Yesterday, while strolling downtown, I literally ran into the Minions. One minute, I was minding my own business, and the next, I was face-to-face (or face-to-ground) with a heap of yellow overalls and goggles. After we all picked ourselves off the sidewalk, they pointed at my sweatshirt—“Mental Health Warrior Program”—and their eyes lit up with excitement.
“Is that the program you created based on your 20-year struggle with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders, and PTSD from your time as an EMT?” one of them asked—all in unison, as only Minions can.
I grinned and nodded. “That’s the one! It’s a new SELF-HELP approach designed to help anyone become a Mental Health Warrior, take charge of their emotions, and triumph over life’s challenges each day.”
They immediately started buzzing with excitement, all talking over each other. “We struggle with so many emotions because of our many, many adventures in life! They never seem to stop! We need help—what’s the most powerful thing we can do today to regain control?”
“Good question,” I said, scratching my head. “You see, no matter how many tools or techniques are in the program, the most important part is this: everything starts with us. The most powerful tool we have each day is ourselves.”
The Minions looked intrigued—which, given their chaotic nature, was quite the sight. “I’ll give you three examples of how I use this reminder every day to get powerful results.”
1. Find Time Every Day for Mental Health
I began, “First things first: if we don’t make time for our mental health, no one else will do it for us. It’s easy to get caught up in the chaos of the day, running from task to task without taking a break. But when we do that, we risk being overwhelmed by our emotions by the end of the day.”
One of the Minions nodded vigorously. “We do that all the time! Run around, then we’re a mess by the end of it. What do we do?”
“Well,” I said, “I used to be the same way. I’d rush around all day, and by the evening, I was emotionally drained. Back then, I turned to alcohol to numb the emotional pain, but that never worked. What I’ve learned is to carve out time during the day to process my emotions—even if it’s just for a few minutes. Whether it’s sitting in my car for five minutes before my next errand or pausing between tasks to breathe and check in with myself—it makes a huge difference. By making time throughout the day, I prevent that emotional landslide.”
Minions’ Takeaway:
The Minions huddled together in a quick conference, then popped up with a solution. “We could find time between our adventures! Maybe when we’re hiding from bad guys or waiting for Gru’s next plan to hatch!”
“Exactly,” I said. “It’s not about waiting for a perfect time—it’s about making those small moments count.”
2. Embrace the Full Spectrum of Emotions
“Next,” I continued, “I had to learn to get comfortable with the full spectrum of my emotions. You can’t just embrace the good ones and ignore the tough ones. The truth is, those tough emotions have important lessons to teach us.”
One of the Minions looked puzzled. “But the tough ones hurt. How are they supposed to help?” “That’s exactly what I used to think,” I said. “But every time I struggled, I eventually grew stronger.
The key is using your Mental Health Warrior tools to work through those challenges. When I embraced the hard emotions—like sadness, frustration, or even anger—I learned something about myself. Each time I used my tools and worked through the emotions, I came out stronger on the other side.”
Minions’ Takeaway:
The Minions were quiet for a moment, clearly deep in thought. Then one piped up, “So, if we’re feeling bad after a mission goes wrong, we can just sit with that feeling for a minute instead of pretending it didn’t happen?”
“You got it,” I said. “By accepting those emotions, you’re actually giving yourself the power to learn from them and move forward.”
3. Forgiving Yourself for Past Missteps
Finally, I told them, “The third part is learning to forgive yourself for past missteps. I had to let go of dwelling on the past and redirect my energy to today. Especially when I let my challenges control me, I used to beat myself up over things I couldn’t change.”
A couple of Minions nodded sadly, clearly relating. “Yeah, we’ve messed up a lot. Like, A LOT.”
“We all have,” I assured them. “But here’s the thing: self-compassion is key. When you forgive yourself and focus on today, you free yourself to take action. You stop wasting energy on what you can’t change and start using it to build a better future. By focusing on today, you’re putting yourself back in control.”
Minions’ Takeaway:
The Minions seemed to brighten at this, their usual energy returning. “So, instead of feeling bad about our past failures, we can just move on and make today better?”
“Exactly!” I said. “You’re not defined by your past mistakes. Each day is a new opportunity to do something great. By letting go of guilt and focusing on progress, you can take charge of your mental health—and your life.”
The Power Within Us All
The Minions buzzed with excitement as they grasped the most important lesson of all: the power to manage their emotions and triumph over any challenge starts within YOU.
“Wait a minute,” one Minion said, wide-eyed, “you mean we already have the power inside us?” They looked at each other with newfound confidence, their usual mischief momentarily replaced by determination. “That means even in the middle of our biggest, scariest adventures, we can take control of our emotions!”
They loved the idea that no matter how chaotic their missions became—whether escaping villains, navigating wild chases, or simply trying not to blow something up—they had the tools within themselves to stay grounded and focused. “We don’t have to let the chaos overwhelm us anymore!” one of them shouted, fist in the air.
Another Minion chimed in, “And when we face something that feels too big or scary, we’ll remind ourselves that we’re Mental Health Warriors. We can face any challenge by staying calm and using our emotions as strength!”
Parting Ways
As we all agreed it was time to get back to our respective errands, we left feeling empowered. What began as a chance meeting on the sidewalk had transformed into a meaningful conversation. I reminded the Minions—and myself—that every day, the power to manage our mental health starts with us.
As I waved goodbye and watched them scurry off on their next chaotic adventure, I felt a deep sense of pride. We had shared something important: the realization that, no matter life’s challenges, we all have the power to take control and move forward. And that, my friends, is truly awesome!
Bruce Schutter
Creator of Mental Health Warrior Program and Challenge Coin
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