An Inspired Chat with Jenelle Simpson of Greater Toronto Area

Jenelle Simpson shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Jenelle, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’ve built brands, books, and platforms, but the real masterpiece was built in silence, within me. The world sees the strength, the success, the woman who speaks truth boldly, but they don’t see the nights I wrestled with God, the moments I had to forgive when my heart was still bleeding, or the times I showed up when my spirit felt empty.

I built peace after pain. I built integrity when temptation whispered shortcuts. I built faith when fear tried to take over. What I built that no one sees is the foundation that holds everything the world does see, the healed, whole, and unapologetic version of me.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Jenelle Simpson, also known as Jen Simpson, author, speaker, trauma-informed coach, and founder of Life’s Deceit Podcast, a global platform and movement rooted in healing, truth, and transformation. I use my story and voice to help others confront theirs. Life’s Deceit was born out of my own silent battles, years of trauma, resilience, and rediscovery and has evolved into a space where people can break generational cycles, unlearn survival mode, and rebuild from within.

Through my signature MIRROR Method™, I guide others to find meaning, reclaim identity, and transform pain into purpose. From the Life’s Deceit Podcast to my upcoming Mirror to the Mic show and magazine, my mission is to amplify voices that were once silenced, helping people heal loudly and live unapologetically.

What makes my brand unique is that it’s not just built from ideas; it’s built from lived experience, and raw truth that people can connect with. Every book, episode, and conversation is a reflection of real healing and radical honesty. Right now, I’m expanding the Life’s Deceit ecosystem through programs, apparel, and storytelling projects designed to remind people that even in brokenness, there is beauty and in truth, there is freedom.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was pure light, curious, bold, and full of imagination. I saw the world through faith, not fear. But life, expectations, and trauma tried to reshape that light into something smaller, quieter, and more “acceptable.” I learned how to survive instead of how to simply be.

Healing taught me to return to her, the girl who believed anything was possible, who loved deeply without needing permission, who trusted her voice before anyone told her to silence it. That’s the version of me I’ve been rebuilding: the one who walks in truth, not performance.

She’s the reason Life’s Deceit exists, because I know what it feels like to lose yourself trying to become what the world demands. My mission now is to help others remember who they were before the world told them who they had to be.

When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
I stopped hiding my pain the moment I realized silence was protecting my wounds but not healing them. For years, I carried my story quietly, trying to be strong, composed, and unshakable until God showed me that transparency was my true strength.

The moment I spoke my truth, everything shifted. My pain no longer defined me; it became my message. What once broke me became the blueprint for Life’s Deceit, a movement to help others confront their truth and heal out loud. I learned that power isn’t found in pretending you’re unbothered; it’s found in being brave enough to say, “This hurt me, but it didn’t end me.”

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief you used to hold tightly but now think was naive or wrong?
I used to believe that being strong meant never breaking down, that silence equaled resilience. I thought if I just kept pushing through, holding everything together, and pretending I was fine, I’d somehow prove my worth. But that belief almost destroyed me.

I’ve learned that true strength isn’t about suppression; it’s about surrender. It’s found in honesty, in vulnerability, in saying, “I’m not okay, but I’m healing.” I no longer glorify survival, I honour transformation. That shift changed my life and birthed Life’s Deceit and Mirror to the Mic Magazine, both rooted in the truth that our power isn’t in perfection, it’s in authenticity.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say I lived a life that made others believe healing was possible. That I turned my pain into purpose and used my voice to help free others to do the same. I want them to remember that I didn’t just talk about transformation, I embodied it, even when it cost me comfort, approval, or understanding, and relationships.

When my name is spoken, I want it to carry the weight of truth, grace, and courage, the kind that breaks generational cycles and births legacy. I hope people tell the story of a woman who stood in her authenticity, who healed loudly so others could find their voice, and who built Life’s Deceit and Mirror to the Mic as safe spaces for truth to live long after she’s gone.

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