We’ve been writing Covvn for 7 weeks now, and figured it’s probably time we introduce ourselves 👋
If you’ve been here since the beginning, thank you for reading, sharing, replying, and being part of our unfolding. If you’re new, welcome! We’re so glad you’re here.
Covvn is a space we built for women like us. Women navigating reinvention, burnout, career pivots, parenting, sobriety, independence, self-care, and the very real pressure of being a woman in a world that often feels like it’s falling apart.
Every Wednesday, we write to make sense of it all, and hopefully, to help you feel a little less alone while doing the same.
This week, we’re sharing a bit more about who we are and how Covvn came to be.
What we’re stirring up this week:
♏️ Meet Jade!
♊️ Meet Jonna!
🌀 Transition Ritual- A short guide to creating a simple, repeatable ritual that helps your nervous system know when the day (or any stressful moment) is done.
♏️ Meet Jade!
I started my career in the film industry after graduating from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nonprofit Leadership and Management. I worked on sets in LA and New York, chasing big creative dreams and learning the hard way how unglamorous that world can be. After the Me Too movement hit in 2017, I hit a personal bottom and realized that entertainment wasn’t conducive to a sane and sober life for me.
So I pivoted. I moved into tech, supporting early-stage startups in Customer Success. And eventually, I shifted back into the nonprofit space, where I discovered a knack for fundraising and leading organizations through strategic reinvention.
Now, I’m in yet another transition, building a portfolio career that makes room for all of it: storytelling, fundraising, writing, consulting, and community-building. I’ve finally accepted that I’m not wired for one path or one job or one version of myself, and I’ve learned I don’t have to be.
I’ve been writing my whole life. Stories, essays, scripts, newsletters, blog posts, notebooks full of half-formed ideas. All I’ve ever really wanted was to live a writer’s life, to publish, to share, to connect. I’m finally doing that. Right now, I’m working on a book called To All the Jobs I’ve Had Before, a memoir told through letters to every job I’ve held: the strange ones, the hard ones, the formative ones. It’s about work, identity, reinvention, and the long road to becoming yourself.
I’m married now (something I never expected), to a man I went to high school with, after swearing I’d never move back to Spokane. But life is wild like that. I was hyper-independent, deeply single, and committed to building a life on my own terms. Turns out, I still am, but now I do it with someone who supports my constant reinventions.
I’ve been sober for almost 8 years. Every good thing in my life is a direct result of putting down alcohol. I’m endlessly grateful to the people who showed me how to live without alcohol, and I try to pay that forward every chance I get. Now I can’t even imagine drinking. If you’re struggling with your relationship with alcohol, just know, it’s possible to live life without it. And better.
These days, I spend a lot of time with power tools in hand, working on our 700 sq ft fixer-upper we bought for $170k. When I hear millennials say, “We’ll never be able to own homes,” I cringe a little, not because I don’t understand, but because I think we’ve been sold a very narrow idea of what’s possible. You might not get your dream house in your dream zip code, but you might find freedom in a weird little house with great bones in a part of town no one’s paying attention to yet. I did. My mortgage is less than most people’s rent. It’s small and needs a lot of work, but it’s home. And it makes me feel like I have some solid roots.
I love living in the Pacific Northwest (even if I’m still adjusting to these endless, bleak, and dark winters). Spokane is strange and beautiful.
I’m writing Covvn with Jonna because we worked together, became obsessed with each other, and realized we shared a vision. We wanted to create something for women who are tired of doing things the “right” way and are ready to do things their own way. Jonna is a goddess and someone I admire so much. I can’t wait for you to get to know her. I’m sure you will love her as much as I do.
♊️ Meet Jonna!
Hi, I’m Jonna. Gemini Sun, Aquarius Moon, Leo Rising.
I’m 46, a mom of two incredible teens, and after years of building a career I’m proud of, in journalism, corporate communications, and public media, I’m now learning what it feels like to build something fully on my terms.
I started Covvn with Jade because we shared one big truth: we were tired of performing professionalism in rooms that weren’t built for us. Tired of contorting to be likable, easy to work with, “safe.” We wanted to stop shape-shifting and start showing up as ourselves, and we knew we weren’t alone.
So we built Covvn: a space for women navigating reinvention, leadership, boundaries, caregiving, and care of self, especially in a world that feels like it’s unraveling. We write because we believe storytelling is a radical act. And we believe women deserve to feel seen, heard, and valued, even in rooms that don’t always make space. I also write Neighboring (noticing everyday life and slow travel) and A Woman Was Here (tracing the legacy women leave behind, whether anyone’s watching or not).
Beyond Covvn, I’m a communicator, strategist, and brand storyteller. I help nonprofits and social-good ventures find their voice, grow up, glow up, and do better. I’ve lived abroad, written about travel, culture, and community, and I find magic in a great thrift store find or record store. I believe in the power of good parenting, good love, and good taste. And I believe the future is already here, it’s just being built quietly by women like you.
If you’re new here, say hi. Drop your big three, or tell me one thing you’re working on right now. I want to know who’s here. 💛
🌀 A Transition Ritual for Your Nervous System
Most of us have some kind of routine for starting the day.
Coffee, a shower, maybe your favorite podcast while you get ready.
Your brain knows: “Time to work.”
But what about ending the day, or ending any moment that leaves you buzzing, tense, or carrying more than you need to?
This is where a transition ritual comes in. It’s not complicated. It’s just a small practice that tells your nervous system: “That part is done. It’s safe to start something new.”
Mine is simple
When I get home, the shoes come off, a non-negotiable. I keep a good pair of slippers by the door. (I love finding a pair that feels just right. I invest in quality here.)
Next, I pour myself a big glass of ice water. Sometimes I’ll add lemon, mint, or cucumber; you can even freeze them into your ice.
Sometimes it’s a grounding scent: a diffuser or a quick mist. Sometimes it’s music, I’m a lo-fi person, so I’ll spin a record and let the day fade.
It’s quick. It works. It reminds me to unclench my jaw and stop holding on to whatever came before.
Ideas to build your own
You don’t need slippers and a diffuser.
You just need something repeatable, a clear line between “out there” and “in here.”
Drop your keys, badge, and phone in a bowl by the door.
Change clothes immediately. Pajamas at 5 PM? Perfect.
Take a rinse-off shower, not for hygiene, for your brain.
Light a candle or flip on a lamp you only use when you’re winding down.
Stand by the door, drop your shoulders, breathe for 10 seconds. That’s enough.
No big secret, just a signal
A transition ritual won’t fix a stressful day. But it does help you carry less of it.
Your nervous system deserves that. So do you.
Got one already? Tell me.
Looking for one? Try something tiny. Repeat it. Let your body know: We’re done with that part.
I’ll be over here in my slippers. 💛
✨ More Than a Newsletter
Covvn isn’t just a newsletter, it’s also a consulting firm and a growing digital apothecary. (Plus, we dream about opening a laundry mat/coffeeshop/co-working space someday).
Together, we’ve combined our backgrounds in fundraising, storytelling, strategy, communications, and leadership to offer 1:1 and organizational support for women-led nonprofits, small businesses, and purpose-driven projects.
Whether you're leading an organization, building something new, or standing at the edge of a big life pivot, we’re here to help you do it with clarity, intention, and integrity.
You can learn more at Covvn.com
With love and moonlight,
Covvn