How to find self-love in under 20 minutes

Between work, friends, family, and the spin class that you’re somehow always five minutes late for, it seems like there’s never any time for you.

But what if all it took was 20 minutes—no matter where or when you could fit it in—to show yourself a little love?

Lynne Goldberg, founder of mindfulness app OMG, I Can Meditate, knows it better than anyone else (juggling a growing business and a family is no small feat). “I used to meditate in my bathroom—it was the only room that had a door that I could lock,” she says with a laugh.

What’s self-love? Quieting the voices inside your head that tell you that you aren’t good enough, pretty enough, strong enough—and shutting them up for good.

On the app, Goldberg—and her incredibly soothing voice—leads you through countless practical meditations targeting everything from dealing with infuriating bosses to embracing change. For Valentine’s Day she wants to help you give yourself the best gift there is. No, not cacao truffles. We’re talking self-love. Quieting the voices inside your head that tell you that you aren’t good enough, pretty enough, strong enough—and shutting them up for good.

“We have to give ourselves permission to replace that dialogue,” Goldberg explains. “Self-love is all about cutting yourself some slack.” The best part about being kind to yourself is that it often translates into being kind to others, too; friendships and relationships will benefit, notes Goldberg. “Being able to extend love comes from a place of self-love.”

So find a quiet place to sit (anywhere is fine—yes, even the bathroom at your office, as Goldberg can attest to), hit “play” on the guided meditation below that Goldberg made exclusively for us, and then—in the spirit of Valentine’s Day—treat yourself to loads of self-love. —Willa Tellekson-Flash

What next? Here’s how to make meditation a habit you won’t break.

(Photos: Stocksy/Trinette Reed, OMG, I Can Meditate)