Heather Martin’s attempt to find love on season 25 of The Bachelor certainly didn’t go as planned, but she has no regrets about following her heart and shooting her shot with Matt James.
“Life is a little crazy and it sometimes takes you down paths you could have never dreamt up or imagined. This part of my life is definitely one of those times and all I know is that if I had listened to fear, I would have never gotten to experience something that I am truly grateful for,” the 25-year-old model began in a lengthy Instagram caption after the Monday, February 15, episode of The Bachelor aired.
Heather, who originally competed on Colton Underwood’s season 23 of The Bachelor in 2019, admitted that fear has held her back from “so many things in life.”
She explained: “It has stopped me from going after what I want and the things I felt called to … BUT that is something I will no longer let control me. I am actively working on facing my fears each day and not letting the worry about what other people may think of me stop me from anything.”
Bachelor viewers watched Heather attempt to join Matt’s cast during Monday’s episode after their mutual friend Hannah Brown suggested that they would be a good match. The 29-year-old Bachelor, who was down to his final 10 when she approached him at Nemacolin Resort, opted to send Heather home because he was already falling in love with one of his contestants.
“In life there are no guarantees and just because you want something or think something is right, does not mean it will always work out,” Heather wrote. “But I know one thing for sure … if you never face your fears and just go for it, the answer will always be no. So this year I am continuing to face my fears each and every day without regrets. It took me coming to a point where I had full, wholehearted trust that God has a plan and he will use everything for good. So instead of shrinking back in fear, I want to always step out in faith (even when I’m terrified) and be part of that plan.”
Heather added that she knows “not everything will work out” and “some doors will be closed,” but she wants to continue “taking chances” and facing her fears “head on” to live a life without regrets.
She concluded: “I may get my heart broken or face some disappointments along the way, but hey that’s life and I will gladly take those disappointments knowing that I am not letting fear run my life. I am living in faith not in fear and learning that when something scares me, instead of running away I am going to … ✨DO IT AFRAID✨.”
Matt previously told Us Weekly that he was “shocked” when Heather arrived at the Pennsylvania resort.
“I had no relationship with her,” he said on Us’ “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast earlier this month. “But she does have a relationship with one of my good friends Hannah Brown. I was just as shocked to see her as everyone else was when she arrives and I think it makes for a very interesting conversation.”
Matt’s remaining contestants, meanwhile, made it clear that they weren’t happy with Heather. Several Bachelor Nation alums, including Hannah and Demi Burnett, have come to her defense against the season 25 “mean” girls since her arrival was teased in the trailer.
Scroll through to see how Heather’s Bachelor friends are reacting to Monday’s episode:
