Knowmads Cape Town has started their journey

Knowmads Cape Town Week 1 Reflection by Kirsten Laurencia Arendse
Introspection… The topic of the first week, which held an implication that I may be required to bare my soul to a group of strangers, left me somewhat daunted and simultaneously excited as I made my way to the CCDI for the first session of the Knowmads Cape Town Learning Experience.
Upon stepping into the room, I was met with the faces of 20 others who seemed to hold similar energies of anticipation. Although our first check-in revealed the diversity of backgrounds from which we came, a common thread seemed to knit us together. We connected and shared brief histories of our lives – the lows and highs – as well as our self-identified strengths and weaknesses.
It was only during the second session, when we each shared something that set our hearts on fire, that I realised what this common underpinning thread was. Passion. Passion to be changemakers in our industries. Passion to dance through life rather than to simply observe it happening to us.
Exploring my limiting and empowering beliefs was a component that I found especially enlightening. Having journeyed through personal development programmes in the past, the experience itself was not novel. However, there was something special about being about to share and bare parts of myself that are usually buried. Once I let go of the fear of doing this, the transparency that came forth between my partner and I and in the group as a whole was refreshing.
“Those who were seen dancing were thought insane by those who could not hear the music” is a quote that Bettina shared which struck me. I am so excited to dance through the rest of the programme with such a beautiful and unique group of people and cannot wait to see what more will emerge!