The Rumors Are True: Deepti Vempati *Did* Find Love After the Show

Deepti Vempati, fan fave of the second season of Netflix dating hit Love Is Blind, had one goal: to find true love and a person to build a bright and beautiful future with. And she did exactly that—with herself.

Recently, I sat down with Vempati to chat about what she’s been working on since her time on the hit reality dating show. It quickly became clear to me that this was not a woman who was going to let a televised breakup or the opinions of a silly man shake her confidence (no pun intended).

“I have zero regrets,” she says of the entire Netflix experience. “I think everything in life, whatever happens to you, is either a blessing or a lesson. And I've learned a lot about myself.”

This kind of positive thinking and sense of gratitude didn’t always come easily to her. Born in India, Vempati immigrated to the US with her family at a young age. Being the new kid at school is never easy, but for Vempati it came with the extra layer of learning to communicate in English with her classmates, and adjusting to an unfamiliar culture. She struggled with low-esteem, and even developed an eating disorder in her youth.

For Vempati, the first steps towards overcoming these issues included some difficult self-reflection. She realized her tendencies to speak negatively to herself, or doubt her own ability to venture outside her comfort zone, were among her biggest blockers. Regaining power in her life meant she would need to do a full recon of her habits and actions. “You can't look to other people to give that to you,” she says. “You have to find it for yourself.”

She shares this advice warmly, but with wise conviction, almost like you’d expect an older sister or mentor to sound. Whether she realizes it or not, she’s sort of become a pseudo-older sister for many young women who followed her throughout her Love is Blind journey. They watched her fall for someone who lied and hurt her—a relatable experience for many—and found inspiration when they watched her leave Shake, the season’s main “villain,” at the altar after triumphantly saying the words, “I choose myself.”

Now, with an Instagram following that’s grown to more than 1 million, and a fanbase that’s eager to follow her pursuits post-Love is Blind, Vempati is determined to use her new reach and platform to do good in the world. She’s now a TEDx speaker and an author, having recently published her first book, aptly titled, I Choose Myself. It’s a collection of stories about her family and childhood, trials and tribulations of her love life, lessons she’s learned over the years, and more. “I just want to continue putting myself out there and being vulnerable, and sharing my story in hopes that it inspires other people to know that things get better,” she says. “There's growth and change coming.”

What advice would you give to younger women?

“Give yourself grace when you're going through negative thoughts. I always say the conversation that you have with yourself is the most important one.”

Do you have a mantra that helps pull you back to center when you find yourself starting to think negative thoughts?

“If it feels uncomfortable, that’s where growth happens.”

Are you big into daily routines, or more of a go-with-the-flow person?

“I’m not not too much of a routine person. I need a little bit of difference each day. I'll go to different coffee shops, and I might have a to-do list, but I know timing for things can fluctuate.”

What’s the weirdest way your life has changed since being on Netflix?

“People knowing exactly where I am. Like, I'll go out and do something, and then I'll see myself on a TikTok two or three hours later.”

What does success look like to you?

“Success to me is ongoing. It’s knowing that life is always going to evolve and you're going to unlock new versions of yourself as you go, but also appreciating where you are in the journey.”