In this Season 5 finale of Persistence U with Lizbeth, Lizbeth shares a deeply personal reflection on generosity, survival, and why she is stepping back from weekly episodes to make space for writing, teaching, and other creative work. As she approaches the podcast’s fifth anniversary, she looks back with gratitude at the listeners, guests, patrons, and community members who helped shape nearly five years of conversations about healing, persistence, and overcoming obstacles.

Lizbeth recounts two times in her early life when she and her daughters were lifted up by strangers during the holidays. After leaving an abusive marriage, entering a shelter, and relying on food stamps and Section 8 housing, she was adopted by a holiday giving program that provided gifts, food, and a sense of dignity during a season that had otherwise felt heavy with fear and uncertainty. Years earlier, while pregnant and struggling under financial and emotional control, her friend Shelly arranged for anonymous support through her faith community. These acts of kindness, offered by people who never knew her name, helped restore hope during the most fragile years of her life.

Those moments stayed with her. They were part of what fueled her determination to finish college, break cycles of poverty and violence, and raise her daughters in safety. They also shaped her belief that generosity—financial or otherwise—can change the trajectory of a family in ways the giver may never see.

As the holiday season arrives and Season 5 concludes, Lizbeth encourages listeners to consider giving in whatever way they are able. Monetary donations to food banks, adopting a family through local programs, offering time or blood donation, or simply finding a way to lighten someone else’s load may be the most meaningful gift of the season. Volunteering, she reminds listeners, is often both selfless and deeply restorative.

Lizbeth also shares an important programming update. After nearly five years of producing Persistence U with a full roster of guests, she is pausing the guested format. The financial and time commitments are substantial, and she is ready to reclaim more space for writing, reading, teaching, and restorative quiet. This is not a goodbye. Persistence U will return with occasional, limited-series episodes. She simply needs time to breathe, create, and be present in her own life for a while.

Listeners are encouraged to stay connected through he

Lizbeth’s links

Want to comment on the show? Connect at Lizbeth's author/podcast Facebook page

Wanting great guests for your podcast, or to be a great guest on someone else's show? Join PodMatch here!

Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers – Bold Journeys of Healing, Resilience, and Self-Discovery. Half of author royalties support the YWCA’s work with survivors of domestic abuse and their families, and to combat racism.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTSNM997 Paperback Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FS9DX6HF

Draft2Digital ebook https://books2read.com/u/312rlw

Lizbeth's memoir Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters can be ordered where books are sold, and is now a TV movie, #Stolen By Their Father on Lifetime.

Lizbeth's second book, Grounded in Grit: Turn Your Challenges Into Superpowers is available to order wherever books are sold!

Tilka Faces the Odds, One Man at a Time, new release novel https://books2read.com/u/4j760X

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In Part 2 of Unmapped Conversations, Lizbeth gathers five contributors from Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers on Bold Journeys of Healing, Resilience, and Self-Discovery to explore how travel shapes identity, courage, and connection. Guests include Kathy Kirkpatrick, Tammy Horvath, Phyllis Skoy, Kate Colbert, and Anne Buckley, each offering a unique perspective rooted in life experience, personal healing, and a determination to live with intention.

Each contributor shares wisdom for women who want to travel but feel hesitant. From trusting that most people are kind, to saying yes more often, to carrying creature comforts, to recognizing that emotional safety begins long before a suitcase is packed, their insights offer reassurance and empowerment.

This conversation also revisits why half of Unmapped’s royalties support the YWCA of Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley. While the world offers beautiful possibilities, intimate partner violence remains a universal threat. Travel, self-trust, community, and awareness all play roles in building safer lives.

Unmapped remains a reminder that healing, confidence, and connection often begin the moment a woman chooses to step toward something new.

THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS

You will learn:
• How women rebuild confidence through unexpected and intentional travel
• Why saying yes to new experiences often leads to healing and expanded identity
• How resilience grows when women trust themselves, seek community, and embrace possibility.

Lizbeth’s links

Want to comment on the show? Connect at Lizbeth's author/podcast Facebook page

Wanting great guests for your podcast, or to be a great guest on someone else's show? Join PodMatch here!

Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers – Bold Journeys of Healing, Resilience, and Self-Discovery. Half of author royalties support the YWCA’s work with survivors of domestic abuse and their families, and to combat racism.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTSNM997 Paperback Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FS9DX6HF

Draft2Digital ebook https://books2read.com/u/312rlw

Lizbeth's memoir Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters can be ordered where books are sold, and is now a TV movie, #Stolen By Their Father on Lifetime.

Lizbeth's second book, Grounded in Grit: Turn Your Challenges Into Superpowers is available to order wherever books are sold!

Tilka Faces the Odds, One Man at a Time, new release novel https://books2read.com/u/4j760X

Sign up to stay in the know on L...

In this special Unmapped Contributor Connects episode, Lizbeth talks with authors Debbie Russell and Kate Colbert about what inspired their solo travel stories in Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers. Though neither has met in person, the conversation reveals deep connections formed through shared vulnerability, resilience, and the transformative power of being alone in the world.

Debbie Russell shares how her chapter emerged from a major life shift in her late fifties. After leaving her long-term job and embracing self-employment, she bought a camper and taught herself every aspect of RV life. Her experiences illuminate how travel can keep the brain active and how camping as a single woman challenges assumptions about safety and capability.

Kate Colbert reflects on her early fear of travel, having grown up in a small Midwestern community with little exposure to the wider world. A journalism career required her to travel solo constantly, which quickly transformed her worldview. She describes how discovering independence during business trips reshaped her sense of identity and helped her break away from limiting beliefs. Kate also talks about navigating travel and selfhood after surviving severe illness during the pandemic, explaining how she maintains a solo traveler’s heart even when journeying with her husband.

Connect with Kate at https://www.silvertreecommunications.com/

Connect with Debbie at https://debbie-russell.com/

This conversation also touches on domestic violence, the book’s dedication, and why half of all royalties from Unmapped support the YWCA of Knoxville and the Tennessee Valley. The episode closes with gratitude for the contributors’ honesty, courage, and willingness to carve out space for themselves despite competing demands. Their stories remind listeners that travel, even small local adventures, can be an entry point into healing, empowerment, and rediscovering one’s own voice.

Three Key Takeaways

You will learn:
• How solo travel can shift long-held beliefs about safety, confidence, and independence
• Why resilience grows when women choose their own adventures, large or small
• How freedom, healing, and community often arise from taking the first uncomfortable step

Lizbeth’s links

Want to comment on the show? Connect at Lizbeth's author/podcast Facebook page

Wanting great guests for your podcast, or to be a great guest on someone else's show? Join PodMatch here!

Unmapped: Solo Women Travelers – Bold Journeys of Healing, Resilience, and Self-Discovery. Half of author royalties support the YWCA’s work with survivors of domestic abuse and their families, and to combat racism.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTSNM997 Paperback Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FS9DX6HF

Draft2Digital ebook https://books2read.com/u/312rlw

Lizbeth's memoir Pieces of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters can be ordered where books are sold, and is now a TV movie, #Stolen By Their Father on Lifetime.

Lizbeth's second book, Grounded in Grit: Turn Your Challenges Into Superpowers is available to order wherever books are sold!

Tilka Faces the Odds, One Man at a Time, new release novel https://books2read.com/u/4j760X

Sign up to stay in the know on L...