5 life lessons to take away from Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha

It’s okay to get lost or take the long route every now and then. Every time that happened, life took me on an interesting ride.

- Seong-hyeon, episode 5
We live in a world where we are expected to plan every single month, week, and day of our lives. Sometimes, things don’t end up according to plan, and it may feel like the end of the world. But it isn’t. Those are the times when we just have to go with the flow and see where life takes us instead.

What we’re celebrating is the fact that you worked hard. To me, that’s more important than the prize itself.

- Hwa-jeong, episode 12
Sometimes all we want to hear from our family members, friends and colleague is “Good job!” or “You’ve worked hard!”. After all, it can be demoralising to have worked hard yet unable to achieve the result that you wanted. As the saying goes, “the journey is more important than the destination”. Instead of focusing solely on results, learn to celebrate your efforts, as well as the attitude and discipline behind them -- that’s what makes you a successful person.

Look around yourself closely, and you’ll realise that you’re surrounded by many precious things. Every day is full of so much excitement, as if I’m going on a picnic the next day.

- Gam-ri, episode 15
We are used to fast-paced lives, always thinking about what to do next and worrying about the future that we often end up overlooking the present. Since the pandemic started, we've been glued to our screens much more than usual. You deserve a break. Put your phone away, cast your worries aside, and take in the present.

“I thought that my mom would stay in my life for a long time. So I kept putting off seeing her because I thought there’d be plenty of chances. But there aren’t any left.”

- Gam-ri’s son, episode 16
Life can bring about many unexpected things, both good and bad. You’ll meet new people and also lose some people. Keep your loved ones close, and send a message to those you haven’t spoken to in a while. In this digitally connected age, there are many opportunities to stay in touch. Make the effort to connect with the important people in your life, before it’s too late.

You know, they say that if you lose a loved one, you should mourn plenty. If not, or else, the grief travels all through your body and it bursts later.

- Hye-jin, episode 16
ICYDK, bottling up your emotions is not a healthy coping mechanism. It’s perfectly normal to cry and grieve or just be sad in general. Be kind enough to allow yourself to express your emotions in ways that are cathartic for you. These emotions are what make us human, and nothing to be ashamed about. It’s okay to not be okay --your mental health should always come first.