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."