One Bag, Two Warriors and a Football Game: Living the One Bag Life of a Mental Health Warrior

It started like most Saturday mornings — the yard glaring at us like an overgrown jungle and the rake giving us that judgmental “you know what you should be doing” look.

But Bruce and Lee Schutter had another plan.

We grabbed our sandbags — yes, the same ones we haul around for our Mental Health Warrior Workouts at Shippensburg University — and headed for the football stadium instead.

Our plan? Fewer leaves, more life.

Because sometimes the Warrior choice is not about checking another chore off the list. Sometimes it is about choosing the experience that fills you back up, strengthens your connection and reminds you that life is meant to be lived.

Ever since we embraced the One Bag Life of a Mental Health Warrior mindset — “Less Stuff, More Experiences” — our weekends look a whole lot different.

We are learning to trade clutter for connection, chores for cheers and stress for the kind of memories that actually strengthen our mental health.

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The Warrior Solution

Before I get to kickoffs and tailgates, let me rewind a bit.

For 20 years, I fought my way through Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD — challenges that left me feeling so powerless I tried to end my life. It was not a straight line to recovery. It was more like a loop-de-loop roller coaster with no seat belt.

Out of those battles, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge.

The program grew from a single idea: You are in charge — not your challenges.

And an important part of the program is building your Warrior mindset with books like One Bag Life of a Mental Health Warrior.

That book was not written in a moment of minimalist zen. It was written after I moved again and realized I owned more boxes of “stuff I might need someday” than actual days to use it.

From that experience came the mindset at the heart of the book: Less Stuff, More Experiences.

Not because stuff is evil. Not because chores do not matter. But because life gets heavier when we keep carrying things that do not truly serve us — and it gets richer when we make room for the experiences, relationships and moments that do.

When Lee read it, she looked at me and said, “Let’s put that into action.”

Which is how we ended up at Shippensburg University — cheering for the Raiders, carrying our sandbags and living our best One Bag Warrior life.

And that day reminded us of three benefits every Warrior can experience when they choose less stuff and more life.

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Benefit 1: Experiences Beat the To-Do List

When you’re at a college football game, you don’t think about the laundry pile or whether the gutters need cleaning.

You’re too busy feeling the energy of the crowd, soaking in the sunshine and breathing that crisp fall air that says, “You made the right choice.”

Lee and I watched from the edge of the fence, our sandbags at our feet — because once a Warrior, always a Warrior — and every touchdown felt like a mental health victory.

We laughed, cheered and celebrated being fully present.

Not buried under a to-do list.

Not weighed down by stuff.

Not letting another weekend disappear into chores that would still be waiting tomorrow.

Warrior Truth: The yard can wait. Your peace of mind needs attention today. Experiences that bring joy, energy and connection are not distractions from life — they are part of what makes life worth living.

Your Turn:

It’s easy to fill weekends with chores that “should” be done.

Instead, schedule one experience that feeds your soul, not your to-do list.

🎭 Go to a high school game, an open-mic night or a community theater show.

🌅 Take a walk through your town at sunset — no destination, just the experience.

🪑 Swap one hour of scrolling for one hour sitting in a park, coffee in hand, watching life happen around you.

Pack light. Leave the guilt behind. Bring yourself fully into the moment — because experiences are where life’s real happiness is found.

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Benefit 2: Connection Makes Life Feel Bigger

There’s something deeply comforting about sitting in a stadium full of people rooting for the same team.

The marching band echoes through the stands. The smell of popcorn mixes with crisp autumn air. The crowd rises together after a big play and suddenly, you feel like you belong to something bigger than your living room.

For Lee and me, those Saturdays have become anchors.

And isn’t that what Less Stuff, More Experiences is really about?

It is not just clearing out clutter. It is making space for what matters — connection with others, purpose and the kind of moments that remind you life is still happening around you.

Warrior Truth: Stuff can fill a room, but connection fills your life.

Your Turn:

Building connection does not have to mean big crowds or fancy plans.

The goal is to show up where life is happening around you.

🛍️ Visit a farmers market and talk to the local vendors. Ask them what they are proud of this season.

📚 Drop by a library event or book talk. You might walk out with a new idea and a new friend.

🪑 Grab coffee at a local spot and stay off your phone. Be present, smile and listen — the small moments matter.

Let the experience remind you that Warriors do not just build inner strength — they build community strength too.

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Benefit 3: Engagement Builds Your Warrior Tribe

You know that moment in the stands when you start talking to the person next to you and suddenly, you’re both celebrating a touchdown like lifelong friends? That’s the magic.

We chatted with students about their majors, laughed with alumni about the “good old days” and even swapped training stories with a former athlete who noticed our sandbags and said, “Wait, you brought those to the game?”

Yep. Warriors don’t travel light — just intentionally.

That’s the heart of the Mental Health Warrior Program. It’s a self-help journey but not a solo mission. Connection is part of the training plan.

When we engage with others, we remind ourselves we’re part of a bigger tribe — one that’s rooting for us on and off the field.

Your Turn:

Engagement does not have to be loud or perfect — it just has to be real.

Every conversation is a chance to strengthen your Warrior network.

☕ Talk with a local business owner or barista. Learn their story and share a little of yours.

🎓 If you live near a school or university, attend a public lecture or sports event — the energy of learning and teamwork is contagious.

🐾 Walk your dog at the park and say hello to someone else doing the same. Even small interactions build connection and confidence.

Because life is not meant to be lived alone — and neither is mental health. Remember the more you engage, the stronger your tribe becomes.

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Wrap Up

Every time Lee and I walk through those stadium gates with our sandbags slung over our shoulders, we feel the Warrior philosophy in action.

We’re lighter, happier and more connected — proof that you do not need more stuff to build a richer life.

One Bag Life of a Mental Health Warrior reminds us that freedom comes from what you release and fulfillment comes from what you embrace.

That is the power of Less Stuff, More Experiences.

It is not about ignoring responsibility. It is about remembering that life is not meant to be buried under piles of stuff, endless chores and weekends that disappear before we ever feel alive.

So the next time you’re staring down a mountain of yardwork or a to-do list that looks like a novel, ask yourself one Warrior question: Could this stuff be traded for an experience that fuels my soul?

Then pack light and live large — because every Warrior journey begins with a bold decision to show up for what truly matters.

And from the 50-yard line of life, I can tell you this: The experience is worth it every time!

Bruce Schutter ⚔️

Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!