Echo Valor Podcast
The Echo Valor Podcast is where courage meets storytelling. Hosted by David Burnell—a U.S. military veteran, special operations team leader, and rescue operator—the show dives into the real stories of those who serve in the shadows and on the front lines. With a high-threat security and humanitarian response background, David brings raw insight and deep respect to each episode. Through powerful interviews, battlefield reflections, and original tribute music, Echo Valor honors the warriors, medics, and rescuers who risk everything for others. This podcast is part of the greater mission at EchoValor.com—to preserve legacy, inspire courage, and give voice to those who carry the weight of valor.
Echo Valor Podcast
Before It Happens - Boundaries, Intuition & Space
This episode features Chapter 6 from the book Before It Happens: The Art of Staying Safe Before Violence Starts by David Burnell—a powerful, practical lesson in protecting your most sacred defensive asset: your personal space.
We all have a box—an invisible perimeter built by instinct and experience. In this chapter, David Burnell shares gripping stories and hard-earned wisdom about why controlling your space, setting boundaries, and trusting your gut can be the difference between vulnerability and survival.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
- Why your “box” is your first line of defense
- How intuition signals danger before you see it
- What predators look for—and how to make them look elsewhere
- Why you have the right to deny access to your space, no explanation needed
- Verbal tools to assert boundaries confidently, not confrontationally
- Why distance = time, time = options, and options = safety
From gas stations to crowded sidewalks, from social pressure to real threats, this chapter gives you the mindset and mechanics to own your space, without apology.
This is a single chapter from the full-length audiobook Before It Happens: The Art of Staying Safe Before Violence Starts by David Burnell, available now on Audible, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon.
For more information, please visit www.echovalor.com
