When did joy become a challenge? Why is it that we need to actively invest in joy rather than just come across it? It’s because the norm is not joyful. Permission to be joyful is not automatically given to us. The standard recipe for life is not a delicious one - it has to be seasoned. Bliss, satisfaction, elation, contentment - they have to be found. And only when we are completely comfortable with who we are in our minds and our bodies are we able to make this discovery. Laura Interlandi and Erica Livingston are birth and post-partum centric full-spectrum doulas and have given birth to Birdsong Brooklyn: a doula service also offering mentorship and doula training. They can be also be found chatting, laughing, learning and expanding on their podcast Tether Together. In this episode, they talk with me about achieving happiness and how the foundation is always loving yourself. Some people are so dissociated from who they are, they cannot vocalise what brings them joy. They might question why I’m friends with my guests today, who could be classified as “the competition.” This arbitrary label means nothing to me. The way Laura and Erica show their love, build each other up, the intense friendship that they have, it’s truly something to aspire to. We don’t have to fight each other. We don’t have to live in a constant state of envy and jealousy, comparing ourselves to and trying to beat the competition somehow. There’s plenty to go around my loves. There’s plenty to be thankful for, to appreciate within each other, and to discover together. That is what these two women are all about. Seeing the way they exist together makes me believe that friendship is safe. Friendship with other women is possible and is a beautiful thing. Connect with me, Laura and Erica in this verbal threesome as we shine a light on the difficulties of finding joy and contentment in society and teach you how to receive joy amongst all the negativity and barriers. TOPICS WE COVER * Starting your journey to happiness with the foundation of self-love and contentment * Being in a deeply heart-centred friendship that is also a business * How to work together in a partnership as friends and in business * How we’re normalising not feeling safe * Taking back the connections that have been stolen from you * Accessing your joy without relying on others to provide it for you * Having a really good time with yourself * Burnout in doula work * Harnessing your inner child to find what truly brings you joy and lights you up LINKS   * Birdsong Brooklyn website: www.birdsongbrooklyn.com (http://www.birdsongbrooklyn.com/) * Birdsong Brooklyn Instagram: instagram.com/birdsongbrooklyn (http://instagram.com/birdsongbrooklyn) * Birdsong Brooklyn Facebook: facebook.com/birdsongbrooklyn (http://facebook.com/birdsongbrooklyn) * Podcast Tether Together (https://www.birdsongbrooklyn.com/tether-together-podcast)