When we get together with my mom, we play cards. (A note about cards: a lot of games have trump. This means that for that hand, the trump suit is more powerful than the other three suits. So, a lowly 2 in trump would beat an ace in another suit.)

It is very satisfying to trump another player when they think they have a sure winner – very satisfying!

We can use this trump analogy when we experience disapproval, criticism, and the like from other people. Our trump card is “I approve of me!”

So, when that other person plays their ace of criticism or their king of disapproval, we can just smile to ourselves because we know something that they do not. We have trump. We can even do a little trash talking in our heads. “Ha, that’s what you think but not so fast.” And then “BOOM!” as you slap your trump card down on top of their card. “I approve of me kicks your weak effort to the curb! Nice try though.”

We’ve always got this trump card in our back pocket. We just need to play it more often.