By Zishan Jiwani (Ph.D. Candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Nona Kiknadze (Ph.D. Candidate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Miami)
As a student, you’ve likely come to the realization that this time in life can be both a source of growth and a test of endurance. Juggling classes, part-time jobs, financial stress, and the pressure to keep up socially can make you feel like you’re moving from deadline to deadline without much space to breathe. However, in the midst of these challenges, this time is also an opportunity to practice meeting difficulties with compassion and understanding.
Many educators and researchers are turning their attention to helping students build on their strengths instead of only focusing on preventing burnout or treating mental health struggles. The idea is simple: when students develop skills like mindfulness, compassion, and emotional awareness, they’re better equipped to handle challenges and thrive. Studies show interventions that help cultivate these qualities can improve student mental health and even support better academic performance (Hirshberg et al., 2022; Jiwani et al., 2026).
You have probably heard the word “mindfulness” thrown around quite a bit lately, from wellness initiatives to academic courses. The Healthy Minds Framework refers to mindfulness as a skill that helps you build awareness. A mindfulness practice often includes meditation, a short, repeatable mental training activity that builds a skill over time through repetition. One ancient practice takes the concept further, extending it from the mind into qualities of “the heart” that can be practiced.
The Brahmavihāras, or “Divine Abodes,” are described in early Buddhist texts as four qualities of the heart. These practices are inner places where the heart can rest, and they are called abodes because they represent enduring qualities, not temporary moods. The four traits are:
-
Metta (Loving-Kindness): Goodwill in ordinary encounters
-
Karuna (Compassion): Meeting suffering with care
-
Mudita (Sympathetic Joy): Rejoicing in others’ happiness
-
Upekkha (Equanimity): Staying steady through change
The Brahmavihāras remind us that wellbeing doesn’t come from eliminating stress, but from changing how we meet it. When we practice kindness, compassion, joy, and balance in small moments—like wishing a friend well or taking a quiet pause between classes—we cultivate habits of mind that nurture lasting health and wellbeing.
Four Practices for Students to Try
Learning more about Brahmavihāras and engaging in these simple practices can offer a simple place to start cultivating more wellbeing in your everyday life.
Metta (Loving-Kindness)
Loving-kindness is the sincere wish for the happiness and wellbeing of all beings, including oneself. In an academic environment, this might mean extending goodwill not only toward close friends but also towards difficult roommates or that one professor who gave you a disappointing grade. The practice involves cultivating unconditional care that isn’t transactional, where you aren’t looking to get anything from another person in return. The goal of the practice is to grow your capacity for this kind of love.
A simple practice: Close your eyes and bring to mind a loved one, someone with whom you don’t have too much conflict at the moment (this can even be a beloved pet!). Try to hold their image clearly in your mind for as long as possible—imagining how this being looks and how you feel toward them. Notice how it feels to hold this love for another being, and what shows up in your body and mind. You may feel some warmth in your heart as you do so. Now, send this being some good wishes. You can say traditional metta words of kindness in your mind (e.g., “May you be happy”, “May you be peaceful” etc.), or you can make up your own words that convey your love. After spending some time with this practice, you may choose to extend the same feelings of kindness towards someone who evokes more neutral or difficult feelings.
The extended practice invites you to explore whether the warmth and compassion cultivated toward a loved one can be extended toward those less easy to love.
Karuna (Compassion):
Compassion practice involves opening the heart in response to suffering in oneself or others. In a world of endless distractions, students often mask homesickness, social rejection, or imposter syndrome by avoiding the feelings underneath. Brief avoidance can be adaptive, but sustained avoidance is linked to higher depression and stress (Holahan et al., 2005). Compassion moves in the other direction. Compassion intentionally moves away from avoidance and opens our heart to suffering. Though this may seem counterintuitive, as the saying goes, “You can’t heal what you won’t face.”
A simple practice: When you are facing difficulty, the first step is to acknowledge it: “This is a tough moment.” Then name what you are feeling: “sad”, “lonely”, “afraid”. Recognize that you are probably not the only one feeling this, and feeling this is an aspect of our common humanity. (e.g., “Other students also feel this,” or “Part of being human involves experiencing difficulty.”) Finally, offer some kindness to yourself through both thoughts: “May I be free from this suffering,” or “May I cultivate the strength to deal with this situation.”) or actions (perhaps taking a break from work or doing some self-care.)
Also check out this great compassion practice from Kristen Neff of the Self-Compassion Institute, and this kindness practice from the Healthy Minds Program app by Humin.
Mudita (Sympathetic Joy)
This Brahmavihāra speaks directly to the envy you might feel at some point. Maybe a friend lands a coveted internship, or you get a C while someone else gets an A. Envy is common, and sometimes even encouraged, in competitive academic environments. A recent longitudinal study found envy is especially common among young people and predicts mental health both now and later (Mujcic & Oswald, 2018). The practice of mudita is a powerful way to counter these feelings
A simple practice: Close your eyes and think of someone who recently had something good happen, maybe a friend who got a great opportunity. Try to imagine the happiness they felt when they first found out. See if you can join them there by bringing thoughts like, “I’m so happy for them”, and “They’ll learn so much”. It might feel a little fake at first. That’s okay! With practice, the joy in other people’s good fortune becomes genuine.
Upekkha (Equanimity)
Equanimity is the quality of remaining balanced and steady amid life’s ups and downs. For example, this may show up on those days when you’re exhausted and rushing to class, only to have someone cut in front of you and take the parking spot you were waiting for. Your body reacts instantly—a surge of anger, a tightening in your jaw, a quickened heartbeat. Maybe you want to yell or gesture in frustration. In an already stressful day, moments like this may feel like the final straw.
Equanimity is not about suppressing emotion or pretending everything is fine; rather, it is the calm clarity that allows us to respond with intention. By observing without judgment, we create room for perspective and choice in our response. Research indicates that equanimity can help buffer the impact of stress and protect mental health (Wongpakaran et al., 2021).
A simple practice: Take a slow breath and silently note what you feel (e.g., “Anger is here,” or “Frustration is here”). See if you can observe these sensations as passing experiences, not as something you must fix or fight. In this small pause, notice that space opens up. Perhaps a gentler thought appears that leads to some perspective-taking (e.g.,“I’m doing my best,” or “Maybe they’re rushing, too.”). With practice, this pause becomes easier to find. Through cultivating equanimity, we learn to stay grounded even when our circumstances feel overwhelming.
At their core, these practices teach us that wellbeing is science-backed and can be trained and strengthened. Whether through a moment of loving-kindness, a pause of equanimity in a frustrating situation, or sharing in a friend’s joy or sorrow, the Brahmavihāras offer a path toward wellbeing—one intentional moment at a time.
