Power of TODAY: Marvin the “Mental Health Warrior” Cat and Euphoria of Today

It was a sunny afternoon at the park, and I was doing what all emotionally well-balanced adults do during their break — chasing squirrels with my diet soda in hand. That’s when I spotted him. Marvin the "Mental Health Warrior" Cat.

Tail high, whiskers twitching, and eyes closed as he sat on a bench under a tree, doing what looked suspiciously like meditating. “Marvin?” I asked.

He opened one eye. “Oh hey, Bruce. I’m in the middle of my 15-minute mindfulness recharge. Want to join, or are you too busy chasing squirrels?”

Caught. But Fair Question.

I sat beside him, and he pointed to the open book next to him: Euphoria of Today.

“You wrote this, right?” he said, patting the cover with a paw. “Gotta admit — I thought it was about chasing butterflies in fields of emotional bliss.

But turns out it’s about something way more powerful: the practice of “Mindfulness of Today” Or simply stated…. pay attention to TODAY.

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The Warrior Story

Marvin is part of the Mental Health Warrior tribe and knows my journey — how I battled Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders, and PTSD for over 20 years. How I hit rock bottom and tried to end my life. But in that darkness, I discovered a truth that changed everything: 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, overcome challenges and build the life you really want.

And an important part of the program is learning to focus our energy on today — because today is where we have the power to act, make choices and get the most out of every single moment.

Now Marvin is using my book, Euphoria of Today, to sharpen that focus. He’s putting its ideas into action — and sharing three ways he took charge of TODAY.

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Tool 1: The 15-Minute Lunch Reset

Marvin stretched under the tree and flicked his tail.

“Every day,” he said, “I give myself 15 minutes to unplug. No phone. No doomscrolling. No staring into the tiny glowing rectangle of panic.”

“I find a quiet spot, breathe and let my thoughts land like butterflies instead of freight trains.”

Marvin opened one eye. “It clears the clutter. I stop carrying the emotional baggage of the morning and stop fearing the afternoon.”

Then he smirked. “It’s like hitting the litterbox reset button.”

And while I do not recommend thinking too deeply about that image, Marvin had a point.

Our Turn:

I use this same reset when my mind starts running ahead of me.

Sometimes I sit in my car. Sometimes I step outside. Sometimes I just pause wherever I am and give myself a few minutes without phone, email or noise. I breathe. I notice the moment. I let my thoughts slow down.

And I come back steadier — because the moment I stop reacting, I regain power over today.

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Tool 2: The One-Worry-at-a-Time Rule

Marvin shrugged. “I used to worry about everything — the future, the catnip shortage, whether Doug was secretly judging me.”

“Here’s my new policy: I only worry about one thing at a time. I pick one worry, give myself 10 minutes to think it through and then I take action.”

He smiled. “Limiting worry time helps contain anxious spirals — and allows you to focus on today, where action is possible.”

Our Turn:

I use this by setting a “worry window.”

I give myself permission to feel anxious — but on my terms. I choose one worry, think it through for a set amount of time and then shift into one action step.

That action might be making a phone call, writing something down, changing a plan or simply deciding to let it wait.

Most worries lose power when they are not allowed to play on repeat — and that helps me regain power over today.

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Tool 3: Mindful Wins Log

“Every night, I log one thing I did right. Just one,” Marvin said. “Some days it’s huge — like standing up for myself. Other days it’s, ‘I didn’t swipe a sandwich off Andy’s plate.’ Progress, not perfection.”

He flicked his tail. “This works because it shifts my focus from what went wrong to what went right. And when you’re hard on yourself like I am, that’s a big deal.”

Focusing on one win from today creates emotional momentum — fuel to keep moving forward.

Our Turn:

Before bed, jot down or picture one win from today. Big or small, it counts.

If your mind jumps to what went wrong, gently bring it back. This isn’t about ignoring challenges. It’s about refusing to let them erase what you did right.

Those small wins build confidence, create momentum and remind you that you are moving forward — even on the hard days.

That’s how a Warrior uses TODAY to build strength for tomorrow.

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Wrap Up

Marvin closed the book and gazed out at the trees. “You know, Bruce,” he said, “I’ve wasted a lot of time worrying about what happened yesterday or what might happen tomorrow.

But after reading Euphoria of Today, I realized the truth: today is all I really have — and that is where the power is.

So now, instead of chasing mental squirrels through past regrets or future fears, I put my energy into practicing Mindfulness of Today.

And I’m going to share it with the whole gang, to remind them that TODAY is their superpower.”

So if you’re feeling stuck, remember this: TODAY is powerful.

Then go out and embrace each moment of your day — because today gives you the power to take action and build the life you really want!

Bruce Schutter ⚔️

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