Amita Parwal - Blog

An Ode to Writing

Sat, 03 May 2025 16:13:35 +0000

When we hear the word writing, what flashes before our eyes is not just ink and paper—it’s an entire spectrum: notebooks, scribbled sticky notes, overflowing diaries, carefully typed emails, thoughtful poems, childhood essays, and those pieces of paper lying forgotten on your desk, now so over-scribbled that they make sense only beyond logical reasoning. Some of them still hold relevance; some have quietly retired into oblivion.

Here are my insights on one of my most cherished facets of communication—written communication. It’s an art, a science, a therapy, and a skill. And if you’ve ever wondered whether writing still holds relevance in a world screaming digital from every rooftop—the answer is a resounding yes.

1. Writing on Paper Sharpens the Mind Like Nothing Else

Yes, apps store our notes efficiently. They’re searchable, environmentally conscious, and convenient. But writing—real writing—does something else. When you write by hand, your brain is more involved. It's not just your fingers moving; it’s your thoughts shaping themselves. Handwriting captures the mood of the moment. Look back at your old notes—you'll find versions of yourself scattered across those pages. Some rushed, some dreamy, some precise like a letter to the future.

Each stroke is a timestamp, each cross-out a reflection. Sometimes, the very lines we struck out in a hurry contain the real magic. Think of J.K. Rowling’s discarded drafts or Beethoven’s crossed-out musical notations—within those messy lines lay timeless masterpieces. When you type, you edit out those gems in real-time. When you write, you leave them there… waiting to surprise you later.

2. Writing Is Meditation in Motion

In a world that celebrates mindfulness but rarely practices it, writing is my form of meditation. It’s where I detox. It’s where I meet myself. Imagine Lord Shiva taming the wild Ganga in his matted hair. That’s what writing does to our minds—it channels the chaos, creating a quiet power within.

Our minds are the busiest busybodies, jumping from one time zone to another in seconds. Writing is like building dams—channeling that infinite energy into something purposeful. It’s where a meandering thought becomes a message. Where noise becomes clarity. Where fears, dreams, pride, and purpose pour themselves out—one word at a time.

3. Writing Is Becoming a Necessity, Not Just a Nostalgic Pastime

We live in a world of ringtones, pings, and buzzes. Where attention spans are now shorter than a goldfish's (yes, that’s been studied!). In such a distracted world, writing gives us an edge—especially in the age of AI.

Writing increases retention. It helps us recall not just what was said, but how it felt. Ever zoned out in an important call? (Don’t worry, we all have.) But if you had the habit of jotting down notes—what was said and what was sensed—you’d have a treasure trove of insight waiting for you. Additionally it is a magical method of channelising emotions into logic, as the first reaction (at times an outburst) is on paper, what comes from your mouth will be a response and not a reaction.

Writing is your personal rewind button in a world addicted to fast-forward.

Writing is…

For some, a passion. For others, a profession. For a few old souls like me, a way of life. For everyone else it should become a necessity.

Think of Anne Frank, whose diary became one of the most powerful voices of the 20th century. Or Rabindranath Tagore, whose writing is a living, breathing reflection of his idle musings—each word soaked in serenity, stirring something timeless within us. Or William Shakespeare, who sculpted entire worlds out of words, giving voice to every human emotion long before psychology had terms for them. Or Robert Frost, who took quiet country roads and turned them into metaphors for life’s most defining choices.

Whether you want to lead, reflect, connect, or grow—writing will take you there. So if you're still wondering why to write— Let me ask you instead: Can you afford not to?

From clarity and structure to expression and influence. Writing is designed to help you fall in love with the process, one word at a time.

Stay tuned. Write back. And maybe—write more.

Get Started Now

Conflict the inevitable truth of Life

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:20:00 +0000

The inevitability of conflict has been highlighted again and again. An inevitable part of our lives needs solutions similar to what we have to counter friction, and thus transforming a disadvantage into an advantage. Before we all jump into becoming expert conflict resolvers we need to understand the genesis behind its inevitability. Conflict is a core competency product of human beings, we are, will and always be in conflict from the time we are born. A universal factor has to be supported by universal ground rules. A few universal facts which should never be forgotten:

We were hunter/gatherers

We have evolved into these suave, educated and erudite creatures, however we should never forget our roots, that of a hunter gatherer. Our basic instincts are that of continuously sniffing danger and threat around us. Understandably the wild creatures are no longer around us, so we land up gauging the fellow human beings around us. Do not underestimate the power of your roots, look around, there is plenty of proof!

The Narcissist within us

Every human being is a narcissist to a certain extent. We all love listening to our own voices. It is naturally difficult for us to put the perspectives and priorities of others in front of us, leave alone before our own. So, for one who expects the mirror on the wall to reply on its whims, will it be able to put the other person and his requirements, before its own?

Well a BIG NO!

We are intelligent, opinionated and layered

We are intelligent, opinionated and layered due to various factors. You are undoubtedly intelligent, this is why you are where you are. Opinionated is a byproduct of the first 2 points, peppered with deep awareness of our own thought patterns. Layered with our own individual background, our past, our beliefs, our experiences, our habits and our complex personality type. The final prototype that we all are, may seem complex, however as stated before, have the same core ingredients!

This is how complicated, yet simple every human being is. The more educated or aware one is, may make that person camouflage these basic traits, however there is no one who can be independent of them.

Once we have understood and accepted the inevitability of conflict, we need to understand, if it is inevitable, how to #gain, #succeed and #achieve #growth through #conflict.

If the universe has made conflict an inevitable part of #corporatecommunication, then several have gained and grown by #conflictresolution and #conflictmanagement is also an equally significant truth. The TINA factor having set in, let us find steps to find magic/cure in the malady itself.

Listen:

The Narcissist within us does not like listening to the voices of others, it is overbrimming with #ideas, #opinions and perspectives which it wants to share. No wonder, it is always told ‘inculcate listening skills’ as we are not original in it.

Benefit: You have more information at your disposal, than when you started. Having all the perspectives and opinions under your belt, ammunitions at an optimum, be ready to launch yourself! The biggest rule of WAR is be prepared first!

Talk:

Seems contradictory? First #listen and then #talk?

It has been observed that we often talk about a person, rather than to a person, which is the root cause for Chinese whisper to set in. Often when we avoid and ignore difficult conversations with a person, we engage in a conversation with a third person, which becomes gossip or frivolous conversation, not sincere communication. Be direct, precise and clear in your to the person conversations, this simple yet doable task irons off a lot of creases on the surface, which may on passage of time become undersurface rumblings waiting to explode.

Benefit: The ‘pinch’ which was set to explode, settles and amicable #conversation resumes, settling the dust and setting the ground for amicable conversations to continue. Or should I say "Prevention is better than Cure?"

Separate Problems & People:

Due to our basic instinct of sniffing danger around, we confuse the #problem or the conflict with the person or #ego involved. The conflict is always due to a difference of opinion and perspective which has little or no connection with the person or their position. This creates layers of conflict which gets more and more complex. If we do not separate layers from the beginning it has the capability to raise itself to the level of the next world war.

Never say: “you said the problem….” instead say, “ the problem is….”.

Never say “ I do not agree with you….” instead say, “that’s a valid point, however…..”

Avoid: You, I, replace with we, us

Avoid: But, also, replace with and, a pause.

Benefits: Addressing the problem and the solution and not the person, seals your #relationship and #rapport, and makes you seem less formidable to the person across the table.

The biggest secret:

Every Human being is a social animal, it has a basic need and desire to #communicate, #talk, #connect and create #rapport. The character trait of a social creature is often in direct conflict with the hunter/gatherer and the narcissist. It is upon you and only you, on who will win in this internal conflict which has been going on for generations and will continue till the existence of the Human race.

WORDS OR INTONATION

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 07:20:00 +0000

What color is to life
What light is to flame
Intonation is to words

A very commonly asked question is what should we concentrate more on?
Words or Intonation.

Let me put it this way, if words are the body, intonation is the shadow. Intonation cannot be physically touched, but its presence cannot be ignored. They will always move together and their presence too will be felt together.

Together they create the perfect recipe, which is meant to satisfy the other person.

The meaning of well-intended words can change because of the intonation. The impact can be so cascading, that we can say the shadow is at its maximum.

Simple words can have a monumental impact, if the intonation is correct. Here the shadow is at its minimum.
Let us say a phrase as simple and positive like

“God Bless You”

Can make the other person shift uncomfortably or feel blessed.

It depends on the intonation used.
The other day my friend replied to a certain conversation by saying

“Perfect”.
A simple word, but the way she said it was clear that we are going to continue the conversation for a long time. As I felt that she needed someone to talk to. The message conveyed from the single word was 100 times longer than the word itself.

Next time in a conversation, be mindful of what is longer the word or the shadow.

I would love to know more about your such experiences where you felt the shadow or the intonation was longer.