Entertainment TV Nick Viall Reminds Himself How 'Challenging Obstacles Can Reveal Beauty' a Month After Splitting with Vanessa Grimaldi PEOPLE confirmed in August that Viall and fiancée Vanessa Grimaldi ended their engagement, five months after their proposal aired on ABC By Karen Mizoguchi Published on September 18, 2017 11:39 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Nick Viall is finding beauty in all things, including hardships. The former Bachelor, 36, shared an emotional message on Instagram Monday, a month after his split from fiancée Vanessa Grimaldi. “Reminding myself that some of the most challenging obstacles can eventually reveal beauty … like hiking,” said Viall after hiking Los Angeles’ famed Runyon Canyon. The star wore a white shirt and Toronto Bluejays hat which fans quickly took notice of in the comments section, noting the reference to his Canadian ex-fiancée. PEOPLE confirmed in August that Viall and Grimaldi, 29, ended their engagement, five months after their proposal aired on ABC. David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images “It’s with a great amount of heartbreak for the both us as we have decided to end our engagement,” the pair said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. “We gave this relationship our all and we are saddened that we did not get the fairytale ending we hoped for. We will continue to be there for each other no matter what. This hasn’t been an easy decision, however, as we part ways, we do so with lots of love and admiration for each other.” Viall and Grimaldi were last pictured together on Instagram Aug. 15. The Los Angeles-based, Milwaukee native appeared on two previous seasons of The Bachelorette and season 3 of Bachelor in Paradise before taking his turn as the lead suitor earlier this year. While he asserted he finally found the one, even before getting engaged, Viall and Grimaldi struggled to decide where they would continue their relationship. “My relationship with Nick and experience on The Bachelor has given me so many amazing and memorable moments in my life, and I am forever grateful,” Grimaldi exclusively told PEOPLE earlier this month. “Nick and I were always transparent about the challenges in a relationship. We certainly had ours. I fell for him hard, and when you fall in love that hard, your heart breaks even harder.” RELATED GALLERY: Before Their Split: 10 Times The Bachelor’s Nick & Vanessa Were the Cutest Couple Around Adding, “In the end, as much as we loved each other and tried to make it work, we just realized we were different people fighting to keep a relationship when ultimately we just weren’t’ the best fit for each other. It wasn’t the distance that was ever an issue. Both Nick and I decided together, with our families’ support, that I would put my teaching career on hold and uproot my life to Los Angeles to support him on Dancing with the Stars and build a life together.” FROM PEN: Christina El Moussa: I Leaned on My Kids and Friends Through the Divorce Viall was a contestant on the 24th season of DWTS with pro partner Peta Murgatroyd. In the end, Grimaldi came out of this a stronger person and wants nothing but the best for Viall. “When you fall in love with someone with all that you have, it’s hard to let go. Every part of you gets shattered,” she said. “I’m trying to pick up the pieces. … I hope he finds his person and his happily ever after that we, unfortunately, couldn’t find together.”