It began in a moment of stillness.
In a quiet circle, after hours of sitting, reflecting, and listening, one woman stood. Her body trembled slightly, breath shallow but steady. She had not spoken all day. Then she said:
“I declare I will no longer be silent in my own life.”
It wasn’t a suggestion. It wasn’t a request. It was a shift in being.
Everyone felt it. The moment didn’t need explanation—something had moved. Not just in her, but in the shared field of the room.
This is the generative power of language. At Newfield, we see language as a generative act that brings new worlds into being.
Language as Action: What Declarations Do
Within ontological coaching, we categorize language into different types of speech acts. These include requests, offers, assessments, assertions, and declarations.
Each has a role in how we generate our world through language. Today, let’s explore declarations.
A declaration brings something into existence that wasn’t there before. “From today forward, I will live fully.” “This unhealthy relationship ends now.” “You belong here.” These are not just words. They evoke new worlds.
Learning to declare is learning to lead well. Because leaders who do not consciously declare—who only report, describe, or analyze—often struggle to inspire, to shift culture, to name what’s possible, or to claim a new vision.
A declaration, when embodied and aligned, creates a new future. It uses the power of language to bring a new possibility into being. This changes the world forever. When we understand this facet of language, we can consciously co-create a better world.
The Observer Shapes the Declaration
Declarations are made by someone—someone with a body, a mood, a history, a culture. They emerge from what we call the “observer”: the person’s way of seeing the world and how they make meaning. Often, if we don’t like how our lives are going, the first thing we do is change our actions. At Newfield, we have found that this might work in the short term, but often we will slip back into old behaviors. Instead, if we work directly with our deeper meaning-making process, our observer, fundamental change begins. When the observer changes, our actions naturally change, and this transforms our life and the world.
For instance, a person shaped by anxiety might declare, “Nothing ever works. Life is scary.” That declaration will shape their choices and the reality they live in. A person shaped by confidence might declare, “Together, we will find a way through.” That, too, will shape reality.
Neither is more “true,” but each creates a different future.
As Newfield coaches, we support people to become aware of their observer, and learn how to effect last change at that level. As the deeper meaning-making aspects of us are discovered and transformed to reflect alignment and authenticity, new declarations naturally arise that bring forth a better future.
Not All Declarations Are Created Equal
Declarations are powerful, but not all of them serve us well.
We can, and often do, make declarations that constrain us. “I will never be enough.” “People can’t be trusted.” “I always fail under pressure.” These are declarations, often spoken as truth, close down possibilities.
Some declarations function as assertions—statements of objective fact. For example, a judge saying, “You are hereby declared guilty under the law,” is a declaration based on legal facts that has legal and social consequences.
Other declarations take the form of assessments—subjective interpretations. “The world is unsafe” reflects a subjective way of observing the world, but when spoken as a declaration, it immediately brings a new world into being.
This is why, in ontological coaching, we listen to see if the world we are bringing into being is one we want to live in. What kind of future does this declaration open? And who does it serve? In this way, a Newfield-trained coach can use the catalytic power of language as a tool for changing our lives by making the unconscious conscious. Instead of language being a means to an end, it is a doorway into the depths of who we are, and a means to consciously foster a more vibrant and successful life.
A Practice for You
Let’s bring this home.
Take a moment. Breathe. Feel your feet. Bring to mind a part of your life where something feels stuck.
Now ask yourself:
- What do I declare on a regular basis? This could be conscious or unconscious.
- In what ways does that declaration serve or limit you?
- Where does this declaration come from within you? What aspect of your observer gives rise to it? This includes your perspective, emotional terrain, culture, history, etc.
- If this declaration does not serve you, what would you like to declare instead?
If you feel moved, speak it aloud. Feel it in your body. Explore how to take this declaration into the world.
Final Reflections
Declarations are a creative aspect of language. When we speak with clarity and intention, the world begins to change. At Newfield, we teach leaders and coaches to speak futures into being through deep exploration of soma, emotion, culture, history, and a deep well of unbroken wholeness. Ultimately, our voice becomes an extension of inexhaustible courage, compassion, and care, and we use the power of language to engender a brighter tomorrow.
If this resonates with you, we invite you to explore our Coaching for Personal and Professional Mastery program, one of the most respected offerings in the field of leadership coaching and executive coaching services. Come learn to listen differently. To speak with presence. To live into declarations that include and empower.
This article is based on excerpts from the Coaching for Personal and Professional Mastery Program.
