Mindful Mondays · January 5, 2026
Rules for Being Human
Over the years, I’ve come across a list called the 12 Rules for Being Human by Chérie Carter-Scott many times. It recently reappeared in my life just when I needed these reminders most. While the list itself is modern, the ideas it offers echo timeless spiritual teachings and wisdom long explored within ancient Sanskrit traditions. This list is offered […]
Over the years, I’ve come across a list called the 12 Rules for Being Human by Chérie Carter-Scott many times. It recently reappeared in my life just when I needed these reminders most. While the list itself is modern, the ideas it offers echo timeless spiritual teachings and wisdom long explored within ancient Sanskrit traditions.
This list is offered not as a set of rigid rules, but as gentle reminders for being human:
- You will receive a body.
- You will learn lessons.
- There are no mistakes, only lessons.
- A lesson is repeated until it is learned.
- Learning does not end.
- “There” is no better than “here.”
- Others are merely mirrors of you.
- What you make of your life is up to you.
- Life is exactly what you think it is.
- Your answers lie inside you.
- You will forget all of this.
- You can remember it whenever you want.
Each of these ideas reflects lessons explored within yogic philosophy and lived human experience. They invite us to meet ourselves honestly where we are, and to remember what we often forget when life feels overwhelming.
Notice if one of these ideas calls to you more than the others. Sit with it, not as something to fix or perfect, but as a gentle reflection on your relationship with yourself. Allow it to support quiet growth in ordinary moments.
Inspire | “The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” Marcus Aurelius
Read | The House in the Cerulean Sea, by T.J. Klune, is a tender, imaginative story that invites us to soften our assumptions and lead with compassion. Through magic and wonder, it gently explores fear, prejudice, and belonging, reminding us how small acts of care can quietly reshape our inner and outer worlds. I really enjoyed this book, and I hope you do too.
Try This | If you’re feeling a bit stressed, take a moment in a standing forward fold. Let gravity take over as you allow your head to hang heavy. Deepen your breath. With a soft bend in the knees, tension may begin to release almost without effort. Stay for a few slow breaths and notice how your mind turns inward, creating space for calm and ease. When you’re ready to come out, rise slowly and pause in stillness before moving on with your day.
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