HAVE MORE SUCCESS AND LESS STRESS IN RETAIL
          BY
          TOM T. MOORE
          COPYRIGHT 2006 
         I’ve owned 
          several businesses in the last 35 years, including a retail store location. 
          If you work in a retail store, I believe I can give you some suggestions 
          that will assist you in having less stress and worry in your job. 
        A Gallup Poll found 
          that 78% of Americans believe in Angels. About ten years ago, I read 
          a suggestion to request benevolent outcomes for events in your life. 
          I decided to try it out, and was amazed how PERFECTLY it worked for 
          everything, from small requests such as a parking spot next to a busy 
          restaurant to the really important negotiations in my business. After 
          having made these requests between 10,000 and 15,000 times over the 
          years, I am firmly convinced that our Guardian Angels are there to assist 
          us in living more gentle lives. We just have to ask. 
        So let’s begin 
          with the start of your day. Whether you travel to work by car, bus, 
          subway, or train, you can say out loud, “I request a Most Benevolent 
          Outcome for a safe trip to my store today. Thank you.” Repeat 
          the request for your return home each evening. If your store is in a 
          high crime area, request a MBO (as I call them) for your safety during 
          your walk to and from your store and all throughout the day. All of 
          these requests work best when said with emotion. I live in a pretty 
          safe area of my city, but I don’t even go to the grocery store 
          without requesting a Benevolent Outcome for my trip to and from the 
          store, post office etc. 
        As an example, one 
          of my friends Josephine recently drove to a store close to her house 
          to pick up some organic fertilizer. Coming out of the parking lot she 
          was hit by a Police car traveling about 70 mph with no lights or siren. 
          The impact knocked off the front end of her Toyota Sequoia. She was 
          not injured, but the policeman suffered a broken knee, and the wreck 
          closed down a busy four-lane street for over four hours. Things can 
          happen even close to home. 
        Although these may 
          seem like minor requests, I can assure you that the first time you see 
          a wreck that occurs in front of you that you’re not involved in, 
          or your bus narrowly misses hitting a truck as one lady recently emailed 
          to tell me about, you’ll become a “believer” in making 
          this a habit each day. You’ll know you’re being looked after 
          the first time a policeman strolls by as you’re locking up the 
          store and you notice some unsavory characters standing nearby. 
        Next, when you walk 
          in your store each day state, “I’m EXPECTING great things 
          today, and I am open to abundance and will accept it joyfully!” 
          Then say, “I request a Most Benevolent Outcome for attracting 
          customers and sales today, and may it be even better than I hope or 
          expect. Thank you.” This works whether you are an employee of 
          the store earning the majority of your income from sales commissions 
          or as the storeowner. Buyers will seem to appear just as you are free 
          from making another sale, and you’ll hear comments such as “I 
          was just driving by, and I suddenly decided to stop in to see what you 
          have.” Your Guardian Angel arranged that for you, so be sure to 
          say “Thank you” one or more times each time this occurs. 
          
        If you are in charge 
          of hiring, you want the best people not only for the position, but also 
          that are able to work amicably with the other employees. When you are 
          interviewing people, request a Benevolent Outcome for hiring the perfect 
          person for that position, whether it is for sales, accounting, or even 
          a shipping clerk. 
        If you are the person 
          that is in charge of purchasing goods from vendors, then you can say, 
          “I request a Most Benevolent Outcome for choosing the most saleable 
          goods for my customers and obtaining the best prices, the best quality, 
          and the best terms from my vendors. Thank you.” You may find that 
          they unexpectedly offer you better prices and terms than you had, even 
          if you had not asked for them. Or they might suddenly offer an item 
          that you had not thought of before, which becomes a best seller for 
          you. 
        As a business owner, 
          there are times you must find financing for your store to make it grow 
          or to pay off short-term debts. You may need bank financing or investors. 
          When you meet with a banker, say, “I request a Most Benevolent 
          Outcome for obtaining the financing I need at the best rates. Thank 
          you.” If you don’t receive it from that bank, it’s 
          because another bank or way of financing will be made available to you 
          that will be even better. Trust the process. It works PERFECTLY. 
        What are some of 
          the other requests for Benevolent Outcomes that you can make:
        
          - Request a MBO 
            that your store and goods remain safe and secure from shoplifting;
 
          -  Request a MBO 
            when you meet with your accountant at tax time;
 
          -  Request a MBO 
            when you must utilize the services of an attorney;
 
          -  Request a MBO 
            when a customer asks you for advice for which items to purchase;
 
          -  Request a MBO 
            if you are looking for a better location for your store. 
 
          -  Request a MBO 
            if you are looking for a job in a retail store that will be the best 
            one for your talents, income, and personal growth. 
 
        
        Some of my friends 
          ask, “Tom, shouldn’t we just ask for the important things, 
          and not the minor stuff?” My response is that you have to make 
          requesting Benevolent Outcomes a habit. Otherwise you will soon forget 
          to request MBO’s and you will fall back into your old patterns 
          of accepting what life throws at you. So request MBO’s for that 
          parking place in front of the mall or restaurant or a seat on the bus 
          or subway. That feedback will give you confidence to continue requesting 
          Benevolent Outcomes in all of your life’s pursuits. Your Guardian 
          Angel is your best friend in life. They are always there for you and 
          love to assist you, but you have to request their assistance. 
        If you wish, you 
          can choose to live in a more benevolent world with more success and 
          less stress while working in a retail store. I have found this to be 
          a gentler path to experience. 
        About the Author
          Tom Moore is an entertainment industry CEO, who distributes motion pictures 
          and TV programs internationally. His book, The Gentle Way: A Self-Help 
          Guide For Those Who Believe in Angels (ISBN # 1-891824-60-0, Light Technology) 
          gives many more suggestions for Benevolent Outcomes. Visit his website 
          at www.TheGentleWayBook.com.