January 07, 2026 pillow talk
Ariel Frenkel Reveals Her Biggest Dating Mistake & the Relationship Change She Wants to Make
Keeping it real.
Bachelor Nation fans first met Ariel Frenkel when she looked for love with Zach Shallcross on Season 27 of “The Bachelor.”
While things didn’t work out between her and Zach, Ariel has continued to keep fans updated on her life through social media.
Over the past few years, she’s been spending time with family, friends, and her fellow Bachelor Nation alums.
Now, the Bachelor Nation star is dishing on her dating life and revealing the changes she’s hoping to make.
While answering fan questions on her Instagram Story, Ariel revealed the biggest mistake she’s made while dating.
She said, “Too many to count. I’m not a casual person, even though I can mask as one through hyper independence. That led me to treat dating as binary… either we were moving toward a relationship or I checked out entirely. I confused being pursued with being respected, and sometimes tried to make things work with the wrong people because of it.”
“Looking back, I wish I’d allowed myself to enjoy connections without forcing them into a timeline,” she continued. “When I didn’t, I became withdrawn and avoidant, always making sure I was the one to walk away first.”
Another person wanted to know what the Bachelor Nation star is wanting to change in the new year, and Ariel answered honestly.
She confessed, “This year I want to lead with less defense and more vulnerability. A lot of my instincts were built around protecting myself (in dating and in life) and they served a purpose. I’ve done the work to understand them. Now I want to move beyond them: apologize faster, be more open, and say how I feel without emotional restraint.”
We appreciate Ariel’s vulnerability, and we’re so proud of how open she is with her followers.
We know she’s going to find the connection she’s looking for, and we can’t wait to see how this year unfolds for her!
