That stressful retail job you work(ed) may seem only good for the money, but while in the midst of frantically running around and trying to satisfy customers, you were subconsciously learning some valuable lifelong lessons that will come in handy for many different situations that you will find yourself in. Perhaps it also taught you to stay in school and pursue a career so you won't have to stay in retail! Yikes!

Punctuality is important

Actually, it is so important. Get ready the night before, wake up on time, be prepared and have set plan on when to leave and how long it will take you to get there. Of course this is super important to remember for anyone who has a job, but this applies to all aspects of life as well. Be on time to class, be on time to the plans you made with your friends, be on time to family events, etc. Inconsistency shows a lack of care and determination, so prove to everyone that you care to be ready and on time!

Look forward to the little things

At work, every millisecond that passes by is one moment closer to you being able to clock out for the day. You also look forward to that half hour lunch break more than anything, just so you can escape the world of retail for at least a little bit. In life, looking forward to the little things makes everything so much more eventful and enjoyable without depleting any high expectations you may have had. Look forward to your morning coffee, naps, visiting your friends and everything in between. They truly do add up and make for a happy and more positive person.

Always be the bigger person

Whether it be an upset customer or someone in your own personal life, always be the bigger person in such an event and chose your words wisely. Of course there will be a million things buzzing through your head that you'll want to say to that person, but bite your tongue and remember that it just simply isn't worth it. Don't fight back, but rather kill them with kindness. Karma will make its rounds!

Hope for the best (but prepare for the worst)

For anyone going into work, it is important to possess a positive mindset in order to keep your spirits up and enjoy your day. Always hope for the best, but you should always be prepared for the worst. Hope for kind, understanding customers, but be prepared for them to be rude and impatient instead. Always hope to get out of work on time, but be prepared to stay an hour or two later. It's not always easy having to deal with the unwanted, but life throws some fast balls at us sometimes, so dealing with all of those grumpy customers definitely trained you to deal with the tough stuff.

Clean space, clean mind

A retail worker's worst nightmare is seeing a stack of clothes that they just perfectly folded suddenly turn into a massive heap that seemingly appears to have been gotten hold of by a ravenous bear. When the store is in shambles, you can't help but feel a little anxious and overwhelmed with the job of having to clean it all up. This lesson applies to everyday life because when the environment you are in is cluttered, it is hard to think straight and stay calm because you are so focused on the disorganization of everything around you. Once it all gets tidied up though, a weight seems to be lifted off of your shoulders, allowing you to finally relax (a retail worker will repeated this processes multiple times a day!).

Everyone is only human

Just because I work a retail job does not mean I am any more powerful than you are, nor does it mean I can magically make things happen for your convenience. Just like the customer, we are human, too, meaning we have emotions, restrictions and not to mention bills to pay, which is the reason we're even at this job in the first place! While we love assisting others and ensuring they are pleased with their experience in the store, crappy things happen that are beyond even our control, so anyone who works anywhere deserves to be cut a little bit of slack every once in awhile because although unfortunate events do occur, life still moves on.

Patience is truly a virtue

Bless every customer who hasn't gotten fussy with the cashier for being "too slow" or for not giving a worker attitude when something isn't available in their size. When the line to the register is long, it is beyond our control that the store is busy, so patience is incredibly important in not only times like this, but everywhere throughout life, too. Not only is it great when the customer has patience, but the worker themselves must have an incredible amount of patience in order to power through the day and be sufficient as possible. Long shifts don't come and go with ease without a calm and steady mindset!