Here’s Why SI Swimsuit Rookie Ellie Thumann Says Heartbreak Is Crucial for Growth

The model shares the lessons she’s learned being in (and out) of love.

Ellie Thumann.Gotham/WireImage/Getty Images

Social media influencer and YouTuber Ellie Thumann is a mental health advocate who uses her platform to help women prioritize their emotional well-beings. As a model, Thumann has worked with brands like Marc Jacobs, Kate Spade and Coach, and this May she will make her debut in the SI Swimsuit Issue.

While she regularly documents her travels, along with beauty and fashion content, on her YouTube channel, Thumann recently went to Puerto Rico for her beachside SI Swimsuit photo shoot with photographer Derek Kettela.

We caught up with Thumann to chat about her rookie year, her messaging around mental health and more. The 21-year-old also opened up about relationships and shared some great wisdom, including her insightful thoughts on dealing with heartbreak.

Experience self-discovery

Thumann is adamant that there are lessons to be learned from having your heart broken. She says you’ll come out on the other side of heartache having discovered something important about yourself.

“I think heartbreak is so crucial for your growth. I think it teaches you that not everything you know is going to be forever, but you can cherish it for what it was,” she admits. “It teaches you, I think, a lot more about yourself than really anything and [the] things that you want and what you don’t want.”

Above all, Thumann says it’s important to be patient with yourself, as this process of self-discovery doesn’t happen overnight.

“Something I have learned about heartbreak throughout the years is that it is so important to not rush the process and give yourself the patience to really grow from the experience and find the beauty in it, which can be really difficult, but so, so necessary,” she says.

Embrace vulnerability

Thumann says that after a breakup, it’s important to work through your feelings. Rather than internalizing them, you must access those emotions that need to be unleashed.

“I think the biggest thing [heartbreak] taught me is to be vulnerable and not suppress my emotions or feel stupid for them, but being able to talk about it, cry about it,” she says.

Seek support from loved ones

When you’re experiencing heartbreak, don’t be afraid to fall back on your friends and family. Thumann advises leaning into those relationships and allowing people to nurture and care for you.

“[Heartbreak] brought me so much closer to people that never would’ve entered my life if I wasn’t brought out of that shell,” she says.

Find beauty in the discomfort

While it may be tough to find positives in the midst of heartache, Thumann insists that once you reach the other side, you’ll be able to really look back on the experience with a renewed sense of perspective.

“That most vulnerable state, I think, is such a beautiful condition to be in,” she says. “And looking on the outside now, I feel very grateful for that time I spent going through it because now I can appreciate being on the other side so much more.”

Meet Ellie Thumann—read the 2023 SI Swimsuit rookie’s full feature profile here.