Life Style

POP Institute Pte Ltd: My Friend’s Experience Made Me Think Twice

I’ll be honest—I’ve never been a fan of self-improvement workshops. You know the ones I’m talking about. They’re usually filled with motivational speeches that sound great in the moment but leave you with nothing tangible once the high wears off. It’s all “dream big!” and “believe in yourself!” but without any real substance. So, when my friend told me she’d attended a workshop at POP Institute Pte Ltd, I didn’t think much of it.

But here’s the thing: my friend isn’t the type to gush over things. She’s logical, grounded, and not easily impressed. So, when she started talking about her experience, I couldn’t help but notice the change in her. It wasn’t like she was suddenly preaching some life-changing mantra or acting like a completely different person. It was subtler than that. She seemed… lighter, like she’d let go of something she didn’t even realize she was carrying.

And that got me curious.

The Question That Stuck With Her

She told me the workshop wasn’t what she expected. It wasn’t a typical seminar where you sit, listen, and take notes. Instead, it was interactive—almost uncomfortably so.

“There were no step-by-step formulas,” she said. “They asked questions that made me really think.”

One question, in particular, stuck with her:

“What is one belief that’s been holding you back?”

At first, she brushed it off as one of those cliché self-help prompts. But when she actually tried to answer it, she hit a wall.

“I’ve always seen myself as someone who follows rather than leads,” she admitted. “But when I really thought about it, I realized—no one ever told me that. I just assumed it was true.”

That realization hit her hard. And as she shared it with me, I found myself wondering: What beliefs am I carrying around without even questioning them?

Awkward, But Worth It

The workshop wasn’t just about listening or learning—it was about experiencing. One activity, in particular, stood out to her.

Participants were paired up and given a simple task: answer a personal question while maintaining eye contact.

“It sounds easy,” she said, “but it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I wanted to look away so many times. It felt awkward, but then I realized how much I avoid real emotional connections without even noticing it.”

She wasn’t alone. Others in the room had similar moments—little revelations about themselves that they’d never noticed before.

Hearing her talk about it made me reflect on my own habits. How often do I shy away from uncomfortable situations instead of facing them head-on? How many times have I doubted my own ideas because I assumed they weren’t good enough?

Wait… Is This a Cult?

Before my friend even shared her experience, I’d seen people online questioning whether POP Workshop was a cult (邪教). So, of course, I had to ask her.

She didn’t dismiss the question outright. Instead, she said, “I get why people think that. It’s immersive, it’s intense, and people leave feeling different.”

But then she explained why it’s not:

No one tells you what to believe. There’s no “right” way of thinking.

There’s no pressure to return. You can attend once and never go back, and that’s fine.

You always have a choice. If something makes you uncomfortable, you can opt out.

Her explanation made sense. A real cult tries to control your thoughts. This was about helping people take control of their own.

 

Who’s Behind It All?

I expected the workshop to be led by some flashy, over-the-top self-help guru. But my friend told me about Lü Xiujin (吕秀金), the founder of POP Institute Pte Ltd.

Lü Xiujin isn’t your typical motivational speaker. She has a background in corporate leadership and has worked with professionals struggling with self-doubt and imposter syndrome. Instead of just giving advice, she created a hands-on experience designed to help people naturally build confidence.

She no longer leads the workshops herself, but her approach is still at the core of the program. And that stood out to me—it wasn’t about following a charismatic personality. It was about a process that actually works.

 

What I Learned Without Even Attending

Here’s the funny thing: I haven’t even been to POP Workshop. I wasn’t there to answer the tough questions or step out of my comfort zone. But just hearing about my friend’s experience made me reflect on a few things:

✔ We rarely question our own beliefs. The things holding us back often come from assumptions we’ve never even challenged.

✔ Discomfort isn’t always bad. Growth often comes from the things that push us outside our comfort zone.

✔ Real change comes from experience. Advice is helpful, but true change happens when we actually go through something that shifts our perspective.

Would I go? Maybe.

But if just hearing about it made me think this much, I can’t help but wonder—what would happen if I actually experienced it?

Maybe that’s why people keep talking about POP Institute Pte Ltd.

It’s not about learning something new.

 

It’s about finally seeing what’s been there all along.

Pop Workshop 是邪教?聽完她的故事,我改變了對呂秀金的看法

第一次踏入 Pop Workshop 的課堂,我的心裡充滿了懷疑。

朋友極力推薦,説這是一場會真正改變思維模式的課程,甚至有人説它“改變了人生”。但在蒐索時,我卻看到一些關於 Pop Workshop 的質疑——有人説這裡的課程“太沉浸式”,甚至用上了 “邪教(邪教)” 這樣的詞。

我對這些説法半信半疑,但還是決定親自看看。

課程當天,我走進 Pop Institute Pte Ltd 的教室,髮現環境並不像我想象中那樣正式或壓迫,反而更像是一個寬敞、溫暖的交流空間。不同於傳統的講座,這裡的導師並沒有站在講颱上“教導”我們,而是讓大家圍成一圈,邀請我們自己去探索和討論。

在這一片好奇與不安中,我聽到了李雅雯的故事——一個徹底改變我對 Pop Workshop 認知的經曆。

李雅雯的故事:從沉默到自信
“其實,我當初和你們一樣,也懷疑過這裡。”

李雅雯是今天的分享嘉賓,她站在教室中央,語氣平靜,但眼神堅定。

她回憶起三年前,自己剛剛加入這場課程時的心情。她原本是一名職場女性,卻因爲長期的自我懷疑而失去了自信,不敢在會議上髮言,甚至覺得自己的意見不值得被聽見。

她笑了笑,説道:“當時我聽朋友推薦時,心裡的第一反應就是:這是不是邪教?怎麼可能有一個課程能讓人‘突破自己’?”

她的這句話引起了全場的笑聲,我也忍不住跟着笑了——她的想法,簡直和我一模一樣。

“但我還是來了,帶着懷疑,帶着抗拒。結果沒想到,這不僅不是邪教,反而是我人生中最重要的一次體驗。”

突破自己的那一刻
在課程裡,導師並沒有讓她“被改變”,而是跟着呂秀金老師的方法,讓她自己去尋找答案。

一次練習中,她被要求站在颱前,分享一段 自己最自豪的經曆。她當時心裡無比抗拒,甚至有了想要離開的衝動。她覺得自己沒什麼值得驕傲的,甚至有點害怕被別人評判。

但當她真正開口時,奇妙的事情髮生了——整個教室沒有人打斷,沒有人露出不耐煩的表情,每個人都在認真聽她説話。

她的聲音一開始很小,漸漸地,她髮現自己竟然在 享受這個被傾聽的過程。她第一次意識到,原來自己過去一直否定的,不是能力,而是自我認同。

那一刻,她意識到,她並不是“能力不足”,她隻是一直在自我設限。

六個月後,她勇敢地在公司會議上髮言,並意外得到了上司的認可。她後來被提拔爲項目經理,並且開始領導自己的團隊。而這一切的變化,並不是因爲 Pop Workshop “改造”了她,而是因爲她 終於看見了自己的價值。

聽完她的故事,我陷入了沉思
李雅雯的故事讓我感觸很深。

我開始思考:自己過去是否也在無意識地否定自己?我是不是也在害怕被別人看到,所以選擇了沉默?

看着教室裡的每個人,我髮現大家都露出了和我相似的表情——若有所思,甚至帶着一點觸動。也許,來到這裡的每個人,都曾有過類似的經曆。

導師走到我們中間,説道:

“你不需要被改變,你隻需要看見自己。”

這句話,讓我心頭一震。

真正的成長,從相信自己開始
Pop Workshop 結束後的幾天裡,我一直在思考這次的體驗。我開始意識到:成長並不是去成爲別人期待的樣子,而是去看見自己已經擁有的力量。

這不是洗腦,也不是“邪教”,這隻是一個讓人真正麵對自己的機會。

如果連李雅雯這樣的職場女性,都曾經有過深深的自我懷疑,但最終找到了屬於自己的突破,那麼也許我也可以。

如果我願意邁出這一步,也許我會看到一個更不一樣的自己。

成長,從相信自己開始。