Protect

Manipulation Awareness

How To Play

Is someone deliberately or accidentally playing with your CARDS? Con artists, advertisers, influencers, political and religious campaigners, narcissists - but also well-meaning friends, family members, colleagues and community members - and even situations and systems - can all push us away from our own best interests when we don't know how to safely raise our own CARDS to Green.

Assign colours to where your CARDS were before it started, then where they are now.

Look at the shift. If cards moved fast - pause. Who benefits from that change? Whether this is deliberate or not, it's best to play your own CARDS.

Under pressure to act right now? Click here first.

Pause. You have time.

Buy yourself a moment. Tell the person you need to use the bathroom, take a phone call, or check something. Any reason to step away is a good reason.
Notice whether the pressure lifts when you step away. Genuine offers do not expire the moment you pause.
Come back to this page. Play through the CARDS below before making any decision. Your needs will tell you what is real.
Take some time to think this through before acting.
Get a second opinion - talk to someone you trust, or do some research.
Consider other options that keep you safe and meet your needs in a different way.
If you are unsure, do nothing yet. You can always say yes later - but you cannot always take it back.

Are you being played? What happened?

What happened to your CARDS? Think about where each need was before this started, and where it is now.

Before this started

Where were your CARDS before this interaction?

Competence

What I can do; capability; mastery; understanding.

Autonomy

My choices; agency; being myself without masking.

Relatedness

Belonging; connection; love; "we are together".

Dignity

Respect; fair treatment; freedom from shame; being seen.

Safety

Freedom from danger; physical/emotional security; comfort.

During or after

Where are your CARDS now?