Exclusive: Gabby Windey Says Sharing Her Story on 'The Bachelor' Gave Her the 'Confidence' to 'Be Herself'

Though Gabby Windey didn't find love with Clayton Echard on his season of The Bachelor, she ended up coming out and is now dating comedian Robby Hoffman.

It might not be a traditional journey, but the reality star wouldn't have it any other way. "In a sense, it does give me more confidence. I think ever since The Bachelor, I found I could really relate to people because my story was different than they'd seen before, coming from a non-traditional non-nuclear family. I received so much support, which gave me the confidence to really be myself. I've seen more and more people come to my platforms because of me dating Robby, too. The more I am myself, the better people respond," the 33-year-old exclusively tells Morning Honey while talking about her partnership with Flamin’ Hot and encouraging fans to “Cheat on Flamin’ Hot Cheetos."

The podcast host continues to be authentic because she doesn't listen to other people and refuses to be put "in a box."

"I beat to the rhythm of my own drum. People try and tone you down, especially being on a big network, and they want to censor you, but I think I've tried to always fit in with my personality and stay true to myself," she explains.

For others who might be going through something similar, Windey says: "It's always a process. It's always a journey, and we have to get through it and you will learn something along the way. I used to hate hearing that. I'm like, 'I'd rather not go through it at all! I don't need a challenge! I've been challenged enough.' But it's a part of life and it's a part of growth, and it's like, 'Why are we here?' But try to find meaning in the struggle. Nobody wants to hear that but it's true!"

Fortunately, Windey is now in a great place, as she's happier than ever with girlfriend Hoffman, especially since they just moved in together.

"It's amazing. I feel like we're just having a slumber party ever night, which is also a lesbian hack! You get the best of both worlds. It's been great. I love waking up to her in the morning, I love that the first thing I see is her face. It's me being a sap, but I just love hanging out with her. I love knowing she's around and I love knowing her every move! I'll go room to room like, 'Babe, babe, babe, just checking in!'"

The best kinds of nights are when the two can just hang out on the couch. "We're both so busy with work. She's a comedian, she's out every night doing shows, so we try to soak in our time together. We have our routine — we do a crossword or Wordle everyday in the morning to start our day!" she shares. "I don't really need space away from her. She feels like home to me. It's been really great."

In the meantime, Windey is excited about her partnership with Flamin' Hot just in time for back-to-school season.

As students settle into their fall semester and cuffing season begins, Flamin’ Hot and Windey are teaming up to help heat seekers keep their options open. Chester Cheetah himself is behind the cause offering fans a hall pass to keep their relationship with Flamin’ Hot Cheetos open by stepping out with one of the 25+ spicy sidechips in the Flamin’ Hot portfolio.

To help fans take Chester up on his offer, Windey is offering fans the chance to win exclusive “Burner Phones” that come preloaded with a year of service and a direct connect to Chester Cheetah who will make sure a selection of Flamin’ Hot sidechips get delivered straight to recipients’ doors.

"It's the perfect opportunity. It's cuffing season, nobody's exclusive. It's a good opportunity to cheat on Flamin' Hot Cheetos and have fun with a burner phone!" she says. "I'm excited to see what the response is going to be like!"

"It's such a fun idea. Flamin' Hot has 20 other products that you can try besides Flamin' Hot Cheetos. When in your life are you encouraged to cheat? Take advantage of it! I am known for having 25 boyfriends at a time, so I feel like there's no better partnership than to explore my other sidechip and my other hot options!" she continues. "You can win a Flamin' Hot 'Burner Phone,' which comes with a year's worth of cell service and you can have Flamin' Hot products that come right to your door!"

To enter, head to Windey’s Instagram or FlaminHotUniversity.com to find opportunities to enter. It’s simple:

Heat-seekers looking for a new flame (or flames) to indulge in can look for opportunities to win the phone on Windey’s social media channels and on FlaminHotUniversity.com between September 9 and November 8.

If overwhelmed by the number of tempting hot snacks available, fans can enter for a chance to win the phone by taking the Sidechip Quiz on FlaminHotUniversity.com, which will match them to their perfect Flamin’ Hot sidechip.