Kwanza Jones 00:01
Cookie Johnson, Mrs. Johnson come on up. Hey.
The theme of our summit is about power partnerships. And that is why you are here. Because when you're in a partnership with someone who may have a lot more notoriety, people often think the other person may not be doing much. But I always say, just because you don't hear about it, doesn't mean you aren't making big moves. And this woman, big moves. Absolutely wonderful big moves. Did you know she had a clothing line and a jean line, CJ by Cookie Johnson? Did you know she's an author, Believe in Magic? Did you know she's a philanthropist? Do you know she's a woman of God? Do you know she's intelligent? Do you know she's beautiful? Do you know she's here? She's in the room. She's powered up? How you gonna do it? You're gonna what?
Crowd 00:54
Step into it.
Kwanza Jones 00:55
That's it. So we talked about stepping into your power.
Cookie Johnson 00:59
Okay.
Kwanza Jones 01:00
That is what we just finished. How do you step into your power, as a woman who is powerful, who may not always, whom people may sometimes underestimate your power, because they don't always see you in the forefront.
Cookie Johnson 01:14
How do I step into my power?
Kwanza Jones 01:14
How do you step into it?
Cookie Johnson 01:16
Well, first of all, I start, everything that I do, always starts with God. And He is the head of my life. And if there's anything that I wish to do, or want to do, I pray about it first. And then I get a plan, and I create a plan. And for me, so whenever I do something, even if it's scary, then it's like stepping out on faith.
Kwanza Jones 01:40
Step into it.
Cookie Johnson 01:42
Stepping out on faith. And when I step out on faith, I know that God's got my back. And because he has my back, then I'm not afraid to step out and try to achieve that goal that I'm working on or that dream that I want. Because I know I have good backup. And not only do I have God as my good backup, I have my husband as a great teacher and a tool to help me with, you know, whatever it is like when I for example, when I wanted to start my clothing line, I was very nervous. And I thought that maybe I wouldn't, you know, no one would want to buy anything that I designed. Of course, if it was him, that's one thing, but me, I didn't think anybody would do it. But I had, I believed in it, I really wanted to do it. Fashion, I've been, has been part of my life forever. I went to school for fashion, I have a four year degree in Michigan State University and retailing of clothing and textiles.
A lot of people don't know that. They think I just decided, you know, because we have money, I wanted to start a clothing line. But no, fashion has always been a dream of mine. And so when it came to starting that line, I was very nervous about it. But I again, I prayed about it, and I felt peace about it. And then I sit down and I talked to my husband and he gave me a strategy to work with. Because you have to have a strategy, you have to have a plan before you start. So that that's you know how, if you get all that behind you, then you can step out. And that's how I did it.
Kwanza Jones 03:12
Okay, did she step into it? That's it. So when we talk about power tools, which is the whole point of this summit, is for you to have tools you can use. Cookie just gave you some tools you can use, have a plan, have faith, talk to the higher power, for her, it is talking to God talking to her husband, not that he's a higher power, please
Cookie Johnson 03:32
No
Kwanza Jones 03:32
We know who the higher power is.
Cookie Johnson 03:35
Someone with more experience how about that.
Kwanza Jones 03:36
Alright, Okay, here we go, alright. He maybe a taller in power, there it is. But we know the true power. And that's what I was talking to Cookie about is when we think about power, and we think about what the concept of power is, people always think the concept of power is the one who you always see the most. You think of that person is the one who is wielding the most power. But let's really really think about what happens. The power is they say, behind the throne, but I don't say behind the throne, I say beside the throne. Because the fact is, it's two.
Cookie Johnson 04:15
Right
Kwanza Jones 04:16
It's a partnership. It's not one, I'm in front of you, behind you, whatever, ah,
Cookie Johnson 04:23
That's right
Kwanza Jones 04:23
Cookie stands tall.
Cookie Johnson 04:24
Side by side.
Kwanza Jones 04:25
She stands proud side by side.
Cookie Johnson 04:26
That's right
Kwanza Jones 04:27
And the stories that she has in her life experiences, whether it is from raising children from writing a book, from starting a clothing line, those are all things she was able to do with power and with partnerships. So what I'd love to ask is where do you draw strength from when you are trying to give lessons to your children about what it means to be strong, to be confident, to be powerful.
Cookie Johnson 04:56
You know, I always have believed in you know, starting with your family, and we have a great families, great parents, both of us, you know, and Earvin's parents have been together for over I think they just celebrated a 50 year anniversary. It's amazing. So you start with your family to me, and I, you know, talk to them about raising kids, and, you know, you know, just getting morals and things from them and, and just little life lessons from them. And so I start with that.
Kwanza Jones 05:30
Yeah
Cookie Johnson 05:32
And then you have a village. So you have your, your friends, you know that, you know, you you all have the same kids, you go to the same school, you have all those and you have those friends that will just, you know, do anything for you. And it's just as like you will do for them and their children. So, to me, it takes a village of people and a village of wisdom. And you got to, you have to, you know sometimes people think, Oh, I can I know it all. And I can do it all myself. And my whole point is, no you don't and no, you can't.
Kwanza Jones 06:03
All right.
Cookie Johnson 06:04
So you have to draw on that village. It's so important. And even though sometimes grandma might be sounding like, okay, that's too old school for me, but you got to really listen to the wisdom of what they're saying, and pull that out and relate it to today. You know, they knew what they were talking about when they were saying, you know, kids need to mind their parents or kids need to be grounded. You know, nowadays, there's always these, there's all kinds of different philosophies on raising kids, you don't spank them, you don't do this, you don't do that. But you always have to reach back to those roots, and really listen to them and really get it and then translate it into what you're doing in this world. And so I say, use your wisdom from your family and your friends. And when you put it all together, you can make really good decisions. And that's a great way to raise your kids.
Kwanza Jones 07:00
And that's one thing where, as Cookie is talking about the wisdom from family, from your friends, from your elders, those are all maybe families, those are relationships you have. But those are all partnerships. So so many people are thinking you've got to go outside of the norm of, okay, I have to go find a friend who is just going to be my partner, there's so much wealth, and so much wisdom that you can get by just looking in your family tree.
Cookie Johnson 07:27
Right, yeah.
Kwanza Jones 07:29
Wherever it is.
Cookie Johnson 07:30
Right in front of you.
Kwanza Jones 07:30
Right in front of you, indeed. So those are things when I talk about power moves and power partnerships and Cookie is saying, here are many ways that she's been able to make power moves, and have an awareness and understanding of when you even need to go and seek out additional help seek out additional resource, seek out additional support. That's a move that you're making. And oftentimes, to make sure you are not doing it alone, you want to make sure you're doing that move, and you want to make sure you are doing that move
Cookie Johnson 07:58
Right
Kwanza Jones 07:58
With people who you know, have your best interests at heart.
Cookie Johnson 08:00
And don't feel like because you're asking other people for help, that diminishes your power. It doesn't, it actually just fuels it. So you have to think it, I guess you could look at it in different, a different perspective. Because I know a lot of people, they like control and they want to make sure that they're the ones in control. So they're making all the decisions. But sometimes, especially when you're raising kids, you really need the wisdom of other people. And it's okay to use that wisdom. Like I said, you think of it as as fuel for your power, not tearing down your power.
Kwanza Jones 08:38
Power talk. That's what we're having right here. Fuel for your power, fuel for your power. Do you all really understand what it is she's saying here, that you are powerful. But you can fuel your power even more when you were looking for these resources, when you are going whether it's your family and your friends and your understanding and having that awareness that asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. Looking for those resources is a way for you to fuel your power. Thank you Cookie.
Cookie Johnson 09:12
Yeah
