by Jose Aries Tan | Jan 2, 2026 | Uncategorized
My cherry blossom dream spanned three decades, crossed two continents, and was born from one single promise. This dream was simple — a vow by 8‑year‑old me. A promise to someday see Yuko again, my exchange teacher from Japan, whom I met in the third grade. She left a...
by Jose Aries Tan | Jan 2, 2026 | Uncategorized
We were lucky to catch up with Jalene E. Murphy recently and have shared our conversation below. Alright, Jalene E. thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that...
by Jose Aries Tan | Jan 2, 2026 | Uncategorized
Today we’d like to introduce you to Jalene E. Murphy. Hi Jalene E., it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers? Hi! I am Jalene E. Murphy. I...
by Jose Aries Tan | Jan 2, 2026 | Uncategorized
We were lucky to catch up with Jalene Murphy recently and have shared our conversation below. Hi Jalene , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all –...
by Jose Aries Tan | Sep 5, 2024 | Uncategorized
Let’s start with a question. Where are you on your journey to authenticity? For me, fourteen years ago, I thought I was on the right track. I am not afraid to admit I was very generously unaware of who I was. One could say I took the scenic route to this elusive...
by Jose Aries Tan | Jun 9, 2024 | Uncategorized
Community was my beacon of hope while navigating the uncertainty and complexity of sexual identity, dealing with repressed anger and trauma, overcoming the stigma of divorce, and distancing myself from suffocating perfectionism. The duo of guilt and shame were...
by Jose Aries Tan | May 5, 2024 | Uncategorized
I have had an on-again, off-again relationship with meditation for years. Inspired by meditation pioneer, mindfulness coach Sharon Salzburg and author Yung Pueblo who spoke about the benefits of Vipassana meditation on Instagram, I signed up for a 10-day...
by Jose Aries Tan | Mar 12, 2024 | Uncategorized
Bride, wife, divorcee – each phase of my life required courage. I wrote a book called Modern Day Courage to light a path for others. Confronting assumptions about my sexual identity, combatting mental health challenges, overcoming the stigma of divorce, fighting...
by Jose Aries Tan | Nov 12, 2023 | Uncategorized
No matter how you slice it – it felt like an eternity. My 4th anniversary will be etched in my memory in a rather peculiar way. Not because it was the first anniversary where I got to be in the company of the one I love (as we reside in different countries and...
by Jose Aries Tan | Jul 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
Dear Brandon School Board of Trustees, I am responding to Ms. Lorraine Hackenschmidt’s comments from May 8th, 2023 at the Brandon School Division Meeting. I agree with Ms. Hackenschmidt’s comments that children need protection against pedophilia (online or not), child...