Why is it that being young so often means being underestimated?

You can show up early, stay late, know your job inside and out, and still be treated like a kid who just told his mom he wants to be an astronaut. It doesn’t matter how responsible or experienced you are, if you’re under 30, people often assume you’re not capable.

At my last job in a pharmacy, I worked my ass off. I had nearly four years of experience, could run the floor without help, and had earned the trust of coworkers. But still, customers would regularly bypass me for someone who looked older or “more qualified.” No questions asked. Just immediate doubt based on my age.

Now, I’m working in digital marketing, and it’s the same story. Because I’m in my early twenties, some clients don’t think I’m capable of handling their projects. I’ve even had people question where I went to school, what my degree was in, and whether I “really” had enough experience to be in the room. Never mind my work ethic, skill set, or fresh perspective. Some people just see a young woman and assume the worst.

And let’s be honest: the degree thing? That’s a whole other issue. Some of the most talented, driven people I know don’t have degrees. They taught themselves, they hustled, they built careers from scratch. A diploma doesn’t define your worth—but that’s a conversation for another day.

As a young woman in today’s workforce, I constantly have to prove that I belong. Not just once, but over and over again. My ideas have to be better. My work has to be cleaner. My tone has to be more professional. Because, for some reason, being young means starting every day on the defensive.

And it’s not just work.

I got married in January, after six years with my now-husband. We started dating in high school, and from the beginning, we knew what we wanted: a real relationship, built for the long haul. When we hit our fourth year together, he proposed. We waited another year and tied the knot.

It’s what we wanted. No drama, no games—just two people growing together.

But even then, people whispered. Family members quietly questioned if we were “too young.” They didn’t ask about our goals or our values. They didn’t take the time to understand our relationship. They just saw our age and assumed we were making a mistake.

Here’s the thing: Age is just a number. Maturity, experience, and commitment are what matter. I’ve seen older couples fall apart. I’ve seen twenty-somethings build marriages that last. Life isn’t about hitting milestones at the “right” age; it’s about knowing who you are and what you want.

So yeah, I’m young. But I’m also headstrong, hardworking, and capable. I’m not going to spend my life waiting for people to finally “take me seriously.” I’ll keep showing up. I’ll keep proving myself. And eventually, the right people will notice.

Let’s stop judging people by their age and start paying attention to what they bring to the table.

Because being young doesn’t mean being incapable.