Stay Grounded in Chaotic Times: John Wick and the Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin
- Bruce Schutter
- 13 hours ago
- 5 min read
It’s not every day you run into John Wick at the grocery store. But there I was, standing in the frozen foods aisle, torn between buying organic kale or surrendering to the siren song of a pint of ice cream, when I spotted him.
There he was — dressed in his signature all-black attire, calm as a Zen master in aisle five — quietly studying a bag of frozen dumplings like he was evaluating a high-level mission. Only John Wick could make choosing dinner look like an international operation.
I glanced around, half expecting dramatic music to start playing or for someone to come sliding around the corner in dress shoes. But no. Just a tired dad comparing pizza rolls, a crying toddler in the next aisle and John Wick looking impossibly composed under the fluorescent lights.
Naturally, I had to ask the burning question.
“John,” I said, easing my cart a little closer, “with everything going on in the world, what warrior tool have you been using to stay calm and grounded?”
He smirked, reached into his pocket and pulled out the Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin I had given him. With assassin-level precision, he flipped it between his fingers.
“Simple,” he said. “This Warrior Coin keeps me grounded and in charge — every single day.”
The Warrior Solution
Now, John and I are fellow Mental Health Warriors. I had shared my story with him a while back — how I struggled for 20 years with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD from my time as an EMT during high school and college. Those battles left me feeling so powerless that I tried to end my life.
But in my darkest time, I discovered something life-changing: 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, triumph over challenges and build the life you really want.
And to help Warriors stay grounded, I designed the Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin — a pocket-sized reminder that you are stronger than your struggles.
John has been a firm believer in carrying his coin every day ever since I gave him one. And as we stood in the middle of the grocery store, he reached into his pocket, flipped it over in his hand and said, “When life feels heavy, I turn it over. The Warrior Wisdom on the back offers strength at the exact moment you need it.”
Now this was a student-teaching-the-teacher moment. No way I was letting that pass.
I smirked. “Okay, Wick. Enlighten me. Give me three ways you use the Warrior Coin to stay grounded in chaotic times.”
Tool 1: Coin Over Chaos
John held up the coin and pressed it firmly between his fingers. “In the middle of chaos — whether it’s a firefight or just standing in line behind someone arguing with the self-checkout machine like it insulted their family — I hold my Warrior Coin.”
He turned the coin over once, slowly.
“One time, I had about twenty guys coming after me in a hallway. I had two options: panic or stay grounded. So I reached into my pocket, felt the weight of the coin, traced the ridges and let its cool surface slow me down. That simple act gave my brain something solid to hold onto.”
“The panic didn’t own me anymore — I was in charge.”
Our Turn:
I nodded. “So when I’m about to lose my patience with someone who won’t stop scrolling their phone at a green light, I should grab my coin instead of my horn?”
John smirked. “Exactly, my Mental Health Warrior friend.”
And honestly, he is right. When I feel overwhelmed or stressed, I grab my Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin. I notice its weight. I feel the design. I pay attention to the temperature of the metal in my hand.
That physical connection pulls me out of the spiral and back into the present moment — where I am in charge.
It is a simple Warrior action, but it works.
Tool 2: Flip and Reset
John flipped the coin in his palm and caught it smoothly. “This thing? It’s not just for show. I use it as a reset button.”
He slipped it between his fingers and gave me that calm, matter-of-fact look only John Wick can pull off while standing next to frozen waffles.
“I was tracking a target across Rome. Everything was going sideways, and I was seconds from losing my cool. Instead of letting frustration take over, I flipped my coin, caught it and let that small action reset my focus.”
“The flip broke the spiral — and reminded me I wasn’t powerless. I’m in charge.”
Our Turn:
I like this one because it is simple, fast and works in real life.
When frustration hits quickly — when my thoughts start racing and I can feel myself slipping into that old spiral — I flip my Warrior Coin once.
That tiny action interrupts the chaos. The flip becomes a reset. It reminds me: I’m still here. I’m still in control.
And just to be clear — I do not flip the coin to make major life decisions. It is a mental health tool, not a “Should I quit my job and move to Fiji?” button.
Sometimes all we need is one small action to take our power back and stop our challenges from running the show.
Tool 3: The Warrior Within
John held up the coin one last time. “Most importantly, it reminds me that I am a Mental Health Warrior.”
He looked down at it for a moment, turning it slowly in his hand.
“When I was at my lowest — when I thought everything was lost — I held onto this. The weight of the coin reminded me of everything I had already survived.”
His voice stayed calm, but there was something heavier underneath it now.
“It pulled me back from the brink and grounded me in a simple truth: I’m still here. I’ve fought before and I still have fight in me. That reminder is enough to keep moving forward when nothing else works.”
Our Turn:
This is the one that hits me the deepest.
When those heavy moments come — the ones where it feels like the past is trying to pull me under — I reach for my Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin and hold it tight.
That weight reminds me of a powerful truth: I’m still here. I’ve fought before — and I can fight again.
On the hardest days, the coin does not just ground me. It reminds me who I am: a Mental Health Warrior. And Warriors rise — especially when life tries to knock them down.
Wrap Up
Just then, I glanced down at my cart. “We should probably actually buy food before we end up emotionally grounded but physically starving.”
John nodded. “Agreed. No one makes good decisions when they’re hangry.”
As I watched John Wick calmly bag his groceries, I pulled out my Mental Health Warrior Challenge Coin and felt its weight in my hand. His lessons reminded me of something vital:
This coin is not a souvenir — it is your daily Mental Health Warrior tool. A tool you can use to stay calm, steady and grounded no matter what chaos comes swinging.
So the next time it feels like the world is spinning out of control, grab your Warrior Coin.
Hold it tight, take a breath and remind yourself: I am a Mental Health Warrior — and Warriors rise!
Bruce Schutter ⚔️
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!
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