"The important thing is this: to be able, at any moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we could become."

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

BEN VEENEMA

Engineer. Realist. Builder.
ASHLEY VEENEMA

Educator. Optimist. Visionary.

Be Brave.

OUR STORY

We met in 2010 and married in 2014. Saddled with 278k in student loan debt, we made it our mission to pay it off and in July of 2022, we did just that! Since this defining moment, we’ve made it our mission to live life our own way. A life filled with memories and unburdened with regrets.

Dream Big.

LIFE VISION

Seeking Joy is our intention. It’s the way in which we have chosen to live our life and adventure throughout the world. Every thought, every decision, every action - It all matters because it creates our story and the legacy we leave behind. Living a meaningful life is rooted in the art of seeking joy.

Our logo is a reminder of this, with its mountainous peaks, hexagonal border, and minimalist design. The mountains remind us of the importance of the journey with all of its hardships and celebratory moments, while the hexagon is emblematic of our priorities of Purpose, Passion, Happiness, Wellbeing, Authenticity, and Connection. Finally, it’s the simple things that often bring the greatest sense of joy.

Stand Out.

No Regrets.

Adventure 1: Bus Life

In the summer of 2022, we were feeling stuck. The housing market felt overpriced and uninspiring, and nothing quite fit the vision we had for our next chapter. So instead of settling, we chose something different: we took our down payment fund and used it to buy and renovate a 40ft school bus, transforming it into our tiny home on wheels.

After months of sanding, sawing, dreaming, and designing, Joy—our skoolie—was born. What began as a bold alternative quickly became the most meaningful project of our lives. We finished the conversion and hit the road to explore the U.S., chasing sunsets, soaking up new landscapes, and seeking joy in the unexpected.

Adventure 2: Austin, TX

Our road trip across the U.S. brought unforgettable views, meaningful reunions, and deep time with family. After weaving through the east coast and along the Gulf, we arrived in Austin, TX—and something clicked.

Not long after, I flew home and turned in my resignation from teaching. The energy here is magnetic. Where Sedona draws power from the land, Austin’s magic comes from its people. This new chapter is all about healing in community. Here's to all that’s next.

"Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire."

Jennifer Lee

75 Hard Challenge Recap! Done & Dusted -- On Nov. 1st we finished the challenge without a single restart or failure. Learning Gains: I THRIVE in Routine Increased Grit, Resilience, & Discipline Incredible Confidence Thoughts on Personal Growth & Self Awareness Thoughts on Moving Forward Overall, I am SO DANG PROUD of us for completing this challenge! Thank you for those that followed and supported us along the way!

An Insight from the Silence...

NC Beach Getaway 🏖️

Adventures on Mackinac Island 🚲 #seekingjoy #travel #michigantravel #mackinacisland #skoolie

Petoskey Stone hunting on the beaches of Charlevoix, MI! #seekingjoy #travel #michigantravel #petoskey #charlevoix

Daily Delight: Power Hike & Sunset Through Devil's Doorway

Daily Delight: Hard Day. Showed Up Anyway. Consciously Cultivating The Practice.

Traverse City, MI Exploring a Lake Michigan Coastal Town Scenic Views, Quaint Shops, a Bustling Farmer's Market, and SO many cherries 🍒 #traversecity #traversecitymichigan #traversecitytourism #cherrycapital #michigantravel #seekingjoy #travel

Daily Delights: Marquette Love, Wild Fur Animals, Cold Plunging at Sunrise 🌄

First Daily Delight 💕 May your day be filled with light, love, and joy!

Have you ever dreamed of a place where the natural beauty of nature takes your breath away?! Welcome to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a hidden gem awaiting your discovery. Living a meaningful life is rooted in the art of Seeking Joy. Be Brave. Dream Big. Stand Out. No Regrets. Life's adventure awaits you. #seekingjoy #sleepingbeardunes #nationallakeshore #michigantravel #naturelovers #travel

Art Prize Grand Rapids, MI September 2024

At long last, here's a tour of our bus JOY 🚌✨ #seekingjoy #skoolie #diyskoolie #joy #joybus #skoolieconversion #bustour #skoolielife #skooliebuild #skoolienation

Bus Updates: Floor and lower trim installation Upper trim with LED ambient lighting Curtains with custom mounts installed Shower tiled, grouted, and sealed Bathroom vanity and LED mirror installation Not pictured: Building the ottoman and driver's upper trim, making the windshield sun reflection roll, installing new kitchen outlets and drawer liners, running and connecting all of the solar panels to the system, and sound dampening the driver's area. A HUGE thank you to all who helped us -- Jim and Lauren, Darrin and Vickie, Troy and Family, and Sue! We couldn't have done it without you!! #skoolieconversion #skoolie #diyskoolie #joy #joybus #wanderlust #skoolielife #tinyhome

Painting JOY was quite the process -- See the progression from classic school bus yellow to her crisp new two tone aesthetic! It took a lot of late nights with sprayers, rolls upon rolls of paper and tape, hand painting the projected logo, and hours of assistance from family in the blistering heat! SO grateful -- DANG the final outcome looks good!! #skoolieconversion #skoolie #diyskoolie #freshpaint #joybus #seekingjoy #joy

Exciting news... Ben and I are going to start 75 Hard on MONDAY (7.19.24)!! I know it may sound insanely absurd with all that we have going on in our lives, but frankly that's when we need structure and routine the most (Check out the most recent Coffee Talk Episode of the SJP for more info). We're thinking of this as a reset exercise, a leveling up tool we can use to unlock our true potential and capacity! We've felt it before, know what's possible, and now we want to access it again. So, here comes the twist... We want YOU to do it with us! Are you interested?! Let's face it doing a hard thing with other humans makes us feel less alone and frankly, we're stronger together and therefore more likely to reach that WIN! Ben and I intend to share our 75 Hard Journey with you via IG stories, but we were also thinking about creating an accountability email thread, group message or text, and/or maybe even a weekly zoom check-in call. More to come on this depending on interest level!! Here are the basics of the 75 Hard Program, but feel free to look it up OYO for the full details: -DAILY Challenge Items: 1. Two 45 min workouts (one needs to be outside) 2. Drink one gallon of water (coffee and seltzer don't count) 3. Read 10pgs of a Nonfiction Book (think personal growth) 4. Follow a diet (no cheat meals, no deviations) 5. No Intoxicants (alcohol & any other mind altering substances) 6. Take a progress picture -Do ALL parts of ALL items for 75 consecutive days! If you miss even one part of one item, you start back at day zero! Have I lost you yet?! Think we're nuts?! OR... Are you a little nervous, but ready to dive in with us?! If you're interested and want to join us, please send me a DM with your contact email and number ASAP. I'll reach out and you can join our group -- Get excited for all of the Type 2 Fun we'll have together! Although nervous ourselves, Ben and I are absolutely PUMPED for this adventure! I am constantly reminded that growth happens at the edge of comfort and discomfort -- So get ready to push the comfort zone envelope and unlock all of your potential!! #75hard #75hardchallenge #personalgrowth #liveyourbestlife #seekingjoy #type2fun

Joy is looking FRESH with her new coat of paint! Thank you @lifepathqhht for helping me hand paint the Seeking Joy Logo -- I'm obsessed 😍

✨🚍At long last, an update on Joy! Oh yeah, our skoolie's name is Joy! #skoolie #busbuild #seekingjoy #diy

The Seeking Joy Podcast is LIVE! 🎙️🎧 Give it a listen on Spotify, Pocket Casts, or Apple Podcasts -- SO beyond grateful for my first three guests @gnmimages , @bradley_james , & Rev. Ryan Gabel. I feel so honored and privileged to get the opportunity to share a bit of their story and truth with the world. I am forever grateful 💕

Seeking Joy Podcast -- COMING SOON! Mission & Intention: Real Conversations on Intentional Living – Creating a space where human beings can feel seen, heard, and valued, while having real and heartfelt conversations about what it takes to live an extraordinary life. Unlocking the secrets to living a meaningful and intentional life rooted in the art of seeking joy. Be Brave. Dream Big. Stand Out. No Regrets. This is SO exciting -- Can't wait to share it with you all!! Interested in being a Future Guest on the Pod?! The answer is YES -- You are SO worthy of this and I can't wait to make the space to have a joy-filled conversation with YOU! Reach out, let's talk!