innovative activity 9: If you had taken a different path

Take everyone outside into the woods, where you, the facilitator, have prepared a route with different numbers of trails and forks to choose from. Depending on the size of the path, suit the number of participants to the amount of space you have. Allow each participant to walk through the course, making their own decisions about where they want to go. They can walk through together or they might end up splitting at a fork in the road. Set up obstacles on many paths, such as a muddy puddle, spider web of ropes, or snakes in a box/container. They will have to overcome the obstacles, or turn around and go a different way. At the end of the route, everyone will wait and together discuss their experience. There will have been many struggles, joys, frustrations, and excitement during their journey.

When this activity is done, debriefing will be crucial for the participants. They will talk directly about their experience on the path in the woods, and then they will share about the story of their own personal lives. With each person, it would be beneficial for them to point out what would have happened if they had taken a different path. This is meant to inspire them to change behavior and spur them on towards their dreams/goals.

When I found this activity, I thought it was most appropriate for people coming out of drug/alcohol addictions. Emotionally, they would be able to reflect on their choices in the past: how they made them feel and what consequences these choices led to. As they're honest with their desires for their lives, they will be able to openly pursue those things. It's so important to tell other people the goals we have, because they can keep us accountable to reaching those goals. Participants will benefit socially from this activity as well. They will see that there are people in their lives at certain times throughout their journey, but they might do some of it alone. I think they will find the value in depending on other people for support and help.

After finding a large, wooded area with already created paths, facilitator will need the materials for the obstacles. This could be anything from a bunch of rope to a pull-up bar. Make sure the obstacles are appropriate for the group. Also, make sure there is a very open environment so the group will know that as they share their hearts, there will be no judgment, only grace.

http://adulted.about.com/od/icebreakers/qt/adifferentpath.htm