This is Chapter 4 from the full audiobook Before It Happens: The Art of Staying Safe Before Violence Starts by David Burnell. It is a guide to understanding danger before it strikes and living with quiet confidence in a chaotic world.

In this episode, David explores what living in Condition Yellow means—a calm, composed, and prepared state of alertness. It’s not about fear. It’s not about paranoia. It’s about developing the everyday mental discipline that keeps you ahead of threats and firmly in control of your environment.

You’ll discover:

• Why “living in Red” will break you—and why Yellow is the state that sustains real readiness
• What “head on a swivel” actually means when practiced by elite protectors
• How to build situational awareness into your lifestyle through simple, habitual cues
• Real stories from high-risk zones where awareness made the difference
• How can you apply this mindset in parking lots, restaurants, gas stations, schools, or airports

This chapter is part of a greater mission: helping ordinary people stay safe in extraordinary moments—before violence starts.

Before It Happens is available now in audiobook, ebook, and paperback and on Amazon. This podcast series previews the full chapters of the work.

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