Ben Higgins' The Bachelor journey begins Monday, January 4 on ABC, and the show's star has a lot to say about what fans can anticipate this season.

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Shortly after ABC revealed Ben's 28 bachelorettes, the handsome small-town guy from Warsaw, IN, who currently resides in Denver, CO, participated in a media call through which he touched upon topics personal to him as well as the lighthearted stuff -- like what exactly a "chicken enthusiast" means.

In the Thursday interview, Ben shared his insecurities, desires, fears, expectations, and more. Below is what he had to tell Reality TV World.

Be sure to check back with us soon for much more from Ben's The Bachelor call.

Reality TV World: I'd like you to tell us anything you can about how this journey turned out for you. You probably can't tell us if you got engaged, but how about if you found love and are happy now? Fans would love to know if this process worked for you.

Ben Higgins: Well, you know, I think in life, typically I'm a very happy person. And I don't think anything could change that. But this experience in general has been an incredible one. From last season to this season, it has allowed me to focus more on what I'm looking for and also just having some experiences that I never thought would happen in my life.

Reality TV World: Because you fell in love with Kaitlyn Bristowe, were you definitely over her by the time filming began? And she probably had the strongest personality of any former Bachelorette -- goofy, outgoing and hilarious. Not that you were looking for a Kaitlyn clone or anything, but were you hoping you'd find someone with that type of personality on The Bachelor?

Ben Higgins: I definitely know that Kaitlyn Bristowe is an incredible woman, and one that I'm happy and glad that I got to meet. But I can't say that I was looking for any type of person.

I wanted to meet a person that was their own individual person, and yes, I respected Kaitlyn a lot and I enjoyed my time with her, but I think when it comes to this season, I was looking for somebody who had their own individual characteristics.

Reality TV World: Are you definitely looking for a woman to move to Denver, CO, or would you consider relocating? And I know there were concerns at first about you wanting to settle down at your age, but you've made it clear you're ready. However, do you want kids right away? 

Ben Higgins: The age thing, I'm actually surprised no one's asked about that yet! But for me to be 26, going on 27, I'm definitely ready to find that person. There's not a question in my mind, and I can say that very confidently.

As far as, am I looking for a woman to move to Denver or not? I mean, I love Denver. It's an incredible place to live and I have roots here now. I have a good friend group here. I would really love if a woman would move to Denver, but I'm not going to force it, and I think I'm still open to whatever state or step is next for us.

If she feels strongly about a certain city or if the woman in my life feels like we need to move away, then I'm open to it. I want to make sure that this is a conversation that happens amongst us and not just me saying, "Yeah, you HAVE to do this."

Reality TV World: You worried about being "unlovable" before and during Kaitlyn's season. Chris Harrison teased recently that sentiment will play out on The Bachelor. So did Kaitlyn breaking up with you add to that insecurity and how did it affect you? Did you find yourself needing a lot of reassurance from women or something along those lines?

Ben Higgins: I don't know if, I mean, it's a very real insecurity of mine. But it's not out of a need for reassurance. I think it's out of a need for -- I'm just excited. I'm ready to be loved and to feel that love back, and I don't know obviously if I've ever felt that love that feels like it could last forever. I'm excited for that; I'm ready for that.

I think going through The Bachelor, I feel like I'm not NOT confident as a man. I think that's just an insecurity that sticks with me because it IS a fear of mine, you know, going through life and maybe never getting to feel that love.

Reality TV World: Because of critics on social media and the fame The Bachelor brings -- which can have both positive and negative effects -- did you have any reservations about starring on the show when it became time to make that decision? 

Ben Higgins: No. Because I think personally -- and this might just be because of my friends and family supporting me -- but it's almost like, the people that love you are going to love you, and the people that aren't, I don't want to try to go out of my way or force myself to be a different person for other people to like me.

You're never going to make everybody happy. But when it comes to your question, and I think that it is something everyone needs to consider, I don't think you can hold yourself back from opportunities because of a fear of what people are going to say or think.

With this opportunity, I felt it was right, and everything aligned for it to happen. So I wanted to do it! And that's how I want to do life. I don't want to be fearful of what everybody is going to think all the time. That's paralyzing.

Reality TV World: Were you very sensitive to the idea of women being on the show for the wrong reasons? How important was it to you, for example, that the women got along with everyone in the house? Typically if contestants warn a Bachelor about a particular girl, a lot of the things tend to be true even though he doesn't want to get involved in the drama.

Ben Higgins: I wanted these women, because they came out and put themselves out there to meet me and to go do this experience, I wanted them to get the most out of the experience.

I wanted all of them to be treated fairly by not only myself but by the other women. I wanted every woman that came -- even if they had to leave -- to say, "You know what? I'm glad I did it. I'm glad I was here. I'm glad I gave it a shot."

And I hope, and it was one of my prayers, that the women would come here for the right reasons [and intentions] in mind. Because I came into it very open to the idea that, at the end, if I felt things, this could be a [once in a] lifetime thing! I wanted those women to come into it with the same ideas.

Check back with Reality TV World soon for more from Ben Higgins' The Bachelor interview.

About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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