Olivia Ponton Says It's 'Mind-Boggling' When Fans Credit Her for Boosting Their 'Self-Love' and Confidence: 'Makes My Day Better'

Olivia Ponton isn't afraid to be vulnerable and open with her fans.

"I think when anyone comes up to me in any capacity to talk about their eating disorders or how my body helps them to feel confident in their body, or any degree of that, it's, like, it really makes my day ten times better, and I'm just in shock that I could even help with a small role in helping somebody else with their self-identity or self-expression or self-love in any of these capacities. Because I have people that have helped me through that, so it's, like, really mind-boggling to see that domino effect and it helps other people," the star, 24, exclusively told OK! while in Baton Rouge for a personal look at where the Chicken Finger Brand began for Raising Cane’s 30th Birthday celebration, bringing friends of the Brand together at “The Mothership,” the first Raising Cane’s Restaurant located across from LSU’s North Gates.

"It's nice. When you are opening up [about] something so vulnerable, you don't know how people are gonna take it, for better [or worse]. So when people are very sweet to me back, or even if it's with my friends and family checking in on me, because as much as I talk about it, I'm dealing with it, too. It's always something that I have struggled with or [am] dealing with. And if it's not right now, then it was a year ago or six months ago," the model, who previously said it took her years to overcome an eating disorder, shares. "And it's, like, whenever I talk about it, and I receive such kind words, it's very needed, and I'm so happy that I have such a good group of people around me."

Ponton, who became famous through viral TikTok content during the COVID-19 pandemic and later joined the collective content house The Hype House, still can't wrap her head around that people look up to her.

"It's a mind-boggling concept. I can't even process that is happening to me, and I think it's such a beautiful position I'm in to be able to speak about certain things that are going on in my personal life or with the things that I'm struggling with or things that are going on in the world," she noted. "I think being able to have a voice and to pick things that I'm really passionate about, and really talk about them and try to get my point across, is a very rewarding part of this job."

Despite having millions of followers, the blonde babe still wakes up, thinking, "This is not real. This is crazy."

"And I think just, like, maintaining that mindset is so important and never taking anything for granted. And the fact that people come up to me in the street and they talk about intense situations that they've been in and how I've helped them through those is such a beautiful thing to be able to connect to people that you might not even know that you're affecting until they come up to you in person or it's the comments they leave, DMs they send. When you're having fun and enjoy your job, it doesn't feel like work, so that's great," she shared.

In the meantime, Ponton was thrilled to be on site at Raising Cane’s 30th Birthday Pop-Up Museum in Baton Rouge on Thursday, October 15.

"I'm very excited to be back in Baton Rouge. I'm very happy to go back to my hometown, and I'm very, very obsessed with the community, which I think a lot of people don't relate to. I am so excited to be here for the 30th anniversary. I'm just happy to be back to see all of the things, whether it's the disco ball or the first-ever register or the picture of the office, whatever it may be. I'm just excited to be here and to have Todd [Graves] open the doors to us," she shared.

"I think Raising Cane's has so many different branches — not only are they an amazing food company that you can come to pretty much any time of the day, anywhere, but also the amount of charity work that you guys have. I remember last Christmas, I did the bike drive with him. I just think working with a company that puts so much effort into the nonprofit side of things is, It's just really beautiful, and I'm just amazed that he continues endlessly to support nonprofits," she continued.