"Waktu kusut, sentiasa kembali ke diri sendiri. Itu yang paling penting"
My first solo debut, without my partner.
At first, I was excited! The topic really jives with me. It’s something I’ve been through, or perhaps still going through. But as the day got closer, especially the day before, it was nerve-wracking. I honestly felt like vomiting.
I don’t usually brainstorm much. Most of the time, I plan, agree with myself (so konfiden gile 🫢), and just let things be, what happens, happens. But having a partner means I also want to honour the values we’ve built together through Rumah Empati. So, when there were suggestions to make my conversation with PERKESO more wholesome, I kind of panicked. Maybe a bit defensive. Definitely some ego-talk happening in my head.
I took some time to sit with it. To digest. To understand what we really wanted our audience to feel and take home from that 1.5-hour conversation. Looking back, I truly appreciated the brainstorming session because it grounded me and brought me back to our intention: to share a skill that anyone can use on their own, or at least to let them know there’s a resource they can reach out to when they feel lost or need clarity.
In the end, the session reflected my own journey of contemplation, about being present and letting go, while also sharing the frameworks that helped me make decisions consciously. I’m really glad I said yes to this. And I’m grateful for having a partner who constantly pushes me to see beyond my own views.
Thank you Azzad Mahdzir for inviting me into your culture of “dingdong-ing,” and thank you to the PERKESO team Atikah Syahera and Sharifah Munirah for the opportunity and of course to my host Muhamad Afiq, who made the conversation feel comfortable, safe, and meaningful 💛
p/s: I will be riding it solo again at The Pillars Festival 2025 on 25 October, The Linc KL and it’s freeeeeee. I’ll share about this soon, okay! At the same time, my partner will be hosting a session in Jakarta, maybe, let’s see.
Copyright © 2020-2025 Empathy For Youth Academy • Managed by Rumah Empati, Reg. No 202503142653
