The less you need from someone, the less they can hold over you.

Leverage is just need, seen from the other side. When one person controls something you cannot get anywhere else, a ride, money, approval, a way into a group, their mood starts shaping decisions that should be yours. None of this argues for needing nobody, since depending on people you trust is most of a good life. It argues for noticing when a need has quietly become a leash.

Look at one thing you currently get from exactly one person. Work out what a second option would be, even a worse one. Having it changes how the next conversation feels.