[00:00:11] All right, before we start, let me ask you a honest question.
[00:00:19] Did you just yawn?
[00:00:23] Yeah. I mean, like, just now?
[00:00:27] No.
[00:00:28] Well, if not, when was the last time you yawned and didn't fight it?
[00:00:36] Yeah. I mean, didn't cover it up, didn't apologize, didn't power through you just let it happen?
[00:00:54] Why do I ask?
[00:00:56] Well, because if you did just yawn, then allow me to welcome you and congratulate you as you're already participating in today's episode.
[00:01:18] Round of applause for you. Yeah, Yeah, exactly.
[00:01:29] Hello, my favorite listener.
[00:01:32] And thanks for being here.
[00:01:34] You know, this is one of those conversations that doesn't ask you to really fix anything.
[00:01:44] You don't have to hustle harder than you already do or optimize your life or, you know, some form of a 30 day challenge or something. No, in fact, it's quite the opposite.
[00:02:05] Today we're talking about two things you do without even thinking, without planning, and sometimes without permission.
[00:02:24] Yawning and smiling.
[00:02:28] Two tiny actions, two quiet superpowers. Right.
[00:02:38] And somehow two of the most human things we share.
[00:02:45] So get comfortable.
[00:02:48] If you yawn, don't fight it.
[00:02:53] If you smile, don't hide it.
[00:02:58] Let's talk.
[00:03:05] From the natural state.
[00:03:07] This is Public Facing the podcast.
[00:03:18] Hello and welcome to Public Facing the Podcast, where culture and community meet. I'm your host, Joe Holman.
[00:03:28] I'm so very happy that you're here.
[00:03:31] And here we share everyday voices and extraordinary stories.
[00:03:37] Our episodes are that of a scripted yet unscripted talk show.
[00:03:44] Regardless of what you might hear shared during our time together, my sincere hope is that you can find truth and hope inside the stories that we share, because these stories should always be public Facing.
[00:04:11] Yawning.
[00:04:13] It's funny, right?
[00:04:16] It is, isn't it?
[00:04:19] I mean, it shows up uninvited at meetings, at church, at work, and during conversations where someone is telling you something very important.
[00:04:40] And suddenly your mouth opens like it's got a mind of its own.
[00:04:48] For a lot of men, yawning feels like weakness.
[00:04:53] Smiling can feel unnecessary.
[00:04:58] And listening to our bodies, well, that sometimes feels optional.
[00:05:07] And we've all been trained to apologize for it.
[00:05:14] Oh, sorry.
[00:05:16] As if yawning is rude.
[00:05:20] But here's the thing.
[00:05:22] Yawning isn't disrespectful.
[00:05:26] It's communication.
[00:05:29] It's your body saying, hey, I need a moment.
[00:05:36] Not sleep, necessarily.
[00:05:40] Not boredom, necessarily.
[00:05:44] Just recalibration.
[00:05:49] Think about when yawns show up most.
[00:05:54] When you're tired. Yeah.
[00:05:58] But also when you're stressed.
[00:06:03] And again, when you're overloaded.
[00:06:07] And when you've been pushing a little too long without noticing.
[00:06:14] Yeah, yawning.
[00:06:17] It's your nervous system tapping you on the shoulder, trying to release just a little bit of that tension.
[00:06:29] And what do we usually do?
[00:06:33] We suppress it.
[00:06:34] We fight it.
[00:06:37] We cover it.
[00:06:39] We ignore the message that our body's sharing with us.
[00:06:45] And imagine if we did that with hunger or thirst even.
[00:06:56] Yet yawning gets treated like a social inconvenience instead of a biological kindness.
[00:07:09] You know, and it's true that yawns, they're. Well, they're contagious for a reason.
[00:07:16] Now here's what I'm getting at.
[00:07:23] Yeah. Now here's where yawning gets interesting.
[00:07:29] Yawns are contagious.
[00:07:33] Seriously, it's not just a coincidence.
[00:07:37] You don't even have to see one.
[00:07:40] You just have to hear about it.
[00:07:43] In fact, check in with yourself right now and be honest, because there's a decent chance that your jaw has loosened a little.
[00:07:57] And that is not weakness.
[00:08:01] That is connection.
[00:08:05] Yawning together is one of the earliest forms of social bonding.
[00:08:13] Long before language, before complex thought.
[00:08:19] Humans sync their bodies.
[00:08:23] Same rhythms, same breathing, same rest cycles.
[00:08:30] Yawning says, I'm with you.
[00:08:34] I feel what you feel.
[00:08:38] I'm tuned in.
[00:08:41] It's empathy without words.
[00:08:47] So maybe the next time someone yawns near you, instead of thinking, wow, they're bored, maybe.
[00:09:00] Maybe you could think, wow, we're connected.
[00:09:08] That.
[00:09:09] That changes the whole tone, doesn't it?
[00:09:20] So now let's. Let's flip the coin, okay?
[00:09:24] Let's talk about smiling.
[00:09:29] Now, smiling is yawning's more socially acceptable cousin, if you will.
[00:09:38] We're encouraged to smile, are we not?
[00:09:42] We're told to smile.
[00:09:44] Hell, many times we're being pressured to smile.
[00:09:50] And smiling can feel vulnerable.
[00:09:54] It can feel unnecessary or like it sends the wrong message.
[00:10:05] But here's the secret.
[00:10:08] Smiling isn't about pretending everything is okay.
[00:10:14] It's not?
[00:10:16] No. It's about signaling safety, both to yourself and to others.
[00:10:25] See, smiling works both ways.
[00:10:30] Are you ready?
[00:10:31] You don't smile because you're happy.
[00:10:37] Sometimes you're happy because you smiled.
[00:10:43] Even a small smile tells your body, we're okay.
[00:10:50] We're safe.
[00:10:52] No immediate threat detected.
[00:10:57] Yeah, that's communication.
[00:11:01] And that message travels faster than logic.
[00:11:08] You can be having a rough day. Yeah, I know it. I mean really rough.
[00:11:14] And still allow a gentle smile, not a fake one. And, you know, just a soft one.
[00:11:25] And I'm not saying, you know, everything's fine. No, it's it's saying that I'm still here and that matters.
[00:11:42] You want to be using the power of being seen.
[00:11:48] I mean, think about the last time that someone smiled at you unexpectedly.
[00:11:58] Not the polite customer service smile, and not that forced one.
[00:12:08] I'm talking about the real one.
[00:12:11] The kind that says, I see you.
[00:12:16] It probably stuck with you longer than you realize.
[00:12:22] Now, smiles, they disarm tension.
[00:12:29] They soften conversations.
[00:12:35] They open doors without saying a word.
[00:12:42] And just like yawning.
[00:12:45] Yep, you guessed it. They're contagious.
[00:12:50] One smile leads to another, another leads to a lighter moment.
[00:12:57] And suddenly the room, well, it feels different.
[00:13:04] That's power.
[00:13:06] That's quiet power.
[00:13:15] If we had to do the math, we'd get up on the blackboard and we'd write, yawning plus smiling equals self awareness.
[00:13:31] Am I right?
[00:13:33] See, here's the beautiful thing, right?
[00:13:36] Yawning and smiling, they're actually opposites, but they work together.
[00:13:46] Now, I don't know that I would say that they're like yin yang. But yawning asks you to slow down.
[00:13:57] Smiling invites you to open up.
[00:14:02] Yawning says check in.
[00:14:07] Smiling says reach out.
[00:14:11] And when you start noticing them, and I mean really noticing, you get better at listening to yourself.
[00:14:23] Another insight.
[00:14:26] The body whispers before it yells.
[00:14:33] Yep, the body whispers before it yells.
[00:14:40] Yawning is a whisper.
[00:14:45] Smiling is a whisper.
[00:14:49] But you ignore them long enough, and the message, it gets louder.
[00:14:58] It's not as nice.
[00:15:03] All of a sudden.
[00:15:05] Burnout, irritability, sleep problems, health scares that we didn't see coming.
[00:15:16] Now, this isn't about fear.
[00:15:19] No, this is about awareness.
[00:15:24] If you notice yourself yawning more than usual, well, ask yourself why.
[00:15:35] If smiling suddenly feels harder than it used to, pay attention.
[00:15:46] That awareness, that's strength, not weakness.
[00:15:52] And ask yourself, am I yawning because I'm tired or because I'm overwhelmed?
[00:16:04] Am I smiling because I feel good or because someone helped me feel seen?
[00:16:16] It's these little moments that act as feedback loops.
[00:16:23] They're information.
[00:16:26] They're gentle guidance.
[00:16:29] And there's no app required.
[00:16:33] How about that?
[00:16:37] So let's put this into simple practice.
[00:16:45] So here's a small invitation as we close tonight.
[00:16:55] If you yawn, don't fight it.
[00:17:01] When you yawn, don't apologize.
[00:17:06] Just notice.
[00:17:09] Take one slow breath afterward.
[00:17:15] And tomorrow, when you smile, let it be real.
[00:17:21] Even if it's small, just let it be real.
[00:17:25] Let the smile linger half a second longer than usual, and finally, relax.
[00:17:38] You don't have to have all the answers.
[00:17:43] Yes, I said it. I'll say it again.
[00:17:46] Relax.
[00:17:48] You don't have to have all the answers.
[00:17:53] You just have to listen.
[00:17:56] That's it.
[00:17:58] There's no big goals. There's no transformation plan and no 30 day challenge.
[00:18:07] Just awareness.
[00:18:09] Be aware.
[00:18:12] Just kindness.
[00:18:14] Be kind and just being human.
[00:18:21] Yeah, be human.
[00:18:23] And if you yawned during this episode, I'll take that as a compliment.
[00:18:33] Now, thanks for spending this time with me.
[00:18:37] Until next time, you know, take a breath, relax your jaw and keep smiling.
[00:18:46] And I'm so very thankful for you, my favorite listener, that I'm grateful for you and for being part of the Public Facing Podcast journey.
[00:18:59] I welcome your feedback on all the topics that we discuss and share here on Public Facing the Podcast.
[00:19:07] And tell me, how may I best serve you?
[00:19:14] You've heard my voice, now let me hear yours.
[00:19:19] Join the conversation and share your comments or story ideas. Or heck, even just say hello.
[00:19:27] Send me an email at hellobublicfacingpod Stream.
[00:19:34] If you're looking for any of our previous episodes, head over to our website at Public Facing Pod Stream.
[00:19:42] You can also find us wherever you get your podcasts.
[00:19:48] And again, in closing.
[00:19:50] Can't believe I'm saying that. Again, I think this is what, the second or third time I've said in closing. Okay, well, in closing, today's episode of Public Facing the podcast.
[00:20:03] Know this, you are the very best part of public facing and connect with us on
[email protected] public facing pod.
[00:20:21] Thanks for listening. Until next time, share those everyday voices and extraordinary stories.
[00:20:29] Keep things upright and Public Facing.
