Jen [zhuhn, ruhn]
–noun (in Chinese philosophy)
That which brings the good in others to completion; a compassionate love for humanity or for the world as a whole.

Now, more than ever, we need to be reminded that there is good in the world. We need to elevate and celebrate those forces - people, experiences, anything really - that bring forth what is good in us. In the most basic terms, that is what I aim to do here.

Daily Jen is my daily practice of focusing on the good, shining a spotlight on the good in others, and searching for ways to manifest more of that in my own life and the lives of others.

I stumbled on the concept of ‘Jen’ in a book I discovered while browsing in my favorite bookstore in New York City. That book, Born To Be Good by Dacher Keltner, details Keltner’s years of research into the evolutionary origins of ‘goodness’ conducted at the University of Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. One of the key ideas presented in the book suggests that we can use the ancient concept of ‘Jen’, a philosophical idea central to Confucianism, as a means to measure happiness.

Jen is a complex idea and not easy to translate. Mainly, it refers to positive emotions that strengthen connections between people, emotions such as compassion, awe, gratitude, generosity, kindness, respect, humor, laughter, thoughtfulness, forgiveness, mindfulness, playfulness, and a sense of beauty.

In his book, Keltner introduced the idea of Jen science as an attempt to put these ephemeral, intangible qualities under a microscope for scientific study. It processes them through a mathematical formula designed to reveal a simple measure of one’s happiness quotient based on moment-by-moment choices.

It sounds unlikely, I know, this marriage of philosophy and science. But you have to admit, it’s a fascinating idea.

Here’s how he explains it:

“Jen science is based on its own microscopic observations of things not closely examined before. … It brings into focus new substances that we are made of, neurotransmitters as well as regions of our nervous system that promote trust, caring, devotion, forgiveness, and play. It reveals a new way of thinking about the evolution of human goodness, which requires revision of longstanding assumptions that we are solely wired to maximize desire, to compete, and to be vigilant to what is bad.

Seeing the world through this Darwinian lens of Jen science could very well shift your Jen ratio. The Jen ratio is a lens onto the balance of good and bad in your life. In the denominator of the Jen ratio place recent actions in which someone has brought the bad in others to completion – the aggressive driver who flips you off as he roars past, the disdainful diner in a pricey restaurant who sneers at less well-heeled passersby. Above this, in the numerator of the ratio, tally up the actions that bring the good in others to completion – a kind hand on your back in a crowded subway car, the child who compliments the elderly woman on her bathing suit as she nervously dips her toe in a swimming pool, the woman who laughs as a stranger accidentally steps on her foot. As the value of your Jen ratio rises, so too does the humanity of your world.”

I was fascinated by this approach. Here was an idea that was elegant in its simplicity. It offered a straightforward, yet powerful means to measure a meaningful life, by focusing on the small moments and choices of day-to-day life.

What would happen if I measured my own life with this simple approach, this Jen science?

When I first started this blog years ago, it was intended to be a mostly private and personal project, a way to develop new ‘muscles’ of positivity and to counteract my natural tendencies toward worry, self-doubt, and cynicism. Like most projects of it’s kind, my attention to it fell away over time, crowded out by commitments to work and family.

After November of 2016, however, I’ve felt a new and growing sense of urgency to turn my attention back to this practice and to share it more widely too. I know we can’t turn a blind eye to the dark and difficult realities that have risen to new prominence in our lives, our communities and our nation. But I believe we can restore ourselves and our collective humanity by seeking out that which brings the good – in others, in ourselves and in our communities – into the world.  If we make that our highest value and priority, then perhaps we have a chance of turning things around.

What You'll Find Here

Daily Jen is a mix of original writings, curated content and guest posts that fall into the following categories:

Message From the Universe, One Small Moment, Taking in the Good, & Look at the Beauty: These are four different categories that look at the same thing through varied lens -- discovering what happens when we slow down and notice the everyday miracles around us

Jen Warriors: Exceptional people doing exceptional work in the world

Upstanders Not Bystanders: When they see something, they do something

Empathy Bridges: How can we connect to a greater understanding of the experiences of those who are different than us?

Giving Back & Call to Action: Some answers to the question ‘what can we do?’

Jen News: It’s happening every day; I search it out. A roundup of news that reports on people who are striving to bring forth the good in the world.

Good Things: Books, music, film, podcasts, exhibits – anything and everything I think you’ll want to know about.

Share Our Stories: Have a story idea you want to share? Want to be a guest contributor? Let me know.

I’m also at work on My Jen Tracker, an app to help you create more jen in your own life. It’s like a fitness tracker for your soul. Currently in development; sign up here to be notified when it’s released.

About Me

“To myself I am only a child playing on the beach, while vast oceans of truth lie undiscovered before me.”

~ Isaac Newton

The older I get, the more I realize how vast that ocean of knowledge is beyond my mastery. So it’s important for me to emphasize that I see myself not as an expert here, or even a guide, but rather more as a reporter or curator. I want to delve into this subject because it fascinates me, and I want to share it because I hope it will also fascinate you.

Other more mundane facts about me – I’ve spent the first half of my career working in the media industry, mostly in New York City, and the second half in tech, mostly in Silicon Valley. I now live in a 112-year-old Craftsman-style home in the San Francisco Bay area with my husband and a large, seemingly always growing menagerie of dogs and cats. Other people call them pets, but to us, they are family.

Our family also includes my two stepdaughters who are beautiful young women inside and out. I’m so lucky to have had the chance to form a family with these wise, wonderful women.

We live in a neighborhood where the homes have front porches and the streets have sidewalks. I think those two small factors have helped to make it the extraordinarily neighborly place it is. People here are not just friendly, they look out for one another.

It's a good life. And I’m grateful.