Introducing the Six Themes of ‘The Affection Economy’
A Compass for Living and Leading with Heart
When I first began writing The Affection Economy, it was anchored around thirty values — an attempt to chart the human qualities that help us live, lead, and grow with meaning.
But affection, by its nature, kept expanding. It refused to be boxed in.
What began as a framework became a living ecosystem — thirty-six values held within six interconnected themes, each one a rhythm of human and organisational growth.
Each value is rooted in a Sanskrit word — ancient language that carries layered meaning and reminds us that affection is both legacy and living practice. Sanskrit bridges the ancient and the modern, the inner and the outer, the sacred and the strategic.
This isn’t a rulebook. It’s a compass: circular, intentional, deeply human.
Each theme is both a lens and a practice — a way to bring affection into how we live, lead, and belong. Together, they form a circular framework that holds space for complexity, courage, and care.
The Roots: foundations for living and leading with purpose
Integrity, Courage, Kindness, Agency, Authenticity, Justice
These values are the soil of affection — the place we return to when the world feels fractured. They ground us in what’s true, remind us who we are, and teach us that growth without integrity isn’t growth at all.
Activation: Begin by naming your non-negotiables. Affection starts with honesty.
The Heart: nurturing connection in everyday life
Empathy, Connection, Compassion, Reciprocity, Trust, Belonging
Here, affection becomes relational — the pulse between people. These values ask us to build systems of care and collaboration where everyone can belong.
Activation: Practise radical listening. Give before you ask. Build trust one honest moment at a time.
The Lineage: wisdom that deepens across generations
Legacy, Intergenerational Responsibility, Stewardship, Social Responsibility, Community, Memory
Affection is not just for now. These values remind us that everything we create becomes inheritance — that the future is built on how we hold the past.
Activation: Record a story from someone older than you. Let memory become your mentor.
The Flame: moments of change, risk, and voice
Transparency, Growth Mindset, Co-Creation, Collaboration, Solidarity, Voice
The Flame is where affection meets disruption — the courage to speak, to change, to risk being misunderstood in service of what’s right.
Activation: Speak one truth this week — even if your voice shakes.
The Self: coming home to yourself
Human-Centredness, Self-Realisation, Wisdom, Resourcefulness, Equity, Playfulness Before we can care for the world, we have to know who we are within it. These values invite self-reflection and self-restoration — the inner work that makes outer change possible.
Activation: Protect one boundary that honours your energy and your joy.
The Sacred: aligning with something greater
Conscious Capitalism, Sustainability, Collective Impact, Inclusion, Ritual, Ekatva (Unity)
The Sacred is the return — the recognition that affection is not only human; it’s ecological, collective, and cosmic. It reminds us we are not separate, but part of one interconnected system of care.
Activation: Create a simple ritual — for yourself, your team, or your community — that anchors intention in action.
A Living Framework
The Affection Economy isn’t just a book; it’s a practice — a way to re-centre our economies of time, care, and creativity around what truly matters.
It can be entered anywhere, returned to often, and shared endlessly. Each chapter begins with breath, ends with action, and belongs to all of us.
Because affection is not a trend —
it’s a return.
To ourselves.
To each other.
To what lasts.
Author’s Note:
This piece was originally published here on The Story Maker.
It is available for republication, syndication, or editorial adaptation.
For commissions or licensing, please get in touch with Jet Swain.
