In celebration of “Make Your Own Holiday” Day and prompted by Eli Pacheco of CoachDaddy, who is compiling new holiday suggestions, my new holiday is Believe In Your Better Self Day.

I don’t know where my propensity for negative self-talk originated from or why, but I seem to be way better at it than affirmations, which make me feel silly and embarrassed. Ergo, I need a Believe In Your Better Self Day, perhaps more than others.

My better self writes faster than I do. She cleans house more frequently, exercises and is more efficient and energetic and cheerful about it all. (Damn it!) She is my Dream Barbie in stylish clothes and a pink convertible, wearing a flamboyant head scarf and designer sunglasses with such élan that people stop to smile and wave. They shake their heads and wonder where she gets all that energy and zest for life.

Hmm. Perhaps that’s pushing things a bit too far, especially for a fifty-something homebody writer who is perfectly content in her favorite armless chair, laptop in place, a dog snoozing contentedly nearby, and the TV playing soft background music. Dream Barbie resembles the me of thirty years ago. But today, my better self will surface.

Better Self will write more than she did yesterday. She will stop procrastinating and continue compiling those dreaded tax records, even if it’s only for an hour. The recumbent bike isn’t pink, but I’ll climb into the seat and utilize my e-reader while trying to forget I’m exercising for health and energy, no head scarf needed. How’s that for efficiency, Dream Barbie?

Do you want to be a better friend/person/employee? Perhaps your Better Self is more athletic, tactful, patient or less judgmental. Imagine, if everyone, for just one day a year, decided to let out their Better Self! Even if it happens in small increments, I believe it would be contagious and one day would become two, then three . . .

What does your Better Self look like?