Shift - A Game About Love, Fear and Life

As the mother of four very busy children, my life-year would start in August with new beginnings and a well rested summer of fun.  As a stay-at-home-and-always-working Mom, I could plan on losing 10-15 pounds each fall as I kept up with activities, volunteer committments and the usual up keep of a large household.  In the last two years that all changed.

On 9/11 in 2001 we were all devastated by the attack of the World Trade Center.  I was working at a job I loved in the Career Center of my children’s high school in Boise, Idaho.  We had lived in Boise over 17 years, our two youngest children were born there, we all grew up there enjoying the "good life".  I could be a mother to not only my own children, but all their friends and over 2,000 other high school students.  We were the Kool-aid house.  Our friends were all around us.  We would live out our days in beautiful Idaho.

We got through that day, the swim meet and band practice that evening to go home and watch television while letting the emotions wash over us.  We were truly blessed.  Two years later, to the day, I started a new job, in a new city with no close friends or family nearby.  My husband, Dennis, had been released from a job of 20+ years in an industry where he was highly respected and loved.  He quickly found a new job, we sold our beloved home, left great friends behind and started fresh with our youngest two children - twins who were juniors in high school - to Boulder, Colorado.  Our oldest two were away in college.

Initially, a person just exists; get through the day feeling totally out of place.  Smile; make new friends where you have no history.  Nobody knows your name.  We were the "new people" continually lost while trying to find Target.  On 9/11 in 2003 I started working 40 hours a week for the first time since our first child was born.  I stopped exercising, no time for self-reflection, less time for family activities.  But, Boulder has a way of changing a person.  Through my employment, I create bonds with some of the most incredible women that I have ever crossed paths with - Nicole Casanova and Kristen Werning.

Fast forward to another beginning, August 2004.  My closest girlfriend is fighting cancer.  Our youngest children are starting their senior year in high school.  We are working hard to get them into the colleges of their dreams.  Dennis and I will be "empty nesters".   I have advanced in my job, but I am lacking the passion due to situations beyond my control.  Dennis’ step-father succumbs to lung ailments in October, leaving his mother alone in another state.  Our oldest son will be graduating from college with his Master’s Degree in a technology field - will he have a job?  My father, the patriarch, is having serious health problems and is diagnosed as terminal in April.  Our middle son is struggling and wants to transfer closer to home.  I drive to Boise one more time to help him move home and I re-live the separation from Boise.  We are working on our home in anticipation that relatives will come for our dual high school graduation celebration.  We plan our vacation to our oldest son’s graduation in California and a side trip to Yosemite.  With three to be in college, I worry about money.  All our appliances seem to be breaking.

We drive to Kansas over Memorial Day to bury Dennis’ step-father’s ashes.  I can see peace for the first time in months in a windswept cemetary on a Kansas prairie down five miles of dirt road from the nearest hamlet.  I see peace again in the waves off the California coast, I see peace in Yosemite Valley and I see peace in my father’s dying eyes.  I start to question my purpose, what drives me, my passions, where is my peace?  I pulled out my books, The Four Agreements, The Purpose Driven Life and anything written by Marianne Williamson. 

I needed to shift.  As I cared for my father under the guidance of Hospice, I received very clear answers to questions I had been turning over in my mind.  I am not a religious, church affiliated person, but I never felt closer to Spirit in my life.  Prior to the last extended visit to my father before he passed, I gave two week notice at my job and asked The Universe where she needed me.  Answers came quickly, including improving my personal time management and health, spend more time with family and friends, work with people who inspire me, be able to see purpose in my work, be passionate, enjoy what I do and, most of all, have faith.  This was my dream.  With the moral support of my family, who built my home office while I spent a week with my newly widowed mother, I have been given the gift to share my talents with Shift the Game.  I started formally working with Nicole and Kristen in August.  My life-year begins again. Somethings don’t change.

At some time in our lives, we all need to evaluate.  Being a participant in the creation of Shift the Game, I have been able to determine where I would find my dreams and I have been given the opportunity to help others do the same.  Dare to shift your life - you may be surprised by the outcome.

Shift Workshops
• “Great learning experience in our workplace.” …Aisha Gallegos
• “It was a fun way to think about how I look at things.” …Allison Astle
• “Where can I get the game so I can apply to my children” …Charlotte Toland
• “What I liked best was the honesty with coworkers and improving communication with them” …Sherry Smith
• “I learned about others in my group and saw their barriers come down.” Jenny Jordan

The Shift 5 Day Train the Trainer Certification
• “I would recommend this training to anyone wanting to shift and become more aware of their Authentic Self.” Vickie Pokaluk
• “I gained a renewed sense of Self and a higher purpose of my mission.” Linda Layton
• “I am impressed with the Shift team and how they work together.” Jeannette C. Cartin
• “All my expectations were met… I thoroughly enjoyed and got so much out of the Shift Intensive training.” Shoshee Firmin

Shift Circles
• “This is so cool! To play with others where there is no judgment and I feel safe”
• “Watch out Bunko”
• “This is such a great way to put “The Secret” into practice”
• “Thank you Shift for helping me understand myself and other people better.”

What was best?

• …the dialogue it sparked about universal experience.Molly, 33
• Created a sense of community and togetherness…Michael, 47
• Watching friends open up in response to the questions.Noah, 36
• It makes me think about what keeps me in fear.”Norman, 49
• Opening up of conversation amongst various friends. I feel like we all opened up at our own comfort level…Emily, 30
• Conversations; laughing with friends, all in all having a good time with good people.Tait, 30
• Answering the challenge of having to pull up examples from your life…Orah
• The opportunity to deal with these questions.Liz, 82
• The conversation it sparks…Robin, 30

Would you play again?

• Absolutely!James, 35
• YES!! I love this type of discussion and would invite friends over often to play!”Emily, 30
• I’d consider it’s use in clinical setting. I’ve had play therapy experience and it can be useful. I’ll buy it for sure.”Donna, 32
• Yes, with a group of girls! …or wait, boys some other time!Carolyn, 31

Recent Testimonials!

JEP CENTER

First Judicial District Probation Department
JEP – Juvenile Education Program - Center
1200 Johnson Rd. Golden, CO 80401
Tel – (303) 278 – 8782 / Fax –(303)-215-1180
Richard Cartin

24 April, 2007

Jeannette and Shoshee,

I want to thank each of you for giving of your time and expertise to present the Shift game to my class. The results were rather amazing. My students are in the JEP program because they are expelled from the county high schools and are also on probation and court ordered to be in some educational setting. They are not the ideal student group and usually do not respond real well to strangers and new ideas. Their response to the Shift game and to your facilitating of the game was surprising and much more positive than I had expected.

Accepting responsibility for their behavior is not a strong point of my students and yet, while participating in the Shift game they were willing to accept their actions and speak about them in an open and honest way. They did not revert to their usual method of blaming others for their situation. I must add that your excellence in facilitating also helped them feel comfortable and accepted enough to speak as freely as they did. I do know that facilitating a group of teenage “at risk” students in something new and personally challenging to them is not the easiest task. Your facilitation skills with this group were outstanding.

What most impressed me was the discussions concerning the game and what the students learned that happened the next day in our group meeting. The game was the topic of discussion. Two major themes of the game (Thoughts create reality and Thoughts effect others) came up in the discussion often. Also a few of the students have become aware of the concept of how their perception of something becomes a reality and that changing that perception can create a different reality.

In summary, the effects of the game on my students amaze me. In classroom such as mine it can be an excellent tool to begin to introduce the ideas of how perception can be changed and how thoughts and behaviors affect others. The students have asked for you both to come back and facilitate another session. Believe me this is high praise and acceptance of Shift and of your skill and professionalism as facilitators.

Thank You for an interesting and educational presentation. I am looking forward to the next Shift Circle.

Richard Cartin
Teacher / JEP Program

• “One of the biggest obstacles to taking steps onto [one’s true path] is –of all things–fear of change and fear of the unknown. So, I took the game and shared it with [students] as a possible tool to help folk see and work through some of their fears and defenses. The people there were fascinated… Thanks again for taking this leap and sharing your insights in such a delightful way with the world.”Kristy, Teacher for Spiritual Directors
• “When initially playing it, people were a little reluctant, and didn’t think much of the game. They weren’t quite expecting this kind of game. Shift is not your typical board game. But after switching our brains, we really got into it.A really tough defense for [one player] to drop was “The Over-Achiever”. But [her boyfriend] helped her through it, and we all got to joke and laugh about it later. After playing Shift once, I can’t wait to play it again with different people and get different experiences. Shift is a game that you can play with someone you’ve known your whole life, and still be able to learn something new about them.”

  Lauren, College Student

• “A friend has the game. I love it. Today’s message really touched a chord in me. I was wondering if your company is hiring? Do you have customer reps who work the phone lines? I love what you are doing. … Thank you for creating this great new game to assist people in building awareness.” Nicole
• “PlayFair sold out of the Shift games. Though they aren’t sure if it was the employees or the customers…seem to love it.” Bethany, http://uniquethink.com
• “Thanks for the great game. I look forward to purchasing it for my sister and her kids. I think it’d be a great way to show the choices in our lives at all times (which I’m sure was one of the original reasons for making the game). I know it will be a HUGE success!” Deb, Accountant
• “I have been playing The Shift Game at my Mastermind Group which includes twelve people…and we are hooked! I love the game! I love how it really opens the heart and shifts consciousness!” Teri