It’s hard to manipulate someone who already knows their own buttons.

Pressure works by finding the part of you that reacts predictably: fear of being left out, the need to look generous, the itch to prove you are not scared. Somebody who spots that can steer you without ever appearing to steer. The defense is not becoming harder to reach. It is knowing which buttons you have, so you feel the press instead of only the result.

Think about the last time you did something you did not want to do. Find the exact line that moved you. Naming it takes most of the power out of the next one.