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Julia Seal

Founder – Coach – Podcast Host – Employee Engagement Consultant… and now, MA in Happiness Studies 🤣

Julia is the Founder of Happiness-Matters. She is the visionary of the business and creator of the online Happiness-Matters coaching programme for both individuals and within business. 

Born in Zambia and raised in Zimbabwe and Swaziland, Julia now lives in “under a mountain and next to the sea” in Cape Town, South Africa with her Scottish husband Fraser, her step-son Thomas and one extremely large Giant Schnauzer, Yeti.

 

 

I am fascinated with our ongoing pursuit of happiness and by the choices we make in our everyday lives that lead us away from our happiness – and am passionate about bringing people into direct conversation with their happiness, re-imagining our lives to create our own version of happy and successful, no matter what. 

Happiness-Matters is all about putting our Wholebeing Happiness as the top priority in our lives, crafting what happiness really means to us at the deepest level, evolving ourselves to the next level and coaching beyond our current struggles to a deep soulful connection to our life and our contribution to the world.

 My joys are my boys (both hairy and not!) and the special group of midlife-professional-women I have met around the world who choose to work on coaching themselves to happiness every day. When I’m not coaching, then I’m studying Happiness, philosophy and self-evolution – or practicing Insight Meditation and Ashtanga yoga (Mysore) – or sea kayaking and hiking with Fraser – or binge-watching Netflix (The Big Bang Theory) – or baking chocolate cake and Marmite scones – or digging in my veggie garden.

Professionally, I’ve moved all coaching online in order to reach the furthest corners of the world with Happiness-Matters. However, I do love to travel, combining conferences and seminars with holiday adventures and meeting up with clients I’ve only ever seen over the screen.

This year, 2024 I am in London, New York and India, so send me a message if you’d like to meet in person.

 

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Lead Coach: Julia has been coaching since 2009 and is a Professional Certified Coach – accredited by the International Coach Federation as ICF (PCC) with more than 2500 hours of coaching.

  • Julia’s passion is working with women, coaching together on Midlife Happiness and Success, in private and small group sessions. This work takes place online with clients around the world: USA, Canada, UK, France,  India and of course, across Africa.
  • In Cape Town, Julia coaches academics in the University of Cape Town‘s Leadership Development Programme (2013 – current)
  • In Namibia, Julia coaches young professionals as part of a long-term mentoring and growth programme (2015 – current)

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  • Master of Arts in Happiness Studies (May 2024): an EPIC 18-month journey with ex-Harvard professor Dr Tal Ben-Shahar at Centenary University in New Jersey, USA – exploring wholebeing happiness through the lenses of positive psychology, philosophy, leadership, mind:body medicine, bibliotherapy and the science of wellbeing, while integrating the world’s wisdom traditions
  • Coaching qualifications include: Integral Coaching, Organisational & Relationship Systems Coaching, Positive Psychology Coaching, Life Coaching and the Integrative Enneagram
  • Additional coach training includes: Coaching Supervision, Ontological Coaching, Happiness Studies and Transactional Analysis
  • Happiness studies include: Certificate in Happiness Studies – Happiness Studies Academy, USA | Science of Happiness & the Science of Happiness at Work – Greater Good Science Centre, University of California, Berkeley, USA | Science of Wellbeing – Yale University, USA | MA Happiness Studies (see above)
  • Life Philosophy & Spiritual: with an Anglican Christian background, I am steeped in Vajrayana Buddhism while being somewhat obsessed with Greek mythology! My work in self-leadership explores how the world’s wisdom traditions, from Epicurus to LaoTzu, can expand our wholebeing in life – and meaningful happiness.

                   

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🎙🎧 Podcast Host: Julia is the creator and host of the “Happiness-Matters in Midlife!” podcast.

Launched on International Workers’ Day 2019, the podcast shares weekly coaching tips and tools for listeners to learn how to coach themselves to Happiness and Success – using Midlife, work & relationships as the playground of our own evolution! Listen to the Podcast here. In 2025, I’ll be focusing on how people from all around the world “unpuzzle happiness” for themselves, linking their tips and advice to the science of happiness.

Subscribe on any of these Podcast Services

Apple  |  Android* (Stitcher*)   |   Spotify*   |   YouTube*   email

New to podcasting? How to subscribe on any device

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Employee Engagement Consultant: Julia has been working in employee engagement since the early days of this field.

  • Currently, she is strategic consultant to the Ohlthaver & List Group of Companies in Namibia (6800 employees and 12 operating companies)
  • Further, she works remotely with international clients worldwide who need support in crafting and fine-tuning their employee engagement strategies
  • Julia has created an online mentorship programme to see young professionals set up in the employee engagement field, available to corporates as an internal training curriculum
  • Further qualifications include a post-graduate degree in Communications, degree in Industrial Psychology & Journalism Media Studies and additional Breakthrough Leadership, corporate communications, services marketing and investor relations certifications

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Clients & Testimonials

 

 

I first came to know Julia when I stepped into a new role at work. Wow! What an amazing and transformative journey it has been. Julia is a highly skilled coach with a warm, engaging personality. It is really easy to talk to her about difficult issues. Julia is a gifted listener and able to uniquely distill what she hears into valuable, credible insight. She offers practical tools for problems – tools that are sometimes so simple but always so helpful. Through her insightful coaching I have come to value my strengths and my leadership style. Julia has helped me reflect on life, balance and happiness (and not just at work). I really appreciate her “whole life” approach.  Knowing myself better has really helped me and my engagements with others – thank you Julia! If you are looking to learn more about yourself and realize your potential, I highly recommend Julia. Jen M

I started coaching with Julia back in 2015, and her warmth, guidance, and attention to the emotional atmosphere will always keep me going back. She is an amazing coach, and she has the ability to speak to me straight-to-the-heart, giving me the real deal in a gentle way. Sessions with Julia are always a welcome break, and I know I can count on a good laugh and fresh perspective to get me out of a rut. She knows me so well, and the fact that she can recall little details of our sessions always makes me feel at home and at ease. No judgment, no risk – I can always be honest with Julia, and I know she is honest with me. Our conversations are my safe space, home-away-from-home. Hayley K

Coaching has been a wonderful experience for me and Julia has fantastically guided me through becoming a better manager and looking after myself better. Julia has a lot of experience and knows well how to guide me into addressing issues I need to so as to improve on a balanced work and personal life. Andrea R

I can’t thank my coach, Julia, enough for her caring support and her gentle, but firm, guidance throughout this journey. I have valued her sense of humour and ability to ask the difficult questions with sensitivity and care. She really knows how to listen to make one feel heard, understood and appreciated. After each session I was invigorated and inspired to achieve my goals. She spurred me to dig deeper and to get to the bottom of my recurring negative patterns and to find tools to overcome them, to develop self-awareness, to set early indicators to alert for any relapses, and ways to get back on track and to nurture and tap into my inner spirit and core strength on an ongoing basis. This time with her has been incredibly helpful and is likely to have a lasting impact on my life. I feel like I have changed for the better and am stronger for it. I will end off with two apt quotes from Angeles Arrien: “There comes a time in the spiritual journey when you start making choices from a very different place. And if a choice lines up so that it supports truth, health, happiness, wisdom and love, it’s the right choice.” + “That which we witness, we are forever changed by, and once witnessed we can never go back.” Jenny W

Julia has a wonderful engaging personality and it has been really easy to open up and talk to her. She is insightful and has exposed me to new ways of thinking about a problem. I really appreciate that she takes a whole life approach rather than just focusing on work. I was a bit apprehensive that coaching would take this aggressive forceful approach – but Julia’s approach has been to develop leadership skills without changing who I am. The coaching sessions have really made a difference to my leadership style/skills. JM

Julia has made our coaching sessions enjoyable, fun and very informative. She has helped me to see that life is full of opportunity; all I need to do is to take a leap of faith and find the negative thoughts, to believe in myself and take notes of those small joyful moments that happen in life. Appreciate life and work hard to find those things that make me happy and not let go. She taught me to stand up for myself in a respectful way. On the other hand, she’s a very good person and caring. I am really happy I chose Julia to be my coach. Lindi C

I loved spending time with Julia because I could connect to her sense of humour and her warmth. She was never judgmental even when I was judgmental of myself. We came to some spectacular realisations at the end of the coaching – what I term as laziness may just be avoidance….eat the frog first thing in the morning…..there is a dialogue going on that is intriguing….to realise that I can energise by just having a few minutes break from routine.  It was fantastic to just have the chance to talk and let my thoughts go.  Malika P

Coaching has been an amazing experience for me and Julia did a fantastic job of holding a mirror up for me to see the real me; to appreciate the real me; and to be able to balance my work and non-work life better.  I am a better and happy person and manager as a result of the coaching process. Hanna-AR

My experience with coaching was far more rewarding than I expected. Julia’s approach was good for me and was also challenging at times. She gave me her full attention which is something I appreciated. She made it ok for me to be me. I found it very easy to discuss things that I felt were my failings without feeling too embarrassed. I am not sure that I would have managed to handle everything that has happened to me this year as well as I seem to have, if I had not had this coaching. Arlene H

I really valued the coaching conversations we had. They suited me perfectly because it meant that coaching was immediately of practical use to me rather than something purely theoretical. I will be drawing on our conversations for many years to come in my management journey. Caroline D

My time with Julia has been invaluable. I have learnt so much and appreciate all the effort she took into understanding the very difficult situation I found myself in when starting this job. I feel far more empowered now than I did before and do believe that the changes in my team are due to this leadership coaching. Debbie V

I would recommend Julia without reservation. She remained professional throughout the coaching experience and had knowledge of a broad range of topics that made it easy to engage. Her calmness and manner of reflecting on topics allow her to assist and unpack any scenario, to guide the individual to discover the underlying cause and or personal behaviour responsible. Pierre N

After a few sessions I wanted to recommend Julia to all and everyone around! I especially thought about people in my circle who have an aggressive approach, as I do, and could benefit so much by coaching with someone with endless patience and a kindness that leaves one at ease to go on the road to a better me. I liked and needed the soft approach to challenge me into a new direction. I felt so rejuvenated after each session. Christa S

We often turn a blind eye on matters that concern us and try to overlook the situation without finding solutions. With my coaching sessions it has enabled me to pin point the matters that are affecting my life and relationships. It was not an easy task but with the sessions I was able to talk about the problem, find a solution myself and decide on the next steps. The coaching sessions with Julia have enabled me to unlock my full potential and strive for the best. Julia greatly assisted me in molding, shaping and making life decisions that are beneficial. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to have been coached and I will continue to knock on her door. It has been a great experience and I value every moment of our sessions. Thank you Julia for the impact in my life, I appreciate you! Bea H

Angels traversed my universe at various stages of my life, inspiring me to be the best I can be. Julia and I met in a bizarre manner, but she has brought me the opportunity to coach twice at times when I needed it very much. Now, in Midlife, when we are questioning the value we add to the planet, the legacy we are leaving behind, and finding our true voice and charting the way forward, Julia has coached me to breathe again, listen to myself and value myself for who I am. Making me realise that I have achieved so much. Her gentle coaxing making me aware that there is so much to be grateful for and that no matter what I am the lighthouse weathering the storms. Having gone through a majorly stressful transition through the COVID-19 Pandemic, Julia ensured I keep strong, focus on my goals and keep my light beaming for others. Her Happiness-Matters podcasts are a source of inspiration, her infectious giggle making you feel everything will be alright, no matter what! And as I am set to launch the intriguing sequel in “Renee’s saga” I am looking forward to the next 30 years with gusto, promise and hope. I am most appreciative of the opportunity and highly recommend women being swayed by midlife quandaries to coach with Julia. Renee B

Julia is a great life coach, she has taught me the importance of finding your core happiness and becoming a strong and independent women through different roller coaster rides in your life. Christella N

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🎙🎧 Podcast Reviews

Julia’s Happiness-Matters podcasts are a source of inspiration, her infectious giggle making you feel everything will be alright, no matter what! Renee B

Podcast!!!! A new word to my vocabulary and who other than Julia Seal introducing it to me during her visit to Namibia. The Happiness-Matters Podcast has been significant to me and the matters that I encounter daily. Since the first episode I have made it a priority to listen to the podcast because it serves as meditation and rejuvenates my soul. I can relate to most if not all the topics Julia shares in the podcasts, it has equipped and enhanced my happiness. We are responsible for our own happiness, we need to take charge and not allow anyone to take it away. Julia is the same lovable being in-person as you hear her laugh throughout the podcast. Thank you for all your effort with the podcasts Jules and the podcast anthem is music to my soul. You and Fraser are doing a great job and it means a lot 😃 Bea H


Find “Happiness-Matters in Midlife” on these Podcast Services & Subscribe

               

New to podcasting? How to subscribe on any device

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💛 Support these, please

These are organisations doing incredible things in the world – they are the ones we support here at Happiness-Matters. I’d be delighted if you’d contribute to the work they do – please click on the logos to donate to them directly:

The Smile Foundation performs operations on Africa’s children with facial deformities, “putting smiles back onto children’s faces” — the United Nations aims to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation worldwide by 2030, read the realities of what’s still going on, you’ll be horrified — The SeaChange Project works to keep our oceans pristine & the unique African sea forests safe (made famous by the Oscar-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher — Sanccob protects the endangered African Penguin & seals (of course).