GiANT has developed a tool called the Peace Index, which has been used to ignite and maintain a transformative journey with many individuals. When used correctly, it provides beacon of light guiding individuals towards greater well-being and self-discovery. This simple tool invites all who use it to delve deep into core areas of their being, offering clarity on one’s current state of overall health. The Peace Index can be used as a mirror, reflecting back the intricate tapestry of our lives through the lens of five core areas of our being: Purpose, People, Place, Personal Health, and Provision.
Imagine a heart to heart conversation where one asks, “How are you doing today?” The response, often a simple, “It’s going okay,” unveils a surface-level understanding. However, by venturing into a deeper, explorative conversation using the Peace Index as a guide, the veils that shroud underlying issues can be more easily lifted so the issues can be addressed. French Philosopher, Blaise Pascal said, “The heart has reasons that reason knows not of.” When underlying issues remain unexposed, they eat at us and affect our sense of peace. Bringing issues into the open, into our “reason”, i.e., to become conscious of what is eating at us, goes along way in determining how we can address them.
The first circle of the Peace Index lies in the concept of Purpose, the very heartbeat of one’s existence, resonating with one’s calling and divine mission. Purpose beckons us to bring our personality, character, skills, work, and life into alignment with how and why we are designed.
A high score in this circle may range between 85% to 100%, while a lower score may flutter around 40% or 56%. Similarly, we’ll assign a percentage rating from 1 to 100 to each of the remaining circles, comprising People, Place, Personal Health, and Provision.
Within the People circle, we’ll assign the percentage of satisfaction and health we experience in our relationships: family, friends, colleagues, neighbors, etc. Are these people helping us become the best version of ourselves? Are we helping them likewise? Do we share a true sense of belonging and community with them?
The Place circle helps us reflect upon our living environment, encompassing your house, neighborhood, city, office, state, and country
The Personal Health circle regards our physical body (weight, heart health, brain health), as well as our emotional, mental and spiritual health.
And finally, Provision. This regards the financial resources we have for our household and personal needs. If we feel secure and content with our financial situation, the Provision circle’s score will be higher. Conversely, if we’re not satisfied, the score will be lower.
The idea in using this tool is to assign a percentage each of the five circles, thereby creating a snapshot of your current well-being. It’s essential to note that this snapshot is specific to the present moment and may change over time, such as within a month, a quarter, or a year. The ultimate goal, whether using this tool with ourselves or in dialogue with others, is to help us contemplate where we would like to see change and begin to formulate a plan for making the desired changes—and often learning where we need to recruit the help of others in actually making the desired changes.
To evaluate your own Peace Index. Assign a number from one to one hundred to each circle: Purpose, People, Place, Personal Health, and Provision. Add up all five numbers and divide by five to calculate your Peace Index. This snapshot will provide valuable insights into the areas of your life that require focus and improvement.