Connectedness

We are all connected to each other, our environment, and to something bigger than ourselves. We respect that connection by the way we act, speak and think.

You can understand this by understanding the contrast between the current societal construct and the future we wish to create. In current society there are a few leaders that rise to the top and many followers. To be a leader is thought to be one who achieves success and attains more than others. To be from a place that lacks privilege, this pathway is even more elusive to attain, and the disparity between those with privilege and those without grows with each generation.

In contrast, what if instead of there being a few leaders to be followed, we are all able to do it ourselves. Communities of able people all contributing to the whole is in essence ONEness, or connectedness, and is where STRENGTH within communities and collectives is found.

Unity

The power in life is two-fold: First, personal power and second is the power that comes from a collective. We do not move through this world alone, there is great power in coming together and working together. We see this every time our kids get on the court. When they come together as a team and are working together well as a team, they are playing as a unified force and the difference is significant.

Sustainability

To live sustainably means that we are aware that resources are not infinite. This is not just an environmental value, it’s a core life value, for we have resources within us and as a team that must be sustained. We honor that resource by respecting what it needs to continue being available: we eat healthy, we get good sleep, we treat our bodies well so we have energy to play, and we treat others with respect and appreciation so they continue to want to support and care for us.

Resiliency

To be resilient means to be a person who can face life's inevitable challenges head-on because there is the knowing that you can handle it, pick yourself up after it, and continue on. Life will always throw challenges at you, it’s being able to handle them and keep going that makes you strong, makes you resilient, makes you an unstoppable force in the world.

Generosity

Being generous is the most underrated characteristic. Nobody can go through life alone. And nobody should go through life without helping others. Being self-reliant is good but appreciating the generosity of others is great. And repaying it forward by being generous to others is exceptional.

Reciprocity

The world thrives when we live in a way that helps individuals and those individuals help others and everyone gives and receives without conditions in ways that foster reciprocity. When we are reciprocal, we take what has been shared with us and offer our spirit to others who need it. This is how we make the world a better place together.