He might be the author of a book about relationship advice, but Nick Viall knows his girlfriend, Natalie Joy, can teach him a thing or two about love too.
“Not only taught me, but she’s shown me how to be present,” the 42-year-old former Bachelor said on Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast. “I can be very introverted, and I’ve been accused at times in my life of being aloof. And aloofness combined with being 6’2 has turned into some people thinking I might be dismissive or rude and I get defensive because I’m thinking, ‘Well, no, I’m sorry. I was just thinking about something else.’ And while I want people to understand that it’s not deliberate, it’s my responsibility — if I don’t want to make people feel that way — to work on my weaknesses. And she has shown me just how important it is to take the time in any moment — whether you’re getting a coffee at a barista or you’re checking out at the grocery store, those little moments of seeing people and making them feel validated is really special on a day-to-day basis and especially in a relationship.”
Viall and Joy, 24, have been linked since 2020.
“She’s also someone who really knows how to take breaks,” the “Viall Files” host continued to Us. “And when it comes to disagreements in a relationship, as a guy — not everyone’s the same — but men can be more guilty of trying to fix things without, like, letting emotions get out. And Natalie knows how to get us to take time now if we’re not on the same page early on. And that helps us from not, like, letting a minor disagreement escalate into a bigger fight. That’s something I had a lot in my [past] relationships and I played just as much of a role as my exes did as well. And so she really helps me with that.”
When asked about the future of the relationship with the surgical technologist, Viall responded, “TBD, but I like where things are headed.”
In his new book, Don’t Text Your Ex Happy Birthday, the Wisconsin native gives advice about worrying about the pressure of a timeline in a relationship.
“We’re not patient people. And society puts a lot of pressure on us. Even though it’s not 1950s anymore, we’re still having our parents and our friends being like, ‘Why are you single? What’s wrong?’” he explained. “I really wrote that chapter to younger me. … I put so much pressure on myself as a young man to find to that dream I set for myself when I was a teenager, honestly, or in my early 20s. I had this arbitrary timeline. When I turned 25 and had none of that, I had a meltdown. And it’s just silly when you get older and reflect back and be like, ‘Oh my God. … Imagine 25-year-old me having a family?’ Everyone’s different. There’s plenty of people who have amazing relationships [at a young age].”
Don’t Text Your Ex Happy Birthday is available now. For more from Nick, listen to Us Weekly’s “Here for the Right Reasons” podcast or watch the video above.
