My name is Yusuf. I’m 33 years old, born and raised in Singapore. I work in IT — mostly backend stuff. Databases, servers, lines of code. I’m not the kind of person who speaks a lot. I never have been.
In school, I was the guy who did group projects silently, got decent grades, and avoided presentations like the plague. Even now, in meetings, I usually keep my camera off and only speak when I’m asked a direct question.
People say I’m shy. I say I’m just… comfortable in the background.
At least, I thought I was.
Until a few months ago, when a promotion I’d been quietly hoping for. That day, my manager said something I’ll never forget:
“You’re brilliant, Yusuf. But leadership is about presence too.”
I nodded and said, “Understood.” But inside, I felt like the door had closed — and I was still on the outside.
The Quiet Weight of Being Overlooked
It wasn’t just the job.
At home, I barely talked to my parents unless they asked me something. I avoided weddings and gatherings because small talk drained me. I even skipped my secondary school reunion last year — just didn’t feel like explaining what I’d been doing with my life.
But late at night, I’d lie in bed and wonder: What if I’m not “just quiet”? What if I’m hiding?
I didn’t know how to answer that. Until I saw a Facebook post from an old classmate — someone I remembered as anxious and withdrawn — now confidently giving a talk in a short video. Thank you, POP Workshop, for helping me come home to myself.
I didn’t expect much. But I clicked anyway.
What I Didn’t Expect from the POP Workshop
The first thing I noticed when I walked into the POP Workshop was that… no one was trying to “fix” anyone.
There were no flashy slogans or loud icebreakers. Just a circle of people, a whiteboard, and a calm mentor who smiled. The sessions weren’t about learning techniques or public speaking. They were about understanding the stories we carry, especially the ones we never say out loud.
I didn’t speak on the first day. Or the second. But on the third, when someone shared how they were always told to, I raised my hand and spoke some of my thoughts in front of them.
The room went quiet. Then someone across from me said, “I feel the same.”
And I realised I wasn’t as alone as I thought.
The Voice I Never Thought I Had
After that, I started showing up differently.
At work, I asked to lead a small sprint meeting. I kept it short, but I made sure to share my thoughts. At home, I sat down with my mum after dinner and just… talked. Not about work. Just about anything.
She smiled and said, “You talk more now. I like it.”
That sentence meant more than any KPI ever could.
What the POP Workshop Taught Me
I used to think being quiet was part of my personality — fixed, permanent.
Now I understand that being quiet by choice is power. But being silent out of fear is prison.
The POP Workshop didn’t change who I was. It just helped me meet the parts of myself I’d kept hidden — and give them a voice.
So no, I didn’t become the loudest guy in the room.
But now, when I speak, I mean it.
If you’re someone who’s always been the listener, the background person, the one who fades into the walls…
Maybe it’s time to step into the circle. Not to impress anyone. But to finally hear yourself again.
That’s what the POP Workshop did for me.
And I think… it might do the same for you, too.