STRUGGLING? Join the Minions and Become a Mental Health Warrior!
- Bruce Schutter
- Aug 24
- 5 min read
It was a normal day — until it wasn’t.
I was just trying to enjoy my morning diet soda when a commotion erupted behind me — shouting, scrambling, and the unmistakable sound of someone falling out of a vehicle.
I turned to see a dozen Minions tumble out of a tiny car, piling onto the sidewalk like an avalanche of yellow chaos. One dusted himself off, adjusted his goggles, and marched straight up to me. “Bruce! We need help!”
I blinked. “Uh…help with what?”
Another Minion popped up. “LIFE! It’s too much. Too many bananas. Too much stress. Too many things we don’t understand. We’re losing our Minion minds!”
And just like that, I knew: the Minions were struggling — just like the rest of us.
The Warrior Solution
But here’s the thing—they had come looking for me on purpose. They knew my story. For 20 years, I battled Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. At my lowest, I tried to end my life. But in those darkest moments, 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! With it, you can take charge of your emotions, overcome challenges and build the life you really want.
The Minions had heard about this, and they wanted in. “Bruce, you turned your struggles into strength. We want to do that too!”
I took a deep breath, cracked my knuckles, and grinned. “Alright, little guys. Time to suit up — it’s Warrior time!”
What’s a Mental Health Warrior?
A Mental Health Warrior is someone who takes control of their emotions, builds resilience and finds solutions instead of staying stuck. It’s a SELF-HELP approach that works — because warrior action creates positive results!
The Minions nodded excitedly. “But how do we start? We are very small and very easily distracted!”
Good question, little dudes. The full blueprint is in my book I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior.
But here’s the beauty — anyone struggling can begin right now. Take these 3 steps — and see results by dinner!
Step 1: Say Out Loud: “I Am a Mental Health Warrior!”
One Minion gasped. “Wait! We don’t even have to put it on our to-do list? We just say it?”
Exactly. Say it out loud: “I AM A MENTAL HEALTH WARRIOR.”
The moment you declare it, you flip a switch. You’re no longer stuck in “someday” or “maybe” — you’ve made a decision in the present.
I know, because when my anxiety spiked in the grocery store one winter, I stopped, gripped the cart and said under my breath, “I am a Mental Health Warrior.” Instantly, I felt my shoulders loosen. I wasn’t spiraling anymore — I was grounded and ready to move forward.
Declaring it makes it real — no longer just a thought, but a decision!
Minion's Takeaway:
Kevin puffed out his chest. “If I say it before wrangling the team, I’ll stop overthinking and just get everyone moving.”
Stuart strummed an air guitar. “If I say it before testing my invention, I’ll quit worrying about explosions and actually push the button.”
Bob hugged his teddy. “If I say it before bed, I’ll stop lying awake feeling scared and just climb under the covers.”
The Minions realized it wasn’t magic words — it was the shift. Saying it out loud pulled them out of pause mode and launched them into action.
Step 2: Take 5 Minutes to Process Today’s Emotions
Another Minion waved his tiny arms. “But we have NO TIME! We are VERY BUSY BEING CHAOTIC!”
That’s fair. Life is busy. But we don’t struggle because we’re too busy — we struggle because we don’t take a moment to process our emotions.
Here’s the challenge: find five minutes at the end of your day. Maybe in your car, with a song on repeat, or in the only room where no one bothers you (looking at you, bathroom).
Ask yourself: What went well? Where did I struggle? What emotion was behind that struggle?
After a long day of back-to-back tasks, I sat in my parked car and asked, “What went well?” I named one win. Then, “Where did I struggle?” I realized I was short with someone because I felt overwhelmed. Naming it took the sting out. I wrote down one fix for tomorrow — block a 10-minute buffer between calls. Five minutes of reflection turned stress into a plan.
Minion's Takeaway:
Kevin: “If I spend five minutes after missions, I can note what actually worked and set one improvement for tomorrow. That means less chaos — more action.”
Stuart: “If I name ‘frustration’ after an exploded gadget, I can choose one tweak for the next test instead of sulking.”
Bob: “If I admit I felt embarrassed after slipping in banana goo, I can wipe the floor and place a ‘no-go’ cone so I don’t repeat it.”
They got it: five minutes isn’t a delay — it’s the move that turns today’s feelings into tomorrow’s actions.
Step 3: Talk to Someone About Your Emotions
One particularly skeptical Minion raised a tiny yellow hand. “But, Bruce, we don’t want to be SAD and talk about how LIFE STINKS.”
Fair enough. That’s not what this is about. Talking about emotions isn’t complaining — it’s connecting.
When you share what you’re feeling (without the doom-and-gloom spiral), two big things happen:
you get comfortable expressing emotions, so they’re less overwhelming;
you invite others to do the same — suddenly, you’re not alone.
For example, after a rough afternoon, I texted a friend: “Hey, feeling overloaded and a little anxious. Can I borrow five minutes to unpack it?” We talked. I named what I felt; he reflected one helpful step back to me. I didn’t need fixing — I needed connection. Five minutes later, my chest felt lighter and I had one small next move.
Minion's Takeaway:
Kevin: “If I say, ‘I’m stressed about leading today — can you hold the checklist while I talk it through?’ the team gets moving faster.”
Stuart: “If I tell Bob, ‘I’m frustrated my gadget blew up — can I vent for one minute and pick one fix?’ I stop sulking and start testing.”
Bob: “If I whisper, ‘I’m sad I lost my banana — can we plan a snack run tomorrow?’ I feel better and we have a plan.”
They realized talking isn’t whining — it’s how Warriors coordinate. Speak the feeling, ask for a tiny bit of support, take the next step together. Bingo: when we talk about it, we all win!
Wrap Up
By this point, the Minions were PUMPED. They were taking their first steps to become Mental Health Warriors!
One of them grabbed my arm. “Bruce! This is SO EASY! We can do all three TODAY! And by dinner, we’ll already be Warriors — and then build our strength even further with all the resources of the Mental Health Warrior Program.”
I smiled, reached into my bag, and handed them a copy of my book I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior. “This will help you keep going,” I said. They clutched it like it was the rarest treasure — maybe even more precious than bananas.
And that’s the magic of it: you don’t have to wait weeks, months or years to see change. You just have to START. Matter of fact, START NOW!
✅ Say the words. (I am a Mental Health Warrior!)
✅ Take five minutes. (Pause. Process.)
✅ Talk about your emotions. (Not as a complaint, but as a connection.)
And just like that — you’ve started your Mental Health Warrior journey. One step, one choice, one day at a time!
Bruce Schutter
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