Shift - A Game About Love, Fear and Life

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

Shift is a psychological game, in the sense that we, through self-examination and laughter, can begin to understand where our thoughts are coming from and the power they hold.  In fact, we have no neutral thoughts.  All of our thoughts come from love or fear and once we are able to recognize where our thoughts come from, we can further understand where our thoughts are taking us.

The point of the game is to move from fear to love, and drop three defenses along the way.  Our defenses hold us back from reaching our full potential.  Though sometimes we may be “the procrastinator,” that is not who we are as a person. Our defenses are not our identity.  In order to drop our defenses, we must be able to recognize when we have acted as those defenses, but also, when we have not. This, in turn, can show us why we use those defenses, and why we don’t need to at all. Once a player makes it to love, they must answer the question, “What current situation in your life could a shift in thought affect the most?” to win. 

The reason we created this game is simple. We want to remind you that you can control your thoughts once you are aware of what you are thinking.  What you believe is exactly what you will experience. If after playing this game, you start seeing where your thoughts are coming from, then we all win. And, if you can actually change those thoughts that hold you back, can you imagine what we will be able to shift?  

Shift is a board game for 2-6 players.
It is about Love, Fear, Work, Relationships

and Human Behavior and it might just change your life.

Have you ever wondered why some see a sunset and immediately become grateful while others see a sunset and immediately think, "Man, where did the day go?"

Or why some people can spill a glass of wine and think that will make a great story, while others will see it as having the same catastrophic impact as the sinking of The Titanic, and then conclude it was the vineyards fault for making the wine? Then, get these answers and more… Shift is a personality x-ray machine that enables you to see what’s driving your friends and most importantly, what’s driving you.

All it takes is a shift in thought to shift your life…

Play Shift and Make your Move.

Nicole Casanova, MA

CEO, Founder and Passionate Lifetime Shift Player

After putting her Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications to use selling Internet Advertising for Homestore, Lycos and Mypoints in San Francisco for 6 years, Nicole took time off from the 80 hour start-up weeks to create a career with more purpose. Three plus years later it showed up as a company called Exponential Growth. The core product, Shift, is a board game that helps people become more aware of why they behave the way they do. The game teaches people that their perceptions are their reality and that only they have the power to shift their thoughts from Fear to Love. She is thankful everyday to be able to live her dream beside the stunning mountains of Boulder, CO with three dogs that total less than 25 pounds and her fiancé, whose name, ironically, means change in Korean.

Reach her at nicole@shiftthegame.com

Charlotta Janssen
Artist and Entrepreneur Extraordinaire

Don’t be fooled that she’s a successful international model. Charlotta’s pretty face is just a cover. As the owner of the Brooklyn favorite, Chez Oskar and soon to be opened sister restaurant, Chez Lola, Charlotta has delivered a dining experience that captivates both the taste buds and the eyes. Anything and everything is her medium. In fact she is also both an exhibiting painter whose projects span the globe from New York to Beijing and a published author of the children’s book, “The Secret of Three Butterpillers.” Check out her other ventures
At www.charlottajanssen.com and www.chezoskar.com.

Reach her at charlotta@shiftthegame.com

Kristen Werning
Creative Director and Ultimate Sparkplug

As a recent graduate from the University of Colorado’s Advertising Program, Kristen took her own Leap of Faith and chose to commit herself to Shift full time while her fellow students sought work at established companies. Kristen’s design and marketing influence touch almost every component of Shift. However, it’s her unwavering belief and incredible dedication to seeing Shift create a positive impact in the world that has us bowing to our younger sister in reverence.

Reach her at kristen@shiftthegame.com

Joyce Kinde, Director of Operations and our G.G.D. (Gal that Gets it Done)
Joyce Kinde rounds out our generational landscape. As a mother of four children in college, Joyce is the model of what a successful marriage and family looks like. She served as a career advisor at a large Boise, Idaho high school, and her most recent position as College Outreach Coordinator for Learning for Living, a Boulder non-profit, had her working with college students to discover and implement through experiential trainings the life skills they would need to be successful and happy in their relationships, academics and careers.  She is our glue. She keeps us together.

Reach her at joyce@shiftthegame.com

Jeff Wozer, Comic Writer, www.jeffwozer.com
Jeff Wozer works as a nationally touring stand-up comedian based out of the Comedy Works in Denver, Colorado. When not on stage he plies as a freelance humor writer. He has been published in 14 magazines and has written humorous copy for businesses around the globe.  Jeff’s odd humor was exactly the translation we needed.  Only Jeff could suggest, "To save money on cable, Don watches HBO through his neighbor’s window" to describe someone who’s relationship with money is based in fear.

Dorothy Divack, Spiritual Guru and Mentor
Dorothy’s foundation, The Center of Excellence, in San Francisco gives people tools to assist them in unraveling their personal mythology and recognizing their truth. Her history includes Art Curator in both New York and Rio. However, she has been involved with The Course in Miracles since its inception and worked for the Foundation for Inner Peace before they received funding to print the first Course in Miracles books in 1976.  She has lead a weekly Course in Miracles discussion group for the last 9 years and teaches seminars such as, “The Excel Training” a four month intensive, and “Dare to be a Man/Dare to be a Woman” that explores male and female principles.  Dorothy lives the course and has served as an amazing model for the potential and power of thought.

Derek Scruggs, Web Developer, www.escalan.com
Derek is the founder and CEO of Escalan (an agency that helps overworked entrepreneurs get things done online, covering everything from high-level strategy to nitty gritty code. Derek is also the co-founder of Click Thru Stats (http://www.clickthrustats.com), a "brain-dead simple" click-tracking service useful in everything from email marketing to searching engine advertising to web site traffic analysis.
Prior to all this stuff, Derek was the Permission Advocate for MessageMedia, a leading provider of email marketing technologies and services. In that role he served as an evangelist for the email marketing industry and as a consultant for clients such as Cisco Systems, Dell Computer, E-Trade and Bluelight.com. He is a well-known industry expert on the topic of permission email marketing.
Before joining MessageMedia, Derek was founder and CEO of Distributed Bits, a developer of software that brought call center functionality to email. Distributed Bits was acquired by MessageMedia in 1998. Derek is so witty, charming and just plain good-looking that he’s allowed to write his own bio.

Scott McDaniel, Web Designer, www.scottmcdaniel.com
Scott owns Decisive Communications and is our information architect, front-end developer, and programmer who also provides online marketing strategy.  He currently works at ClickData and was the Director of Digital Marketing for Message Media and was the Creative Director for Walnut Software.  Derek is the reason why our site is so slick.

Reasons people are playing:

• It is fun and interactive
• It gives you insight into what is driving your behavior
• It allows you to learn about each other, share and get better connected even if you’ve never met
• It creates an environment for open discussion on topics that might not have come up otherwise
• Because knowing you are at choice creates power
• Shift creates a deeper level of connection when you play with people you already know such as your family, your partner and your friends
• To determine what’s holding you back from your full potential

“We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.”    The Talmud

The game and your life are mirror images.

Playing Shift enables you to see why you think and act the way you do. Once you can step back and see how your mind thinks, you can take charge and let it work for you. 

Now you have an opportunity to take your learning and apply it to your life.
It’s easy to win at a board game.
The question is, can you play the game in your life?

In other words…can you shift your game?