Former The Bachelor star Chris Soules is still looking for his future wife even though he questions at times whether he should just give up entirely.

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Soules, 34, and ex-fiancee Whitney Bischoff, 30, got engaged at the conclusion of his The Bachelor edition but amicably split in May 2015 -- only two months after their engagement aired on the show's Season 19 finale and a matter of weeks after Soules completed his stint on Dancing with the Stars.

Nine months later, Soules told People, "I'm hopeful for love."

"But when you go through a breakup," the Iowa farmer continued, "you get stung a little bit and you pull back. There are times I wonder if I'm meant to be single. But I'm hopeful I can eventually find that person."

While he's "ready to start dating" again, Soules admitted there's absolutely no rush.

"I'm taking a break," he said. "I'm focusing on me, putting my head down and working really hard. I've been sort of neglecting things that are really important to me."

The runner-up of Soules' The Bachelor season, Becca Tilley, is currently competing for Ben Higgins' heart on the ABC franchise's twentieth edition. Soules previously confessed it was "a little weird" to watch a woman he loved fight for another guy on the show, but he's apparently gotten used to it by now.

"A lot of people asked about us getting back together," Soules told People. "She's a great girl and I hope the best for her, but for me, that chapter in my life is closed. I think it's best for me to move on, have a fresh start and find love a different way. I'd like to date someone who doesn't know who I am!"

Early last month, Bischoff confirmed she's dating a new guy and their relationship is going extremely well. The man has since been identified as Ricky Angel, and according to his LinkedIn page, he's a college baseball player and Illinois native who works in sales and risk management.

Bischoff's romance appears to be fresh, however, because she told Us Weekly back in October she was just "casually dating."

The Bachelor airs every Monday night from 8-10PM ET/PT on ABC.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.