
Call a friend.
Dance to your favorite song (even if it’s the Minions’ version of “YMCA”).
Because resilience isn’t just about getting up — it’s knowing how to lift your mood when life faceplants you.
“Bonus points if you wear goggles while dancing,” Bob added. “Obviously,” I nodded.
Superpower 3: Mindset Mastery
A Warrior doesn’t believe every negative thought. Mental strength means knowing you’re more than your fear, stress, or doubt.
Your mind will throw jabs —
“I’m not good enough.”
“This will never work.”
“I always screw things up.”
But Warriors don’t fight those thoughts with more negativity. They train their mind like a muscle. They challenge the lies and they lead with grounded choices — not runaway emotions.
Bob nodded. “We have lots of those times.”
“Me too,” I said. “That’s why we work on it.”
Minion’s Takeaway :
Try Mindset Rule 2: “Respond Not React.”
When something annoys you — pause. Take a breath. Then choose how to respond.
You’re not a robot. You’re not a wild raccoon. You’re a Warrior!
Bonus points if you don’t throw bananas… Even if they really deserved it.
Superpower 4: Purpose
Heroes don’t chase everything. They focus on what matters.
Mental Health Warriors know: not everything deserves your time, energy, or attention. Purpose gives you direction — so even on the hard days, you know where to aim.
It’s not about doing more... It’s about doing what matters most.
Kevin raised a brow. “Even if it’s not a giant laser?”
“Especially if it’s not a giant laser,” I said.
Minion’s Takeaway:
Each morning, say: “Today, I choose to be a Mental Health Warrior.”
Then do one small thing that supports your mental health —Journaling. Meditating. Going for a walk. Or just avoiding that weird raccoon in your alley who gives terrible life advice.
Purpose is power. Even if it’s banana-powered.
The Lightbulb Moment
After practicing their Warrior Tools, the Minions looked… different. Still chaotic — but more grounded.
Stuart wasn’t vibrating with sugar energy.
Bob was journaling about “banana-based boundary issues.”
And Kevin had made a Warrior Vision Board with calm lakes, superhero masks, and motivational sticky notes like: “Even Batman needs a nap.”
“I get it now,” Bob said. “Being a Mental Health Warrior isn’t about being perfect. It’s about building the strength to face challenges — so we can triumph over them.”
“And,” Stuart added, “we don’t have to do it alone.”
Kevin nodded. “Gru may not hug us… but we have each other. And Bruce.”
Final Training Montage
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!”
They shouted it with all their might… just as Kevin tripped over a garden gnome and took the entire crew down like bowling pins.
We laughed until we cried.
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.
Wrap-Up: You’re the Hero
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.
The connection that makes us stronger together.
That’s what being a Mental Health Warrior is all about!
Before they left, I handed them my copy 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
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