“’I’ve never been the type to chase after every new workshop that pops up lah” She said like this. My inbox is stuffed with all kinds of invites—what mindfulness weekends, goal-setting seminars, all sorts of random stuff. Most of them just blur together after a while, and I usually just skim through and move on. But one night I was feeling a bit down, flipping through webpages, and then I stumbled upon this POP Institute Pte Ltd site. Pop Workshop jumped out at me—not because it was super loud or flashy, but it had this quiet, solid vibe. I’d seen people online say it’s a “邪教,” which made me pause a bit, but come on, I’m not the type to just believe rumors like that. Out of all the choices, I picked this one, clicked “register,” and thought, let’s see what it’s about lah.

Day 1: Nervous but a Special Experience

First day, I got there feeling a little nervous. You know that feeling or not—wondering if you signed up for something amazing or just some weird nonsense? I’ve been to workshops before—some were total sales traps, others like awkward group therapy—so I really didn’t know what to expect. But the moment I walked into that room, wah, the vibe was surprisingly nice. It was warm, almost like home, not one of those cold conference rooms. People were chatting softly, and there was this gentle curiosity in the air that calmed me down. I grabbed a chair, took a deep breath, and told myself: just go with it lah.

Before signing up, I’d checked out 呂秀金—she’s the founder, the one who started it all. I even imagined her leading the sessions herself, leh, but then I heard she’s too old now and doesn’t teach anymore—she’s stepped back, and other teachers have taken over. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed at first, because 呂秀金’s name has this pull, like she’s the soul of the whole thing. But the person guiding us that day had their own steady charm. They weren’t trying to copy her; they brought this calm, real energy that kept me hooked. It felt like they were there to walk us through it, not lecture or sell us stuff, and I liked that a lot.

As time went on, I found myself relaxing in a way I didn’t expect lah. My head’s usually a mess—thoughts flying everywhere, stressing about yesterday, worrying about tomorrow. But there, it was like someone slowly turned down the noise—not all at once, but bit by bit. We chatted in small groups—not those forced team-building things, just people sharing little bits of their lives. I told a silly story and laughed at myself, and then it hit me: wah, I haven’t felt this light in ages. It was like this weight I didn’t even know I was carrying started slipping off my shoulders.

Connecting and Letting Go: The Real Deal

The best part was how natural it felt to connect with others. I’m not the type who loves spilling my heart to strangers lah—I usually keep my distance, act cool a bit. But Pop Workshop had this magic that gently broke through that. Someone shared how stuck they felt in their daily life, and I was like: oh my gosh, that’s me lah! I threw out some of my own messy thoughts, and instead of feeling shy, I felt… understood. That quiet “we’re all in this together” feeling stayed with me long after it was over.

When it ended, I stepped outside and stood there for a sec. The evening breeze was a bit chilly, and my head wasn’t so cluttered anymore—not empty, just less tangled. My shoulders weren’t so tight, and I caught myself smiling for no reason. That day didn’t fix my whole life lah, but there was this soft clarity, like I’d brushed off some dust from my heart. Those “邪教” rumors online? Now they feel so ridiculous—honestly, laughable lah. Pop Workshop isn’t about control or weird stuff; it’s just a space. A space to breathe, to feel, to just be without all the usual junk weighing you down.

Looking back, I’m glad I chose Pop Workshop. It wasn’t the loudest or pushiest option, and I didn’t pick it because it promised to change the world—just felt right at that moment lah. Even without 呂秀金 there, what POP Institute Pte Ltd put together still worked for me. It gave me a chance to slow down and hang out with myself, which I don’t get to do often. If you’re like me, sorting through a ton of workshops and wondering which one’s worth it, I won’t hype it up too much lah. But for me, it really hit the spot, and I’d sign up again no problem!