Once I realized mental health impacts all areas of life, I began to understand how I could use that power to build myself into a Mental Health Warrior.  I spent every day learning to manage my emotions and becoming comfortable with them.  This allowed me to stay in control of the day and take the steps needed to triumph over my life’s challenges. 

I was at a turning point.

I no longer worried about minor challenges but began to feel confident in my abilities to handle each day.  Now you may say “what is so hard about getting through the day?”  But that is just my point… No longer did I just get through the day, I lived each day!  For the first time in a very long time, I took an active role , enjoyed the challenges, and when the sun would set, I was not filled with regret or a longing to escape.

Now, as a Mental Health Warrior, I learned to be comfortable with the full spectrum of emotions.  Alongside this, I have discovered the power to triumph over my personal life challenges and to always be ready for the next obstacle. I realized it was not the challenge that stopped me, but my inability to handle the accompanying emotions.  With the skills and tools of a warrior, I have learned to no longer fear my feelings nor relinquish control of the day to them.  

What is a Mental Health Warrior?

Today, being a Warrior has empowered me to manage my Bipolar (deep depression, racing thoughts) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (extreme worry about everything). It also plays a critical role in maintaining my sobriety, as I’m a recovering alcoholic.  A Mental Health Warrior is not limited to triumphing over just those specific challenges, for the power of mental health is all-encompassing, as emotions impact all areas of our life!

It is with this knowledge, and all the lessons learned in the last 15 years of being a Warrior, that I created the Mental Health Warrior Program.  My goal with this program is to bring mental health out of the darkness and into mainstream discussions, where people can freely discuss their personal experiences, challenges, and successes–without fear of labels or stigma. It’s time to put aside the notion that our struggles should be kept secret. Instead, we should embrace a new way of living in which we prioritize our mental health, take action, and triumph over our challenges as Mental Health Warriors! 

Bruce Schutter:
ChooseANewDirection.com 

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