Arie Luyendyk Jr. had some advice for The Bachelor‘s Colton Underwood ahead of the show’s season 23 finale.
The race car driver, 38, shared a photo to Instagram on Monday, March 11, from his own engagement to season 22 runner-up Lauren Burham, and encouraged the former NFL player, 27, to follow his heart.
“I truly believe life rewards you when you follow your own path,” he captioned the shot. “Not paved by others but paved by your belief in what’s right for you. I know many of you have your own opinions but be kind and open to the choices and decisions of the individuals that put their hearts on display.”
He concluded by wishing the athlete good luck: “As @laureneburnham would say #lovewins.”
Luyendkr Jr. was heavily criticized for his decision to end his relationship with fiancée Becca Kufrin, whom he proposed to on the series’ finale in March 2018, in order to pursue a relationship with Burnham, 28.
He discussed the backlash he received after their breakup in a piece titled “The Most Hated Bachelor in America Explains Himself” for GQ in May. “Everyone ended up getting closure and also an opportunity to be with the person that they were really meant to be with,” he said at the time. “I don’t understand why I’m the fall guy for filming the breakup on a television show which we all signed up to be on.”
The realtor went on to marry Burnham, with whom he is expecting his first child, in Hawaii in January.
Kufrin, 28, for her part, went on to become the season 14 Bachelorette, finding her happy ending with fiancé Garrett Yrigoyen on the show’s season finale, which aired in August.
Underwood shocked fans on the March 4 episode of the show, when he jumped a fence after being rejected by front-runner Cassie. His relationships with Hannah G. and Tayshia remain up in the air.
The series finale of The Bachelor will air on ABC on Monday, March 11 at 8 p.m. ET.
