Finding My Flow
Jamela Law qualified for a prestigious academic programme but struggled to fit into the conventional system; facing bullying, stigma, and family pressure. Despite these setbacks, she chose the Arts, where her creativity flourished. Today, she is an award-winning designer and artist, with accolades including the Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize and the Inkluvision Human Rights Arts Prize. Diagnosed with ADHD at 29, Jamela has transformed her struggles into strengths and a thriving creative practice.
Quotes
“It is important to know yourself better, know your strengths and what drives you. Passion alone is not enough to build a career. One also needs purpose and proposition”
“ADHDers struggle with and conquer their challenges differently. I wish the world can be kinder and look at us with compassion.”
Early Struggles
Growing up, I always knew I was different. I was hyperactive, climbing and running amok around the house, and always looking for something to fiddle with. My dad normalised my behaviour saying he too was a wild child.
At school, I faced bullying and exclusion, which made me feel misunderstood and unwanted. Despite being in the Integrated Programme of a top-ranked school, having tuition and much preparation, I often did badly in exams, due to my crippling anxiety and hypersensitivity to environmental distractions.
Growing up in an environment that stigmatised neurological conditions, I was not aware of the symptoms of ADHD. My mother never acknowledged the realities of mental health and the need for relevant care and treatment.
At school, I was often described with contradictory labels such as “stubborn,” “lazy,” “inattentive,” yet somehow “full of potential.” It got so bad that I once found myself physically incapable of leaving home for school. I was broken, burned out, and constantly overwhelmed. When I finally went to the doctor, I was handed sleeping pills and empty reassurance instead of real support. My struggles were brushed aside, dismissed under the broad and convenient label of “stress.”
ADHD has unknowingly, significantly and chronically impacted the quality of my life well into adulthood. It was only after watching a news programme featuring Moonlake Lee of Unlocking ADHD that I suspected I might have the condition. I got myself diagnosed at the age of 29.
Turning Points
I realised things had to change and took a gap year to explore. Eventually, knowing I will suffocate under a conventional academia system, I took a leap of faith and opted for a degree in the Arts.
Design school challenged me. With my background in the sciences, I was both intrigued and amused by how open-ended and interpretive the assignments were. There were so many ways to be creative, yet I struggled with my tasks and assignments. But with the help of non-traditionalist mentors, I adapted and flourished. I found that my ideas were understood, and my mentors embraced my quirks.
My partner and I co-founded a design business in 2016, but our relationship struggled for the first seven years. I was constantly picking up ‘new’ hobbies and he thought these were distractions requiring too much investment in time and energy. He preferred that we specialise in a couple of domains.
Today after 10 years together, and following my ADHD diagnosis, we are more strategic in how we distribute our work, and we focus on the things we are better at. We still have our disagreements, but he no longer expects me to execute the same responsibilities as him.
It is important to know yourself better, know your strengths and what drives you. Passion alone is not enough to build a career. One also needs purpose and proposition. Families and colleagues might not always understand your diagnosis; when they deny your needs, it becomes important to find communities outside that understand, support and uplift.
Daily Strategies
Over the years, I have made various changes to contend with my condition. For example, I always have my medication accessible so that I start my day motivated and fresh.
I tried to minimise unnecessary decision making as much as possible to reduce mental labour. When I get ready for the day, I usually wear one-piece, smart casual garments, instead of separate tops and bottoms that require colour matching and having to think about suitability for the occasion. For other tasks, I automate whenever possible, such as using an electronic cat-feeder and cat-toilet for my feline pets. I combine series of small tasks so that each one flow smoothly to the next.
For my various hobbies and passions, each of them gets plenty of storage shelving in my cluttered home. For my self-employed work, I try to alternate between major projects and minor monotonous tasks to build some variety and allow my brain to rest. In a similar vein, I avoid scheduling consecutive social meetings to allow my social batteries to recharge.
Creative Passions and Reflections
ADHD gives me a love of novelty and a very creative side. One impulsive work I am most proud of is beekeeping. After watching documentaries on how pollinators safeguard food security and support the intricate web of life, I became passionate about promoting sustainable agricultural practices and advocating for self-sufficiency. Having a symbiotic relationship with these tiny creatures is also a very magical, meditative experience.
My younger self was too entrenched in fear and self-doubt due to the labels and stereotypes of disabilities. These labels can be harmful and become self-fulfilling when children hear it all the time. They may grow up thinking their disability guarantees failure or even wear it as a badge of immunity. We should never use stereotypes as an excuse or justification for our failings.
ADHDers struggle with and conquer their challenges differently. I wish that the world can be kinder and look at us with compassion and understanding, not as a monolithic group, but as individuals with unique quirks and abilities.
Where I Am Today
I completed my Master of Science degree last year and I am continuing my creative arts career. In 2021, I received the Inkluvision Human Rights Arts Prize from the Justice Centre and Goethe-Institut Hong Kong, along with the top award at the Sexual Health Matters exhibition organised by Pulse Gallery in Bangkok. Two years later, my work earned the Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize, leading to exhibitions across Hong Kong, Singapore, and Jakarta. In 2024, I presented my first solo show as a Community Artist-in-Residence at SCAPE Singapore. Most recently, in 2025, I was selected for The Young Tech Talent Residency in Hong Kong, where I continue developing inclusive creative projects with the disabled community.
These milestones remind me of how far I’ve come since the days of fear and dismissal. What I hope now is simple: for the world to be kinder, more compassionate, and to see ADHDers as wired differently—not as broken.
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