Here’s a tool to ponder: The holidays can be stressful, can’t they? Between all the responsibilities, expectations, and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to feel like peace is out of reach. But here’s the good news: by reflecting on our levels of peace in specific areas of life and taking intentional action, we can create a much more enjoyable and meaningful holiday season.

The Challenge

When leaders feel overwhelmed, it’s not only their productivity that suffers—it’s their relationships and well-being. The weight of responsibilities can leave little room for meaningful connection with others, both at work and home. Over time, this pressure takes a toll, leading to burnout, frustration, and a sense of being stuck.

Leadership Insight

Feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, or a lack of peace isn’t an all-or-nothing state. The Peace Index shows us that inner peace is made up of specific areas—purpose, people, place, personal health (physical, mental, and spiritual), and provision. By breaking peace down into these components, it becomes easier to see where we’re thriving and where we need to make changes. When we can evaluate our peace, we can begin to improve it.

The Tool: The Peace Index

The Peace Index helps you evaluate your sense of peace by scoring five key areas of life:

Purpose: Are you doing meaningful work that aligns with your values and goals?
People: Are your relationships healthy and supportive?
Place: Does your environment help you thrive, or does it add stress?
Personal Health: Are you prioritizing your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being?
Provision: Do you feel financially secure and equipped to meet your needs?

Give each area a score from 1 to 10, with 10 being completely at peace and 1 being far from it. As you reflect, you’ll start to see where you’re thriving and where you might need to focus more attention.

Why This Matters Now

As a leader, your level of peace directly impacts how you show up for your team and organization. When you’re overwhelmed or burnt out, it’s harder to make thoughtful decisions, foster healthy relationships, and lead with clarity. Reflecting on your peace gives you the chance to identify areas that need attention, so you can lead with greater focus and energy in the new year. Ignoring these areas risks carrying unresolved stress into your leadership, which can ripple through your team and organization.

The Result

When you reflect on and improve your Peace Index, the benefits extend far beyond you. As your peace increases, you’ll lead with greater clarity and confidence, creating a more stable and inspiring environment for your team. Your improved focus will lead to better decision-making, stronger relationships, and a culture where your team feels empowered to thrive. By starting the new year with a clearer mind and a renewed sense of purpose, you’ll set the tone for your organization’s success in the months ahead.

Action Step

This week, take 10 minutes to:

Reflect on the five areas of the Peace Index: Purpose, People, Place, Personal health, and Provision.
Identify where you’re thriving and where you might need to focus more attention.
Choose one area to focus on and ask yourself: What’s one small action I can take this week to improve this area by just 1%?
Leave a comment and share your action step with us. We’d love to hear what you’re working on and cheer you on as you take that next step.

Can You Actually Measure Peace?