Baraz and Alexander open with a central claim drawn from Buddhist practice and modern psychology alike: joy can be deliberately cultivated through specific practice, rather than being purely dependent on favorable external circumstances.

Why this reframe matters:

• Most people wait for circumstances to justify joy, rather than treating it as something to actively build
• Like any trained capacity, joy responds to consistent, deliberate practice over time
• This doesn't deny the role of genuine hardship — it argues joy and hardship can coexist rather than being mutually exclusive

This opening sets up the book's structured, practice-based approach rather than treating joy as a matter of luck or fixed temperament.