Himal Mandalia
@himal.bsky.social
Founder @ADHDPathfinding.org.uk | ADHD UK Ambassador | UK Parliament ADHD Champion | Former GOV.UK Head of Technology
himalmandalia.medium.com
himalmandalia.medium.com
UNDP Kazakhstan in full festive mode.
November 26, 2025 at 1:39 PM
UNDP Kazakhstan in full festive mode.
Not sure if it’s fully armed and operational yet.
November 25, 2025 at 4:09 AM
Not sure if it’s fully armed and operational yet.
Have a speaker for tomorrow
November 23, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Have a speaker for tomorrow
Got in 0600. 50% rate for early check in. Big breakfast. Sleep. Run. Now mission prep time.
November 23, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Got in 0600. 50% rate for early check in. Big breakfast. Sleep. Run. Now mission prep time.
London > Istanbul > Astana
Here I go. With a suitcase full of tweed.
Here I go. With a suitcase full of tweed.
November 22, 2025 at 11:09 AM
London > Istanbul > Astana
Here I go. With a suitcase full of tweed.
Here I go. With a suitcase full of tweed.
1. Join something
2. See and point out structural issues as well as opportunities
3. Have great ideas, get buy in for change, work behind the scenes
4. Get offered everything I wanted and more
5. Become overwhelmed by anxiety and leave
This year I break this pattern.
2. See and point out structural issues as well as opportunities
3. Have great ideas, get buy in for change, work behind the scenes
4. Get offered everything I wanted and more
5. Become overwhelmed by anxiety and leave
This year I break this pattern.
November 22, 2025 at 10:38 AM
1. Join something
2. See and point out structural issues as well as opportunities
3. Have great ideas, get buy in for change, work behind the scenes
4. Get offered everything I wanted and more
5. Become overwhelmed by anxiety and leave
This year I break this pattern.
2. See and point out structural issues as well as opportunities
3. Have great ideas, get buy in for change, work behind the scenes
4. Get offered everything I wanted and more
5. Become overwhelmed by anxiety and leave
This year I break this pattern.
Reposted by Himal Mandalia
Weeknote 19 is live.
- @sianmurrayhuynh.bsky.social has published our first roadmap draft
- @himal.bsky.social has connected with @jackgoulder.bsky.social
- Lots of reading, including from Himal at the UN in Nepal
Read it here.
- @sianmurrayhuynh.bsky.social has published our first roadmap draft
- @himal.bsky.social has connected with @jackgoulder.bsky.social
- Lots of reading, including from Himal at the UN in Nepal
Read it here.
ADHD Pathfinding Weeknote #19
21 November 2025 — New connections and clarity
medium.com
November 21, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Weeknote 19 is live.
- @sianmurrayhuynh.bsky.social has published our first roadmap draft
- @himal.bsky.social has connected with @jackgoulder.bsky.social
- Lots of reading, including from Himal at the UN in Nepal
Read it here.
- @sianmurrayhuynh.bsky.social has published our first roadmap draft
- @himal.bsky.social has connected with @jackgoulder.bsky.social
- Lots of reading, including from Himal at the UN in Nepal
Read it here.
The UNDP contract was instigated by a different me. Start of year I thought about paid work but was anxious about returning to anything in the UK, so UNDP seemed ideal. Several chats then no budget. So was surprised when they came back recently, was going to say no. Busy on Pathfinding, settled too.
November 21, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The UNDP contract was instigated by a different me. Start of year I thought about paid work but was anxious about returning to anything in the UK, so UNDP seemed ideal. Several chats then no budget. So was surprised when they came back recently, was going to say no. Busy on Pathfinding, settled too.
Whenever I meet another AuDHD person there’s an instant recognition. We know everything we need to know about each other in moments. Almost a shorthand to conversation. Maybe it’s similar to meeting others from the same cultural background? Wouldn’t know. This is deeper. Because we’re deep people.
November 21, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Whenever I meet another AuDHD person there’s an instant recognition. We know everything we need to know about each other in moments. Almost a shorthand to conversation. Maybe it’s similar to meeting others from the same cultural background? Wouldn’t know. This is deeper. Because we’re deep people.
"A lot of them are struggling to do day to day tasks like get out of bed, get washed, get dressed.”
That was me until 32 unless I was hyperfocused on something. But that never lasted, wasn’t sustainable.
Why don’t we dig a little deeper and see how we can support people?
That was me until 32 unless I was hyperfocused on something. But that never lasted, wasn’t sustainable.
Why don’t we dig a little deeper and see how we can support people?
Almost one million young people still not in work or education, figures show - BBC News
Whilst the figure has dropped slightly, it still equates to one-in-eight young people in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 6:15 PM
"A lot of them are struggling to do day to day tasks like get out of bed, get washed, get dressed.”
That was me until 32 unless I was hyperfocused on something. But that never lasted, wasn’t sustainable.
Why don’t we dig a little deeper and see how we can support people?
That was me until 32 unless I was hyperfocused on something. But that never lasted, wasn’t sustainable.
Why don’t we dig a little deeper and see how we can support people?
Here we go again. Again.
November 20, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Here we go again. Again.
Popped into @publicdigital.bsky.social offices to compare notes with someone, then catch up with someone else I worked with, then bumped into someone, and then someone else too, and someone on @adhdpathfinding.org.uk… oh and they let us use their space for our workshop back in Sept.
Nice people.
Nice people.
November 20, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Popped into @publicdigital.bsky.social offices to compare notes with someone, then catch up with someone else I worked with, then bumped into someone, and then someone else too, and someone on @adhdpathfinding.org.uk… oh and they let us use their space for our workshop back in Sept.
Nice people.
Nice people.
Yes unfortunately. The Stansted bit.
November 19, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Yes unfortunately. The Stansted bit.
Inscrutable systems and processes create undue cognitive load and stress on neurodivergent minds... well really on any minds, but we find it harder to simply "power through" or accept "that's just the way it is." Our thresholds are lower. That's not a failing. We’re canaries.
November 19, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Inscrutable systems and processes create undue cognitive load and stress on neurodivergent minds... well really on any minds, but we find it harder to simply "power through" or accept "that's just the way it is." Our thresholds are lower. That's not a failing. We’re canaries.
I’m cold and tired so I’m eating cake and getting in the tub. I’m not sure how the cake helps but it does.
November 18, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I’m cold and tired so I’m eating cake and getting in the tub. I’m not sure how the cake helps but it does.
Speaking to someone last week:
“You need to think of this like a service made up of a number of products. Repeatable, consistent, continuously improved through feedback loops. You need measures and goals…”
Except environment is wrong for the necessary agility, autonomy or transparency.
“You need to think of this like a service made up of a number of products. Repeatable, consistent, continuously improved through feedback loops. You need measures and goals…”
Except environment is wrong for the necessary agility, autonomy or transparency.
November 18, 2025 at 6:22 AM
Speaking to someone last week:
“You need to think of this like a service made up of a number of products. Repeatable, consistent, continuously improved through feedback loops. You need measures and goals…”
Except environment is wrong for the necessary agility, autonomy or transparency.
“You need to think of this like a service made up of a number of products. Repeatable, consistent, continuously improved through feedback loops. You need measures and goals…”
Except environment is wrong for the necessary agility, autonomy or transparency.
They're trying to book me business class for next mission. Well well well...
"Himal has documented neurodivergence..."
Happening because I opened several cans of whoop-ass on Friday. They had me working 16 hour days and tried to pass it off as normal.
"Himal has documented neurodivergence..."
Happening because I opened several cans of whoop-ass on Friday. They had me working 16 hour days and tried to pass it off as normal.
November 17, 2025 at 4:16 PM
They're trying to book me business class for next mission. Well well well...
"Himal has documented neurodivergence..."
Happening because I opened several cans of whoop-ass on Friday. They had me working 16 hour days and tried to pass it off as normal.
"Himal has documented neurodivergence..."
Happening because I opened several cans of whoop-ass on Friday. They had me working 16 hour days and tried to pass it off as normal.
I really don’t understand what Microsoft Teams is trying to be.
November 17, 2025 at 9:28 AM
I really don’t understand what Microsoft Teams is trying to be.
Wrote about the week I just spent in Cambodia working with government teams on open source capability and digital infrastructure. Reflecting on the mission, approach, training, assessment framework and lessons learned.
Open-Source Readiness Mission to Cambodia
Reflections on digital sovereignty, capacity building and co-creating the foundations of an OSPO
himalmandalia.medium.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Wrote about the week I just spent in Cambodia working with government teams on open source capability and digital infrastructure. Reflecting on the mission, approach, training, assessment framework and lessons learned.
My brain is barely functioning but my legs are fine. Run will deal with jet lag.
November 16, 2025 at 9:25 AM
My brain is barely functioning but my legs are fine. Run will deal with jet lag.
Landed back in the UK after short hop from Phnom Penh and then 11 hours on a plane full of people who seem to have had a lovely holiday. What the hell did I have? It’s only been a week? Feels much longer.
Suitcase. Uber. Bed.
Suitcase. Uber. Bed.
November 15, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Landed back in the UK after short hop from Phnom Penh and then 11 hours on a plane full of people who seem to have had a lovely holiday. What the hell did I have? It’s only been a week? Feels much longer.
Suitcase. Uber. Bed.
Suitcase. Uber. Bed.
Reposted by Himal Mandalia
Weeknote 18 is out.
- ADHD Taskforce report part 2: we're going deeper to write a full and comprehensive response.
- Team resilience tested and passed (@himal.bsky.social in Cambodia, @sianmurrayhuynh.bsky.social holding the fort)
- Call to participate in ADHD research studies
Read it here.
- ADHD Taskforce report part 2: we're going deeper to write a full and comprehensive response.
- Team resilience tested and passed (@himal.bsky.social in Cambodia, @sianmurrayhuynh.bsky.social holding the fort)
- Call to participate in ADHD research studies
Read it here.
ADHD Pathfinding Weeknote #18
14 November 2025 — Analysis, resilience, and advocacy
medium.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Weeknote 18 is out.
- ADHD Taskforce report part 2: we're going deeper to write a full and comprehensive response.
- Team resilience tested and passed (@himal.bsky.social in Cambodia, @sianmurrayhuynh.bsky.social holding the fort)
- Call to participate in ADHD research studies
Read it here.
- ADHD Taskforce report part 2: we're going deeper to write a full and comprehensive response.
- Team resilience tested and passed (@himal.bsky.social in Cambodia, @sianmurrayhuynh.bsky.social holding the fort)
- Call to participate in ADHD research studies
Read it here.
I was called “too strategic.”
It’s pronounced “autistic.”
It’s pronounced “autistic.”
November 13, 2025 at 3:44 PM
I was called “too strategic.”
It’s pronounced “autistic.”
It’s pronounced “autistic.”
Being overtired is your ADHD brain stuck in a dopamine chasing loop. Looking for one more hit. And just one more after that. Oh go on then, last one… not realising that it needs sleep and rest.
November 11, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Being overtired is your ADHD brain stuck in a dopamine chasing loop. Looking for one more hit. And just one more after that. Oh go on then, last one… not realising that it needs sleep and rest.