Olivia Culpo Has No Regrets About Being Vulnerable On Social Media: ‘It’s OK Not To Be OK’

Olivia Culpo goes through hardships just like everyone else.

The model and former Miss Universe spoke with Access exclusively at an event for Best Buddies International about overcoming her past struggles, which she detailed in a raw and candid Instagram message from July 2019. “It’s life!” she told us. “Everybody goes through ups and downs and I just wanted to make sure that I could show people that it’s not all perfect all the time, and it’s OK not to be OK.”

In her emotional caption, Olivia described dealing with a tough situation that left her “mentally, emotionally and spiritually bankrupt.” But instead of hiding, she decided to get real with her over 4 million followers.

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“I think if we all did that it would actually make a huge difference for people in general. Then, you can turn your really bad experiences that we all go through into something that can genuinely help other people,” she explained to Access. “I knew I was making myself vulnerable and I didn’t really know what the outcome would be, but I don’t regret it at all, and the feedback I got was really overwhelming to me and I’m glad that I can help people.”

Another way the 27-year-old helps people is by giving back through her work with Best Buddies. Olivia initially got involved with the nonprofit that works to enhance the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities when she entered her first pageant about eight years ago. She attends various activities and events throughout the year and is even a proud member of their board.

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“Overall, I think the most valuable part of working with Best Buddies is you’re working with people with the biggest hearts,” she said. “They’re always going to make you feel special, they’re always going to give you a hug, they’re always going to be the best friends that you could ever have. It really is just a great organization to be a part of.”

For more information on Best Buddies International, visit their website here.

— by Gabi Duncan