Welcome to 2019: Swearing-in, then cussing out

What are you expecting in this new year? Have you thought about it? I'm not talking about another resolution, although if that works for you, go for it. I'm talking about expectations, and I hope yours are not rooted in politicians or the political system because, if so, you've already lost.

Exhibit A is the ridiculous -- I searched for a better word, but, sorry, "ridiculous" was the best adjective I could come up with -- start of the new session of Congress: Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Democrat from Michigan, started her first day Thursday with a bang. Just hours after she was sworn in, she announced concerning President Donald Trump, "We're gonna go in and impeach the motherf***er!" Interior monologue: Did she just cuss out the president?!

Hmmm ... Remember when you started a new job and walked into the place with loud and obnoxious declarations of what you were going to do -- using language the newspaper headlines would have had to disguise? You made sure everyone heard you coming and going, and you put your potty mouth on display for all to hear, right? Me, neither -- as they say. But it's a new day.

Most of us actually tippy-toe our way into a new job. It doesn't matter if we're showing up to run a corporate office, teach on a college campus or flip and broil hamburgers. We just want to get through that first day -- week, even -- without any major mishaps, without burning down the joint. Well, Tlaib apparently didn't get the memo.

It amazes me that this passes for cute or acceptable. It's neither. It's, well, ridiculous. It's no less ridiculous that Trump responds with insults to every criticism he receives. I'm not going to be partisan about it. Whether you are on the left or the right, these behaviors are not beneficial and do nothing to advance the cause for which people were elected. On the contrary, they make folks look small, immature, petty and insecure. I'm all about passionate exchanges, holding your ground, standing up for what you believe in. But the way we do it matters -- and we've lost our way. So if your hope has been resting in politics, it's time you found your rest somewhere else.

So what are your 2019 expectations? It's going to be an amazing year; I believe that and am declaring that. What are you believing and declaring? Do you have a plan to grow? Do you have goals? Do you have a fire inside that you are ready to run with? Or are you just tuning in to Fox News or CNN for your latest reason to get riled up or tamped down? Are you finding hope in promises to destroy a...you know, "motherf***er"?

Politics-schmolitics! No expectations there. I'm expecting, rather, God's grace and help as I make changes in my life. I actually started shortly before the new year -- working on intentionality in specific areas. First, I don't get enough sleep, and I know rest is important. I also know exercise is important, not just for weight loss -- though I certainly need that! -- but for overall wellness, and that has taken a back seat the last few months. I also am committed to prayer in the morning. I need to exercise in the morning, but I'm not willing to sacrifice prayer time to do it. So my challenge was getting all of that to come together, and I created a plan. I have to put things in writing. Doing that makes it real for me. So I made a schedule. It's tight, but it's necessary. It includes the times each day I need to hit the sack. That's the hardest part for me because I can easily stay up until 2 or 3 a.m. working on something. But I cannot do that and do what I have now committed to doing. I must get rest so I can get up and get going. So what do I do now? I get up even earlier -- which is very early -- take care of my pets, get to the gym, get back home, shower -- and start work. And this all has to go down before 7 a.m. The more rest I get, the better able I am to do this.

My expectation is that I will be healthier, happier, whole, and -- pretty please, Lord! -- half my size! Well, not half, but ya know! I've failed before, but that's no excuse not to try again. I've also succeeded before.

That's just some of what I expect this year. I encourage you to list your expectations also. Write them down, hang them up, walk them out. Even if you don't hit the mark every time, you'll still hit it more than you would without expectations and without a plan. Folks like Tlaib, well, they may be entertaining, but they're not going to help you become the best person you can be. President Trump is not your answer, either. I look to God's strength, His rest, and the wholeness He offers as I walk forward in 2019. What about you?

Adrienne Ross is owner of Adrienne Ross Communications and a former Southeast Missourian editorial board member. Contact her at aross@semissourian.com.