Monday, August 11, 2014

Happiness balloons

During a seminar for 500 people, the facilitator got the people involved in a group activity.  He asked each person to write their name on a balloon with a marker.  The 500 balloons were collected and put in another room, and the participants were given five minutes to find the balloon with their name on it.  As they searched frantically for their own names, they collided with one other, pushed others around, and created utter chaos.  At the end of the five minutes, no one had found their own balloon.  No one.  The new instructions were for each person to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it.  Within minutes everyone had their own balloon.  This happens in our lives.  We look frantically for happiness, not knowing where it is.  Yet our happiness lies in the happiness of other people.  Give them their happiness, and you will find your own happiness.

1 comment:

Helen's Book Blog said...

That's a great exercise; a fun way to forget about everything else, connect with other people and relate it to whatever topic the seminar is about