Jason Tartick is entering his “f–k it” year on the heels of his breakup from Kaitlyn Bristowe.
The Bachelorette alum, 35, spoke candidly with Ben Higgins and Chris Harrison about how his life has changed as a single man during an “Almost Famous” and “The Most Dramatic Podcast Ever” crossover episode, which was released on Wednesday, January 31.
Tarick admitted he’s “gone through” the relationship grieving process and has “full acceptance” of the split. (Tartick and Bristowe, 38, called off their engagement in August 2023 after four years together.)
“I feel lighter every day,” he continued. “This is the year for me, aside from all that work stuff that I put out there, I’m just like … f–k it. Just let loose and enjoy life.”
When reflecting on his past relationship, Tartick admitted to losing himself in the “love cloud” with Bristowe.
Tartick shared major life updates throughout the entirety of the podcast episode while looking back at his relationship with Bristowe and sharing his hopes for the future.
“Anyone that’s out there, if you’ve gotten caught in the love clouds, it’s easy to lose sight of a lot of things,” he explained. “There were times in this relationship that I lost myself, and as a result of that, you get caught up in a cloud of you’re so into the love of it and idea of it that you lose focus of your overall compass, direction and foundational focus for what is right and isn’t right.”
While Tartick reflected on his past, the former reality star also had a lot to say about his future. Keep scrolling for the biggest podcast revelations:
Living in His Single Era
Tartick — who made his debut during Becca Kufrin’s Bachelorette season — said he hasn’t been “single single” since 2017.
“This is the first time in my life I have financial freedom, I’m single and I can just do what I want to do how I want, when I want,” he said, calling this the “acceptance” stage of his life.
“I would name it as clarity — go, and stop overthinking,” Tartick said. “Just go do it.”
What He’s Looking for in a Relationship
Tartick admitted that the No. 1 thing he’s looking for in a romantic partner is to be a “unit” with the other person, noting that the “support that’s given is matched in return.”
He also wants “honesty and integrity” in the relationship.
Discussing the Breakup on a Public Scale
“I have a very, very long laundry list of why things didn’t work out in this relationship,” he explained. “My ex also has a very long list, and there’s no way those lists connect.”
Tartick noted that he tries to “treat [the breakup] with the same respect” he would expect that his “significant other” would.
“While I don’t think that’s been the case at this point, I’m still going to stand here and not really dive into those things,” he continued, noting there’s “reasons why it didn’t work out.”
He’s Not Shocked by the Continued Headlines
Tartick said there’s been “a lot of interesting things” written about his and Bristowe’s split, but he has no plans to “step in” and say anything. He will, however, call out People magazine for sharing an exclusive excerpt from his upcoming book Talk Money to Me, set to be released in April, with the headline, “Jason Tartick Would’ve Told Himself to ‘Wake the Hell Up’ Before Moving in With Ex Kaitlyn Bristowe.”
Reacting to this, Tartick called the headline “such f–king bulls–t.” He added, “It provides zero context. The conversation in the first two chapters is to show relatability. … This is where I screwed up, I want to show you my cards because I’m writing this book based on where I screwed up, here are things I can do better.”
Looking Forward to His Romantic Future
Tartick noted that in “three to five” years he hopes to “be married with kids, find my person.”
“I want to find someone, that is the goal when I think about my personal life,” he continued. “I want a family and I want to have kids. Those are things I want.”
