Meet Laquita Dian

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Laquita Dian a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Laquita, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

My maternal grandmother was cut from the old country cloth. She was Norwegian in origin but raised during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression era in Oklahoma. She was tough as boot leather, open-hearted, and unbent from the harshness of her life. My mother was the same type of woman. For me, they both were pure examples of resilience, their faces always turned toward the sun.

I began cultivating optimism early in life as a coping mechanism for extreme and divergent experiences. Optimism became the cornerstone of my inherent operating style. It inspires me to see beyond the ugly, innovate, adapt, and welcome change. With an optimistic sense, I can persevere more fluidly through all of life’s ebbs and flows.

I believe with optimism you can transform challenges into opportunities and setbacks into lessons that serve you. I live by a now well-known motto: Things happen for you, not to you.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My world, as an international importer of antiquities, fine art, and oriental rugs was reshaped in 1999 when my young son suffered a catastrophic, disabling spinal cord injury. I immediately retired from my career as an importer to become a full-time caregiver to my son, Aaron Baker.

I had no idea what our future looked like. I only knew that the doctor’s prognosis of my son having a “one in a million” chance of ever feeding himself again would be true if I did not take action to help him.
The following years were solely dedicated to his recovery process, which began with tiny increments of improvement and movement.

We incorporated riding a tandem bicycle (a bicycle built for 2) in 2003 to further his recovery process. I was the captain (front seat), and Aaron was the stoker (back seat). 2007, we took all the physical gains outdoors. I managed and rode on a cross-country bike tour aboard a tandem bicycle with Aaron. Our purpose was to embark on something audacious, invigorating, and challenging, with a healthy dose of fear mixed in. Our recovery process became a mission to showcase the power of possibility after suffering adversity. Once this tour concluded, we did it again the following year, only this time Aaron was on a specially fabricated trike, with me behind him on my own bike. A few years after the second tour concluded, we opened a restorative exercise gym center that specialized in disabling conditions. Our goal was to provide the necessary environment and opportunities so vital for recovery. We ended up selling the gym to our business partner just months before Covid struck in 2020.

In another redefining period following the sale of the gym, and two decades of work, progression, and rebuilding our lives, Aaron and I have both written books. We have dedicated our lives to sharing what we have discovered along the way. Mine is titled “Rise Together – The Art of Climbing Out Of The Ditch”. The subtitle is definitely not metaphorically speaking; I was in several ditches along the way. I lifted the curtain in ways I never did, sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly. The book chronicles my life before, for context, and our path after injury. I give a special focus on the art of caregiving. Most of us, at some point in our lives, will be faced with major decisions and plans regarding the care of a loved one. Whether it be caring for a child or a spouse in ill health, or an aging parent – it is an inevitable part of our existence. It does not have to be as exaggerated as my experience to be highly impactful on your life and your state of well-being.

Rise Together isn’t just a story of struggle, it’s a story of hope – full of practical and actionable insights based on my decades of hands-on trauma recovery that can apply to any difficult situation. Aaron’s book is titled “The Rebellious Recovery – Transform Your Adversity Into Adventure”. His book is a brilliant accounting of his recovery process, as a young athlete, and all he has cultivated as a student of his own body, mind, and spirit.

After the release of Rise Together in April 2024, it has found eager readers in a multitude of places; from hospital rooms where patients and medical staff alike felt comfort, motivation, and direction, to becoming a voice at law conferences offering fresh perspectives to professionals and a deeper understanding of the needs of those they represent. It has also become a centerpiece at home book clubs, sparking inspired conversations with others facing difficulties.

I believe that if one heart can be touched by my experiences, then every challenge I have faced has found its purpose.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

I have found the most important skills that have impacted and guided me the most are to A.C.T. – Action, Changes, Things.
When my life feels overwhelming or I don’t know where to begin, I revert to my basics:: to A.C.T. It reminds me that progress begins with a single step, no matter how small the step is, just begin.

-ACTION: The first step. It’s the decision to stop waiting for circumstances to improve on their own and to take control of your narrative. Action isn’t always big or grand – it can be as small as deciding to put one foot in front of the other, making a phone call or reaching out for advice. The next step is setting a goal, and then determining the incremental steps to achieve that goal. Whatever you do, take action to move forward.

-CHANGES; Every action sets change into motion. Even the smallest effort can shift momentum, creating opportunities, altering perspectives, and opening doors that once seemed locked.

-THiNGS: The results of change may vary – new solutions, unexpected growth, or even a fresh sense of hope. The “things” in life that feel immovable begin to shift when we take consistent, purposeful steps.

-A.C.T.: ACTION CHANGES THINGS is much more than a simple motivational phrase; it’s a call to embrace the power we have to influence our lives and the world around us.

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

I am, by nature, an “all-in” personality. I can not honestly say that it is better to be that way, or if it’s better to aspire to be well-rounded. I can only say it’s what works best for me. Going all-in is a commitment that can unlock extraordinary potential. It is a declaration of faith in myself which enables me to achieve things I once thought impossible. And I give myself no outs or options once I make a particular decision about something I want or need to do.

By focusing on our strengths, we operate at our highest capacity. We achieve better results faster and create opportunities that might not have emerged otherwise. An all-in effort generates momentum. Each victory, no matter how small, fuels further progress and inspires us to aim even higher.

When I made the decision to help Aaron reach his maximum potential after his injury, it was the single most important step I could have taken. It represented the moment I chose a path, set a direction, and committed to moving forward. That decision shaped both of our lives, redefining who we were, and where we were headed.

Going “all-in” is a belief that our goals are worth the effort. It’s a declaration that our strengths, combined with perseverance, can lead us to incredible success. The path is challenging, no doubt, but the rewards – personal growth, achievement, and impact are immeasurable.

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Melanie Manson

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