The Bachelorette alum Erich Schwer has explained why he "struggled" so much in his relationship with Gabby Windey and what he learned from being with her during and after the show.
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Gabby confirmed the split and stated on the Dancing with the Stars' Season 31 semifinals episode on November 14 that she and Erich "weren't each other's best match," nor were they "in step" or "in sync" in terms of their goals and approaches to life.
"[I try] to look at all areas of my life with a growth mindset, and always learn from my experiences," Erich shared in a recent interview with OK! Weekly.
"I will say that I struggled personally with my mental health during my last relationship, and wish I could have coped with [that] better."
The aspiring model, who worked as a real estate prior to joining The Bachelorette cast, continued, "I was learning how to navigate the loss of my father and a new engagement, all at once, and on a public scale nonetheless."
"There were times I felt lost and unmotivated," he admitted, "and unfortunately this transferred into a few different areas of my life. I didn't have the tools I've since learned on how to handle the pressure and pain I was feeling."
Erich insisted he's "learned a lot" about himself from being on the show and dating Gabby.
For starters, The Bachelorette truly "pulled [him] out of his shell."
"I learned how to be vulnerable and how to put myself out there 100 percent, to be more in tune with my feelings and express them openly," Erich explained.
"Overall, the experience allowed me to come out of my shell in a way I hadn't before and find confidence in being my true self."
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RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWAfter filming wrapped, Erich said he "spent a lot of time" with his close family and friends while Gabby competed on Dancing with the Stars.
"[I was] trying to ground myself after the whole experience," Erich told the magazine.
"Right now, I'm focused on being very intentional with my time and who I spend it with. I can say I'm finally in a place where I am allowing myself to meet new people."
During the December 15 episode of the "Click Bait with Bachelor Nation" podcast, Gabby revealed how she and Erich had ended their engagement "pretty amicably."
"There's always time when you don't speak to your ex after [a breakup], but I don't wish him ill will at all. I genuinely think it unfortunately just wasn't the right time for us," Gabby told the podcast's co-hosts Joe Amabile and Natasha Parker.
Gabby shared how she and the New Jersey native were in "two different places" of their lives, which was "hard" for them to figure out while dating on The Bachelorette's nineteenth season given the process is so rushed.
"I think you don't realize the bubble you're in until you try to make the relationship work outside of the show... There's so much more learning after you leave the bubble, and I think we are just in two very different places in our life," Gabby explained.
Erich previously shared on Instagram Stories how he and Gabby simply aren't each other's person and he couldn't put his finger on one thing that went wrong with their relationship.
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Erich teased late last year a new career project he'd been working on.
Around that same time, Gabby opened up to Us Weekly about how her split from Erich "was hard."
"Ultimately, I'm just grateful that I was able to do it on my own terms and when I was ready. It was just a new experience overall -- being so public and being thrown into this. I think now it's just kind of trying to move forward," Gabby said.
Towards the end of Dancing with the Stars' 31st season -- which concluded with Gabby and her pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy finishing in second place -- Gabby started flirting with former Jersey Shore star Vinny Guadagnino on social media.
Beginning with a comment from Vinny on November 15 in which he called Gabby his "Baby Mamma," the pair sparked rumors they're romantically interested in each other, and fans have been shipping them as a potential reality TV couple ever since.
Gabby and Vinny reunited on the Dancing with the Stars tour earlier this year, after she mentioned in the media how she'd "of course" go on a date with Vinny if he asked her out.
Gabby even dubbed Vinny her "celebrity crush."
Gabby, who also briefly dated The Bachelorettes alums Dean Unglert and Blake Horstmann before her stint on The Bachelor's 26th season starring Clayton Echard, has been wanting a commitment from a man who will love her unconditionally.
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
