Young and Inexperienced

I was humbled last week.

I am a young professional in the workforce with older professionals.  I've been told that people don't think I'm old enough or that I don't have the experience to do what I'm doing.  Because of that I overcompensated and acted arrogantly by pretending I could do more than I could.  That caused a little conflict at work.

Never act like more than you are.  Not only is that irresponsible to my clients, but it's lying about who I am and what I have to offer.

I learned that even though I don't have the experience to guide me like my older coworkers, and I don't have the age that gives more authority, I still have a lot to offer.

I'm not jaded.

I have more energy.

I have compassion

I can empathize.

I am ambitious.

So why would I pretend to be something I'm not?

Especially when I have been given gifts that make it so I have a lot to offer the human services field even without experience or age.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12

The best way for me to show what I have to offer isn't by overcompensating, rather using what I do and say, lovingly and gently of course, to show that I have something to offer.  Even more simply and responsibly than that, I should use whatever skills I have to help my clients the best I can and not even think about what others think of my experience or age.