Say your statement firmly, calmly, and as unemotionally as possible.

Be aware of your nonverbal behavior, making sure you are coming across as neither passive nor aggressive. Use plenty of silence to your advantage. Your silence will project the message that the other’s statements and manipulation are futile.

Be persistent. Simply state your response one more time than the other person makes his or her request, question, or statement. If the other person makes six statements, you make seven. If the other person makes three statements, you make four. Most often, the other person will feel ill at ease and stop after three or four statements. Other times, your response will move the other person to offer options you are willing to go along with.