Dr. Estella Dior Goes from Adversity to Triumph

Dr. Estella Dior knows from first hand experience the importance of being motivated and determined to succeed no matter what the odds. Her life story would be ideal for a Lifetime movie, except it’s also the kind of thing that can cause a mental breakdown or even lead to suicide. But Dr. Dior, whose newest book “You Were Destined To Survive,” compiles the stories of 12 women who’ve overcome hardship and despair to ultimately enjoy successful lives.

“I was in federal prison, at a low point in my life,” she recalled during a recent interview with the Tribune. “But I always had my faith, and I clung to it, knowing that somehow I was going to live and I was going to be successful.” Despite being highly religious from a young age and growing up devoted to the church, some wrong decisions and bad company got her ensnarled in the world of the hustlers. That finally resulted in her sentence in federal prison, given 35 years. “You really don’t know till you get in that situation about pain and despair,” she continued. “Yet that also made me even stronger in my faith, and I also started to develop skills I’d always had but wasn’t using in the right way.
Indeed Dr. Dior became a passionate, charismatic speaker and engaging, thoughtful writer, eventually earning her release from prison. She’s since emerged as one of the nation’s finest success coaches, along with being an author and empowerment leader. The women profiled in “You Were Destined To Survive” have encountered and been able to overcome a host of challenges, among them sexual abuse, teen pregnancy and depression. “What I try to do with this book and my two previous ones were let people know that they can make it, no matter how bleak things may look at certain points.

Dr. Dior’s first work was “Diary of A Street Princess.” “Everyday Grace -Everyday Miracles” chronicled her remarkable story, and “You Were Destined to Survive” focuses on how each of its 12 subjects were able to meet and handle life’s challenges. She’s been spotlighted in many publications, most notably “Ebony” and “Paisley” magazines, as well as the Miami Herald.

Unfortunately, the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic has affected her as it has many others, wiping out several scheduled dates and putting a temporary halt to plans for a book tour. However she sees it as just one more obstacle to overcome. “This virus has really affected a lot of people in harsh ways, but it also makes it even more important for people like me to motivate and reach people, tell them not to give up, to have faith in God and themselves that they can succeed if they don’t give up and keep on trying.”