High diver Molly Carlson discusses mental health and body positivity
Diving 21 metres straight into the St. Lawrence River is all in a day's work for high diver Molly Carlson.
Carlson said her recent big win at the Red Bull Cliff Diving competition was "so special," with the city's skyline as a backdrop. The Ontario native who now calls Montreal her home says the city has played an important role in her life.
"I started high diving in Montreal and I became the best version of myself during my high diving career. I just I feel like Montreal's my safe space, to be kind to myself."
Carlson admits being kind to herself has been challenging.
"For me, whose been at the lowest of low with an eating disorder, I know what it's like to not be able to talk about it."
Molly Carlson from Canada celebrates with the trophy after winning the final of the women's Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Montreal, Sunday, August 25, 2024. (Graham Hughes, The Canadian Press)
The Canadian high diver is open about her struggles with her 6 million followers on all social media platforms. She calls her community "Brave Gang," and encourages others to be vulnerable too.
"Not everyone in the world needs to jump off a cliff to be brave. I can connect with all these amazing people if we all realize that we're already brave."
Molly Carlson competes in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, Saturday, June 8, 2024, in Boston. (Michael Dwyer, The Associated Press)
She added that she will continue to be an activist in the mental health and body positivity space, even after she retires.
But the 25-year-old isn't retiring anytime soon. She plans to compete for at least another four years and says it's her other career, content creation, that keeps her balanced.
"I started to really go down this dark hole of just thinking I had diving, and that the only thing that makes me worthy is my success in sport. And so what being creative and being a content creator gave me is an outlet to have fun again."
Molly Carlson from Canada, centre, celebrates alongside Rhiannan Iffland of Australia and Kaylea Arnett of the United States after winning the final of the women's Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in Montreal, Sunday, August 25, 2024. (Graham Hughes, The Canadian Press)
Carlson says she will continue to use her platform to take important conversations to new heights.
"I'm going to be launching a podcast like 2025. We have huge, huge, huge goals. And it's really just to highlight the community members and to celebrate everyone else's brave journey."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW With the U.S. election approaching, could American voters in Canada make a difference?
With the U.S. election widely predicted to be a close race, some believe American voters in Canada and overseas will be crucial in helping elect the new president about a month from now.
Canadian figure skater suspended at least 6 years for 'sexual maltreatment'
Canadian figure skater Nikolaj Sorensen has been suspended for at least six years for 'sexual maltreatment,' the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner announced Wednesday.
Grandparents found hugging each other after fallen tree killed them in their South Carolina home
As Hurricane Helene roared outside, the wind howling and branches snapping, John Savage went to his grandparents' bedroom to make sure they were OK.
W5 Investigates What it's like to interview a narco
Drug smuggling is the main industry for Mexican cartels, but migrant smuggling is turning into a financial windfall. In this fourth instalment of CTV W5's 'Narco Jungle: The Death Train,' Avery Haines is in Juarez where she speaks with one of the human smugglers known as 'coyotes.'
B.C. man ordered to pay damages for defamatory Google review
A B.C. man has been ordered to pay a total of $4,000 to a Coquitlam company and its two owners because of a negative review he posted on Google.
DEVELOPING Israel extends evacuation warnings in Lebanon, signalling a wider offensive
The Israeli military on Thursday warned people to evacuate a city and other communities in southern Lebanon that are north of a UN-declared buffer zone, signalling that it may widen a ground operation launched earlier this week against the Hezbollah militant group.
Ontario family devastated after losing thousands to online flight ticket scam
An Ontario family was planning a religious trip to Saudi Arabia that included 10 people, but when they were checking in for their flights, the family discovered some of their tickets were fake.
For Canadians seeking a non-mRNA COVID vaccine, lack of Novavax shot is 'unfair,' advocates say
The federal government's decision to not provide Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine this respiratory virus season raises health equity concerns, experts and advocates say, as some Canadians look to the U.S. to get the shot.
Albertan first Canadian veteran to compete in Mrs. Universe pageant
In less than a year, an Alberta woman has gone from gracing the stage at her first pageant to competing at the Mrs. Universe pageant in South Korea. She's making history by becoming the first Canadian veteran to compete internationally.