Finding My Balloon, Finding My Happiness

This story took place during a seminar on the topic of happiness. The speaker handed out balloons to about 60 participants and instructed them to write their name on a slip of paper, insert it into the balloon, and then inflate it. Once everyone had completed this task, the balloons were collected and moved into a different room. The participants were then given five minutes to find the balloon with their own name inside. The room quickly turned chaotic as people pushed past one another, frantically searching through the sea of balloons. But not a single person was able to find their own balloon.

Then, the speaker gave a new instruction:

“Pick up any balloon and return it to the person whose name is inside.”

This time, within less than two minutes, every balloon had found its rightful owner. The speaker addressed the group and said:

“Happiness is much like finding the owner of a balloon. When you search only for your own happiness, no matter how hard you try, it’s often elusive. But when you help others find their happiness, your own comes to you as well. Just as you returned someone else’s balloon, try sharing what you have with others. In doing so, not only will they experience joy—you will, too.”