Ready to begin or deepen your meditation practice? Join Dan Harris and world-class meditation teachers on the 10% with Dan Harris app here: https://app.danharris.com/membership Dan has a mode he doesn't love — head down, grind through the to-do list, mirthless, militaristic. Today's guest has spent years building his career around the antidote: playfulness, curiosity, and being childish in the best sense of the word. This one is warm, funny, and unexpectedly practical. Julian Shapiro-Barnum is a comedian and the host of the massively successful digital show Recess Therapy (which you've almost certainly seen a clip of at some point), plus Celebrity Substitute and Late Outside Tonight. His new book is How to Grow Up Without Becoming a Grown-Up. In this episode: – Recess Therapy's COVID-era origin story — playground philosophy as senior thesis – Julian's actual thesis: how can I be a better adult by honoring kids' wisdom? – Why kids strip the nuance out of things — and why that turns out to help adults – The "peak childhood" moment Dan's son delivered mid-vacation – Julian's Brooklyn childhood with three moms and two dads (and how it shaped his interview style) – The "micro-dialect" of childhood — and why Julian can toggle in and out – Eight-year-old Sloane's genuinely great speech about how even bosses cry – Sitting shiva for your feelings — how kids process in real time and adults stuff it down – Julian's fight with his mom the day before (and how he handled it) – Breaking rules — how kids test boundaries and how adults quietly stop – The "inner grown-up" (or Dan's version: the inner critic) and the scope creep of self-imposed rules – Starting small — Julian's practice of touching interesting textures as a tiny rebellion – Dancing struggles (Dan's, mostly) – Normalizing rejection — the "do you wanna be my friend?" superpower we all lose – Why kids share their whole selves at once (and how adults drip-feed) – Shared identity as the adult shortcut — improv jams, rock climbing, running clubs – The "proto self" — a better term than "inner child" – Selective vulnerability — how to test the water without diving in – What's Good — Julian on Velvet Goldmine and Coyote vs. Acme, Dan on the UK band West Side Cowboy Subscribe to watch more 10% Happier videos: https://www.youtube.com/tenpercenthappier Follow Dan Harris on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/danharris/ https://www.tiktok.com/@danbharris https://www.facebook.com/DanHarrisABC https://twitter.com/danbharris https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-harris-91ba5716b/ #10PercentHappier #RecessTherapy #JulianShapiroBarnum This episode is sponsored by: Planet Visionaries: In partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, listen to or watch Planet Visionaries wherever you get your podcasts. Fitnexa: You can learn more about the FitNexa Somnipods 3 at https://fitnexa.com and use the code HAPPIER10 for $10 off your order.