What Now?
First, we reset.
Reset.
Verb: to set again or anew
You did it. You made it through to the other side. You did the hard thing and you made the sacrifices to fight for our democracy. And here you are. Sometimes, making it through feels exhilarating, intoxicating, life-altering in the best way possible. And sometimes, making it through means just that, you made it, you survived. Whether you were on a campaign that was successful or not last week, or whether you’re continuing in the same political work you’ve been doing for a while, for a lot of us, there is still an overwhelming sense of loss and fear about what comes next. Wherever you are now is ok. Whatever you are feeling, or not feeling, is ok. You’re not alone here.
I have “made it through” more campaigns than I care to count or admit, and win or lose, coming out the other side can often feel like yet another “thing” to overcome. After my first campaign I really struggled. I felt like my world went from being really big and really important, and connected to humanity in a way I had never experienced before, to almost overnight, being really small and pretty insignificant, and really disconnected. It felt like whiplash. I was in the trenches with some of the most amazing people I'd ever met, and then I was alone. The campaign office packed up and everyone headed back to their own corners of the country.
You’ve gone through one of the most intense experiences of your life, and seemingly overnight it ends. And unfortunately, the gravity of this particular election is not one without significance for millions. This one is harder. Carries more weight. You might be feeling disoriented, possibly a little hungover, definitely emotionally hungover, and whether it was last week, or today, or tomorrow, you’ll start to ask yourself “now what.”
Here’s the good news. You’re here. Whether you complete every exercise and join every call or simply reflect on the questions and readings when you feel inspired to do so, you are making the bold choice of prioritizing yourself after months and months of putting your country first (thank you for that by the way). And if we are to continue this great experiment of democracy, we need your whole self healthy and ready for whatever comes next.
This week is about resetting. It is about starting anew, and you can’t move through something until you see what you have to move through and make the decision to do it!
So here’s the deal. I’m going to pose a series of questions for you to respond to, write it, say it, think it, process however feels right in the moment. There is no “right” answer, simply the effort of asking the question will provide insights you may not be aware you have. The questions will start out short and easy, and then go a little deeper for those of you who are ready to go there. If you’re not, feel free to put them aside and come back later when you are. Don’t overthink these - answer with the first thing that comes to mind. The goal here is to “put the fish on the table,” to quote one of my favorite authors on leadership, George Kohlreiser (and if you haven’t read his book, Hostage at the Table, read it and then text me so we can talk about it!)
Let’s warm up a bit:
How are you feeling right now? (first word that comes to mind)
Did you sleep last night? (yes/no)
Have you called or connected with a loved one outside of the campaign world?
When thinking back to Election Day. I woke up feeling _____ and went to bed feeling _____.
Last night I went to bed feeling _____ and woke up feeling _____.
For those who are new to this work:
What made you jump into this cycle?
Was it what you expected? (yes/no)
In what ways was it different than you expected? In what ways was it what you expected (if any)?
For not-your-first-rodeo operatives:
How did you show up differently this cycle than you have in previous cycles? Was it intentional?
Where did you grow the most during this cycle?
Going a bit deeper:
Is there a decision you made that you wished you would have made differently?
This doesn’t have to be some big strategic one. Maybe it was an interaction with a staffer or volunteer when you were exhausted that didn’t end the way you wanted it to, or maybe it was not preparing for a canvass launch that left you and others feeling unnecessarily stressed. Regardless of what it was, what did you learn about yourself in making that decision? How would you handle the situation differently now?
What was your biggest challenge this cycle and how did you overcome it?
What feelings of stress are still coming up for you? How are you currently coping with those feelings?
Rounding out with joy:
Pull out your phone and find a picture you took during this election cycle that makes you smile. Share it with someone who was there or knows the context.
Think about a funny moment during this experience. Where were you? Who were you with? How did it make you feel?
During GOTV on my first campaign, I gave a training (which I had no business doing by the way) to 150 volunteers who had signed up to drive vans for out of state volunteers. I delivered the training, quite masterfully I'm sure, and then went to sit on a box in front of the room only to find the box empty… and my ass landed right on the floor… it was… amazing (and humbling).
Who helped / supported you the most during the cycle and how did they support you?
This could be a colleague, boss, volunteer, friend or family. In what ways did they show up for you?
What are you most proud of and why?
What are two things you’ll miss most about this experience?
More about Michelle Kleppe-Wellde:
Michelle is currently the Managing Director and Chief Strategy & Programs Officer at Zinc Collective - a Democratic organization that focuses on recruiting, developing and retaining diverse talent and addressing gaps in a technologically-enabled Democratic ecosystem.
Michelle is a seasoned political strategist and professional with experience and expertise in local, state, and national political and advocacy campaigns with a focus on organizational development and executive management.
Previously, Michelle served as Chief Political Advisor to Congressman Seth Moulton and as the Executive Director of Serve America PAC and as a Senior Advisor for Mayor Pete Buttigeig’s campaign for President in Iowa and New Hampshire.
In addition to these experiences, Michelle served as Principal at 270 Strategies. Michelle got her start in electoral politics working for President Obama in several roles in the battleground state of Wisconsin (both in 2008 and 2012), worked as a Director on Terry McAuliffe’s successful Gubernatorial race in 2013, and advised Senator Shaheen’s re-election campaign in 2014. She led the Organizing Team for Hillary Clinton’s historical 2016 Iowa Caucus win and culminated her candidate work as the National Organizing Director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign.
Michelle currently resides in Raleigh, NC with her husband, Tripp, and her three children, Caroline George, and Teddy. You can contact her via her LinkedIn or at her email: Michelle.KleppeWellde@gmail.com
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Love these prompts. The wake up feelings are so real right now. And making the space to remember the truly joyful moments over the past many months was just what was needed. Thank you.