Becoming That Girl: Junk Journaling and Collage Inspiration Using Your “Best Possible Self” (BPS) Intervention
What does your best possible self look like to you, and what would she create today? This guided journaling exercise blends intention with artistic play through envisioning your ideal version of yourself. Think big goals to little details - it’s all included. Read on.
What is the “Best Possible Self” Intervention Practice?
What if you could meet the future version of yourself — the one who figured it out?
She’s living with intention. She’s made the big moves, followed what felt right, and built a life that feels good inside and out. The Best Possible Self exercise is about connecting with that version of you - the best version. And the version of you who’s you right now is reverse-engineering how she got there.
Originally developed in positive psychology, this simple journaling practice invites you to:
Visualize your ideal self
Imagine your life if everything went as well as it possibly could
Write about it in intense detail — from the big things like habits, routines, relationships, work, and joy to the finite details like outward appearance, ownership of specific items, etc.
And here’s the fun part: studies have shown that doing this can actually help you get there. (I won’t get into manifestation in this article… but more on that in the future). The Best Possible Self Intervention Practice boosts optimism, clarifies your goals, and gives your brain a motivating picture to move toward.
Why It Works
It’s rooted in science (props to psychology researchers)
It helps you shift focus from what’s wrong to what’s possible
It turns vague goals into something you can see and feel
But what if you’re not just a writer — you’re a maker?
If your self-expression leans more toward layered paper maximalism, eclectic ephemera, and creating color palettes, this practice becomes even more powerful when you bring it into your junk journal.
In this post, I’ll show you how to turn the Best Possible Self exercise into a creative journaling spread - one that feels intuitive, and inspiring, and lets your “best self” vision board come to life on page.
Why the Best Possible Self Exercise Is Perfect for Your Artsy Self
If you’re the person who processes life visually, you might make a lot of lists, doodle often, or map out your thoughts when you’re feeling that brain-clutter come on. If that’s you, the traditional write-it-in-a-notebook version of this exercise might feel a little... flat.
Good news: it doesn’t have to be.
The Best Possible Self practice is a natural fit for creatives and visual thinkers because it taps into the same skills you already use when you make something from nothing — unbounded creativity, storytelling, intuition, and trust in the process.
Here’s why this practice works beautifully for artists and journalers:
You already think in layers. Your art tells stories. So does this exercise.
It’s a vision board, but more personal. You’re not just cutting out aesthetic aspirational images — you’re building a life, one layered aspect at a time.
It honors your intuition. The version of you you’re visualizing? She’s already part of you. Let her speak in images as much as words.
It turns mindset work into creative play. Less pressure, more possibility. (Plus - I’m a big believer in doing more creative things more often).
In short: if you’ve ever made a vision board (popularized in the early 2000s) or a junk journal page that felt like you, you already know how to do this. Now we’re just giving it a more finite direction.
Tips to Get Started With Your Best Self Spread
Layout Ideas
Two-page mirror:
Left page: Where I am now
Right page: Where I’m going
Timeline style:
Map out milestones between today and your best future self.
Symbolic collage:
Use imagery, color, and found text to represent emotions, goals, and transformations
Envelope or flap spreads:
Tuck dreams, affirmations, or private hopes into little pockets
Journal Prompts to Get You Started
Use these to spark reflection as you create — you can write them directly on the page, or just let them guide your process:
“In five (or ten or twenty or thirty or however many!) years, I wake up and…”
“Three habits that helped me get here are…”
“My best possible self feels like…”
“I feel most like myself when I’m…”
“What surprised me most on the journey was…”
“Here’s what I had to let go of to be her…”
Media to Play With
Magazine clippings that feel true to your self
Handwritten affirmations or quotes - best directly from the inspirational source (you)!
Photos (real or aspirational)
Swatches of fabric, packaging, or textures to create a mood
Paint or markers for color mapping mood + energy
There’s no pressure to be literal. Your best possible self might not need a job title or an address — maybe she’s a certain vibe, a palette, or a new way of moving through the world.
Why This Practice Matters in 2025 and Beyond
Starting is often the hardest part - but this isn’t about perfection. It’s about creating a space where your future self can take shape, one layer at a time. One of my favorite quotes is “Make it exist first, and you can make it good later.” Remember that this can be a first draft. It can be revisited.
Here are a few tips to help you get into the flow:
1. Gather with Intention - Before you start gluing things down, spend a little time pulling materials that feel tts (true-to-self) Think:
Colors or textures that iniate a feeling of excitement or joy within you
Magazine clippings or found text (printed quotes or poems, even) that speak to your values
Photos, stamps, or ephemera that hint at the life you want
Let your instincts lead and don’t overthink it.
2. Set the Mood - Part visualization and part creation. Make it a moment by elevating the experience:
Light a candle
Put on music that feels like your “best self soundtrack.” - I’ve been into French pop lately - but that’s just me
Grab your favorite tea or treat
Let it be immersive - put away your phone
3. Embrace Layers and Symbols - Your future self doesn’t have to be organized in the traditional narrative or list-like ways of thinking. Let her reveal herself in:
Layers of paper
Repeating colors or patterns
Unexpected connections between images and words
Sometimes the symbolism will make sense later — and that’s okay.
4. Don’t Aim for Final. Aim for True. This isn’t your five-year plan. It’s a soft, sensory map of what matters to you.
You can revisit and revise it
You don’t have to know all the answers
Let it be a work in progress — just like you
5. Set a Revisit Date. Tape a tiny note in the corner: “Open again in 6 months.” You might be surprised by what’s shifted since you worked on it last and what stayed the same.
I was surprised to look back on a vision board I made in January to find that I had included so many nods to projects I’m currently working on that I hadn’t even thought of at that time. They already existed within me.
In Short:
The world moves fast — and so much of it tries to pull us in every direction at once. It’s easy to lose track of what we actually want. Not what we should want. Not what we’re supposed to chase. But what feels good, aligned, and deeply ours.
That’s why this kind of practice feels especially valuable right now.
The Best Possible Self exercise offers a moment of quiet clarity — a space to ask:
What kind of life am I building?
Who am I becoming?
What’s actually worth my time, energy, and imagination?
And when you bring those questions into a creative space (like your junk journal) they become more than just thoughts. They become tangible artifacts. Evidence that you were here.
This practice matters because:
It centers your voice and values in a noisy digital world
It gives you something visual and visceral to return to
It’s an act of forward-thinking
Cheers to you in your season of transition, your ambition of setting new goals, or your search for something more grounded and intentional. My message to you is that your best possible self is already within reach. She just needs a page to land on.
Happy junk journaling and ~ trinket on ~ xoxo - Jam
Wanna Get Exclusive Spread Ideas?
I’m launching The Little Object Files May of 2025!
The Little Object Files is a dreamy 5-page digital PDF download, lovingly curated around May’s monthly theme (think Summer Picnic Vibes)—designed to spark inspiration and joy around junk journaling. Perfect for junk journalers of all experience levels—whether you’re a seasoned sticker-layerer or just discovering the joy of tiny scissors. Inside:
2 Exclusive Spread Ideas (you won’t find them on my blog)
1 Page of Journal Prompts
A 1-Page Monthly Themed Junk Journaling Scavenger Hunt
Either 1 Page of Tips & Tricks or 1 Page of Printable Collage Items
Get on the waitlist to be notified:
My Junk Journal Must-Haves List
P.S. If you want to shop my amazon list of items I bought for my junk journal, it is here.
