This Cancún Resort Helped Get Me Out of My Comfort Zone and Face My Fear of Failure

Let me begin off by saying: I hate being unhealthy at issues. If I am not instantly good at one thing new, my intestine intuition is to by no means do it once more. All through my life, I’ve began and stop so many actions—ballet, gymnastics, diving, horseback driving—and instructed myself it was as a result of I’m an individual who merely will get bored too simply. I believe this angle has one thing to do with “being a pleasure to have at school” all all through faculty; I acquired good grades, by no means acquired in bother, and the whole lot got here fairly simply to me. Failure simply wasn’t one thing I used to be accustomed to.

Relaxation assured, I have been engaged on adjusting this inflexible mind-set (shout out to my therapist), and after I was invited to remain at Ava Resort Cancún in Mexico for his or her grand opening, I knew I might be offended with myself if I did not reap the benefits of some new-to-me actions they needed to provide. Positive, sitting by the pool all day is beautiful—and unimaginable to fail at—however I needed to place my remedy expertise to the check. My purpose: Strive issues I’ve by no means completed earlier than, and really be okay with not being good on the primary go.

However first, a bit about Ava Resort Cancún 

Ava Resort Cancún is an all-inclusive, five-star resort that lately opened in October 2024. It’s positioned in Cancún, Quintana Roo, Mexico, proper on the Caribbean Sea and solely a 10-minute drive from Cancún Worldwide Airport. An Ava shuttle was ready for me on the airport after I landed, however any visitor can prepare transportation companies by the resort.

The property has 1,700 rooms, all of which have oceanfront views (sure, actually). When reserving, you possibly can select from three choices, with costs beginning at $600 USD on the time of publishing:

• Oceanfront king or queen room ($600/night time):Includes a king mattress or two queen visitor rooms, a spa-inspired lavatory, and a personal terrace with a small spa tub.
• Ava Gala Suite ($1,900/night time): Options two bedrooms, two double beds, a lounge, a workspace, a grasp bathtub, and a personal terrace.
• Ava Penthouse Suite ($2,500/night time): Includes a main bedroom with a walk-in closet and personal terrace, a second bed room with a personal terrace, two loos, a lounge and kitchen, and a important terrace with a 6-person spa tub.

I used to be in an oceanfront king room for 4 nights, which featured the above facilities. Whereas on the costly aspect, it was truthfully precisely what I might count on for $600 an evening—higher than any Hilton or Marriott I’ve stayed in. The non-public terrace overlooking the Caribbean Sea actually sealed the deal for me. Even if you happen to had been to spend the entire day lounging in mattress (which I definitely didn’t), you continue to really feel such as you’re in Mexico, because of the large sliding glass door to the terrace the place you possibly can nonetheless see the seashore.

First up, a breathwork class

Should you’re not acquainted, breathwork workout routines contain a mixture of deep and shallow respiration, normally at quick paces, with breath holds in between. As a result of the sort of breathwork prompts your parasympathetic nervous system—which is liable for enjoyable your physique, per the Cleveland Clinic—it’s supposed to assist calm you down. (LOL at me being anxious about attempting one thing meant to be soothing.)

Our teacher, Ben Smith, a licensed breathwork and efficiency coach, had us lie face up on our yoga mats and placed on eye masks to create a little bit of sensory deprivation (analysis¹ has proven sensory deprivation will help cut back stress, melancholy, anxiousness, and ache). Not going to lie, I used to be instantly uncomfortable. And despite the fact that Smith saved repeating that it did not matter how foolish we appeared or felt, I could not assist however really feel like I might be judged for the subsequent hour, despite the fact that nobody may even see me.

Subsequent, EDM music started blasting—I may really feel the bass pulsing in my physique. Quickly, Smith started taking quick, deep stomach breaths that we needed to comply with together with. It was arduous to maintain up with, and because the breaths acquired quicker, I assumed I used to be going to hyperventilate. I knew I needed to cease considering a lot.

However then I remembered I used to be exterior on a terrace dealing with the ocean—and whereas I couldn’t see it at that second, smelling the salty water and feeling the cool breeze snapped me out of panic. It was a way more calming environment than, say, a exercise studio in a landlocked U.S. state. At a sure level, I actually did let go of any intrusive ideas and forgot about how awkward I felt.

We spent the previous couple of minutes of sophistication in corpse pose (Savasana) letting our respiration get again to regular. In my very own darkish little world, I felt the calmest I had in a very long time. (Significantly, I had a spa session the day earlier than and did not even really feel as relaxed afterward as I did after the breathwork class.) After we took our eye masks off, I had tears in my eyes—certain, most of it was from how brilliant it was with out the masks, however there was a small a part of me that felt so moved and adjusted.

Then, taking a category with Julianne Hough (yep, that Julianne Hough)

Should you’re like me, you in all probability keep in mind watching Julianne Hough on Dancing With the Stars within the mid-2000s. Now, she has her personal exercise technique known as Kinrgy, a dance class that comes with components of power coaching, yoga, and meditation.

Hough taught this class particularly for the resort’s grand opening, and it was on the identical terrace overlooking the ocean the place the breathwork class had been held. Sadly, this additionally meant I’d be sweating profusely, because it was 80 levels and humid (although the offered chilly towels and cucumber water helped a tiny bit).

I used to be intimidated as hell to take this class. The considered dancing in the identical area as an expert genuinely made me need to again out on the final second, but it surely was too cool of a chance to cross up. So in I went, taking a spot towards the center of the pack.

Hough started the category by demonstrating just a few key strikes that will be repeated all through and had us comply with alongside. Regardless of her going by them slowly, I wasn’t selecting them up as quick as I needed to, which I knew could be a difficulty once we did the strikes for actual. As I appeared round, most individuals appeared like they had been naturals. Nice, they’re in all probability me like I don’t belong, I assumed. Cue the anxiousness.

When the music turned on and we formally acquired began, the primary few sequences had been tough for me. It felt as if my limbs and mind weren’t linked as I went from one transfer to the subsequent, all the time off by a beat or two. However surprisingly (or possibly unsurprisingly), the identical factor occurred right here because it did within the breathwork class: Someplace between a grapevine step and a hip thrust, I finished caring how I used to be being perceived. I used to be letting myself have enjoyable, and I felt like a child once more.

Towards the top of the session, we stopped dancing and Hough had us shut our eyes and take into consideration the whole lot we had been grateful for in our lives. The tune “Rise Up” by Andra Day was taking part in within the background (if you realize, you realize), and once we all opened our eyes, there wasn’t a dry eye within the class. I went from feeling awkward and embarrassed to feeling such a connection to a bunch of strangers (a mixture of resort company and people specifically invited to Ava’s opening) in actually 60 minutes—one thing I did not suppose could be attainable, and it would not have been if I might sat the category out like I initially needed to.

Having fun with the super-expansive meals choice

One factor I had no reservations about on this journey? Consuming. The resort’s all-inclusive nature means limitless meals and drinks all through the entire resort for all company, no matter which room you select. There are informal buffets, ice cream outlets, taco stations (really the perfect tacos I’ve ever had), poolside meals and beverage service, and 17 advantageous eating eating places (solely open for dinner) that supply cuisines like Mexican, Italian, Mediterranean, Japanese, French, and extra. Enjoyable truth: All of the cooks had been skilled by high cooks from world wide—and it exhibits.

Exploring the resort’s actions

Despite the fact that I traveled on my own, I genuinely suppose that Ava Resort Cancún could be nice for households and solo vacationers alike. There are six swimming pools—one which’s adults-only—with three swim-up bars, non-public cabanas, deck chairs, sunbeds, and lounge chairs. There’s additionally the Ava Bay, a 2.8-acre artifical physique of water on property the place you are able to do water actions like crusing, paddle boarding, and kayaking.

If you wish to break up your poolside lounging, there’s a free gymnasium and some actions you will must pay additional for:

• A full-service spa
• A golf couse
• Laser tag
• Bowling
• Arcade video games

There are additionally free youngsters and youths golf equipment on web site the place they’ll make mates and you’ll have some alone time. To not point out, you possibly can ebook non-public or group excursions exterior the resort (for an added price) to see the ruins of Chichén Itzá, go scuba diving, swim with dolphins, do a jungle tour, and extra. Sadly, I didn’t get to do any of this as a result of brief time frame I used to be there and an already-packed schedule of occasions *in* the resort, however I completely would have completed all the above if I had the time.

A number of notes

Whereas my keep at Ava Resort Cancún was really beautiful, I do have just a few notes that may be useful to contemplate earlier than visiting. The primary is the resort’s location. Whereas it has simple airport entry, it’s greater than a 30-minute drive from Cancún’s central “resort zone” and downtown space. This implies it’s robust to discover the eating places, bars, and golf equipment town has to supply, as you’d must pay for a cab or Uber to get there, so it has the potential to really feel isolating if you happen to’re there for a protracted time frame.

This leads me to the truth that due to the resort’s location, the seashore isn’t nearly as good of high quality because the others within the resort zone. My shuttle driver from the airport stated to keep away from going within the ocean as a result of it’s extra “swampy” than the opposite seashores in Cancún. (Therefore the artifical bay I discussed earlier.) So you possibly can stroll alongside the seashore, however that is just about it.

I additionally discovered there wasn’t a lot to do within the resort itself, until you may have excursions booked or need to pay additional for the spa, golf, bowling, laser tag, or arcade video games. However when it comes to leisure, exhibits, or reside music, you’d want to depart the resort to search out it. So though there’s positively stuff to maintain you occupied, I might say that Ava could be very a lot a resort for individuals who want a break from life and need to principally simply lounge round.

Last ideas

Whereas I’m not inherently an all-inclusive resort girlie—I’d somewhat sightsee by myself in a much less extravagant manner and never be confined to at least one area—I nonetheless had a good time and suggest it to anybody in search of an expensive getaway who desires to loosen up by the pool with a taco and margarita in hand.

The resort is unquestionably on the costly aspect, however if you happen to can afford it and revel in all-inclusive holidays like this, I might say my expertise was value it. The actions I did throughout my keep acquired me out of my consolation zone, and I’m happy with myself for attempting one thing new.