Embracing Paradise + a phone light adventure
Zoë Hart with friends at Casa Malca in Tulum, Mexico.
I awoke to the dream and no power. I figured it was a fluke and that it would resolve shortly. I woke up again an hour later to the sound of rustling. I ended up saving two of my group members who were stuck in their rooms. The house was hot, dark, and there were hours between now and the sunrise.
I figured I woke up early because I fell asleep around 8 pm. For the rest of the trip, everyone would tease me about this, saying that I go to bed at 4:30 pm. I like to sleep, so I was intentional about being well-rested. Plus, I lost some sleep quality over the last month due to emotional turmoil. So, I was grateful that I was able to sleep so deeply.
After realizing there was no power, I figured that was how it went. I’ve traveled to so many places where this happened, so it wasn’t a big deal to me. I wanted to write in my journal, so I used the flashlight on my phone to write the first entry of the day. Afterward, I returned to bed until sounds outside my door awoke me.
I didn’t know what was going on, so :
I said, “Are you Ok?”
Tye said, “ No, we’re stuck in here.”
Luckily, I could open up the door from the outside. People had switched rooms while I was sleeping, so I didn’t know who I was hearing. Luckily, there were two people in the room. I cannot imagine being stuck in the dark for hours alone. That room didn’t have windows, so it must have been a bit scary.
After that, Tye, AZ, and I started exploring the grounds looking for a fuse box. I must say that we were fearless in our approach to figuring out how to restore the power. Eventually, we found a generator that none of us knew how to work. Finally, we gave up and figured it wasn't meant to be.
I was wide awake at this point, near my usual workout time. I figured I could leave the light on my phone, use my timer app, and do my workout from memory. Again, no power = no wifi. I had a great workout, although it took a bit of management not being able to see clearly.
Later the chefs came around 7 am and started to cook. Since we had a gas range at our villa, they could still prepare food as scheduled.
Breakfast mostly prepared without power in Tulum.
The power came on around 8:15 as many of us were sitting outside. Everyone rejoyced and started casually getting into the day. After the morning adventure, I only wanted to reflect into my journal and relax.
Eventually, it was time for us to travel to the beach again. This time we went to Casa Malca, an upscale beach club with a beach lined with beds. It was a different t vibe than Taboo and precisely what we needed.
After walking through the beautiful instagram ready ambiance, we were taken to our spot on the beach.
Sitting on the beach bed at Casa Malca in Tulum. MX.
While lying on the bed on the beach, one of my triggers came up. Someone started judging me about my romantic life choices. Truthfully, I said ,I love who I am and wouldn’t choose to be anyone else. I meant it entirely. In the past, when someone passed judgment on me, I would internalize it and punish myself because I wasn’t perfect in their eyes. I don’t know how I got this unrealistic perception of other people or why it took so long to understand that when people judge you, it rarely has anything to do with you. I decided at that point that it was best for me to enjoy the beauty of the beach. So I got up from where I was sitting and laid on the beautiful white sand near the ocean. I just let it go.
Eventually, many people started joining me, and we sunbathed together in silence. It felt so good until it got cold. We head back home to allegedly get ready to go out to dinner. I realized that everyone was chilling and relaxing when I got dressed to go out. We put our bathing suits on, jumped in the pool, and drank cocktails. This was also a perfect way to end the day.
While in the pool, the person who pushed my button earlier apologized and said he was working on being less judgemental. I forgave him and was glad it wasn’t a big deal, either. The old me would have just stopped socializing with the group and stayed in my room for the rest of the trip. While I had let it go, I wasn’t being affected by it anymore, but the apology was just a sign that it’s best not to take things people say too seriously. We had fun splashing around, and eventually, I got out of the pool.
When I went to my room, I got out of the pool, I heard someone talking about loss; and; it made me think about everything that I had lost. I knew then that I had to change my thinking quickly so that my empathic nature wouldn’t hold on to sadness. I listened to “The Game of Life and How to Play It” and fell in love again. I slept feeling at peace with a huge smile on my face. Sometimes things happen so that you know yourself. I’m so grateful that I know how to get help when I need to shift perspective. I’m thankful for YouTube and Spotify and that the power was on when this happened.
Miracles and Wonders
I received a notification that Delta upgraded my flight to first class on the way home
I closed my first contract for the new company that I started on Day 1
Successfully navigated two emotional triggers that arose during the day
I saved two people locked in a room
I worked out in the dark since the power was off.
The day was perfect. I needed lessons to test if my surrendering process was working. I gave myself the tools to navigate the past and move back into the present moment. I fell asleep dreaming about everything and everyone I love.