Chris Harrison is reflecting on life beyond Bachelor Nation!
Chris hosted The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Bachelor in Paradise for nearly two decades before officially exiting the franchise in 2021.
Now, he’s sharing what life looks like on the other side of the rose.
“It feels wonderful, and thanks for asking that, because I wasn’t sure it would,” Chris told PEOPLE ahead of a fundraising gala for Experience Camps.
“When you do something every single day for two decades, and it’s so popular around the world, there is a pressure and a spotlight and a microscope that you don’t even realize you’re under until you kinda get off that merry-go-round.”
Shortly after his exit, the reality tv host and his wife, journalist Lauren Zima, traded Los Angeles for Austin, Texas — a move that offered both a fresh start and creative inspiration.
“What I love most about the new chapter is the fact that Austin is the new Hollywood, which means the opportunities are a plenty here,” he said.
For fans wondering whether he’s ready to return to the spotlight, he hinted that him and his wife are working on something new together!
“For the first time in a long time, that fire has been reignited with this amazing woman to dive back in and do some creative work,” he said.
“There is a next chapter coming up very soon for both of us that we’re going to be very excited to talk about.”
Season 22 of The Bachelorette — led by TikTok star Taylor Frankie Paul — will continue on without Chris as host.
