Use Your Head for Something More Than a Hat Rack: Wisdom I Learned from Miss Kitty

 

There are people in life whose advice sticks with you — sometimes because it makes sense, sometimes because it slaps you across the face with reality, and sometimes because it’s just funny enough to remember.

Miss Kitty was my boss in my younger years. Sharp as a tack. Quirky as all get-out. And she had this one line that haunted me in the best possible way:

“Use your head for something more than a hat rack.”

Translation? Stop letting your brain sit there collecting dust, gossip, or meaningless drama. Actually think, for crying out loud.

1. Your Brain Isn’t a Storage Unit for Other People’s Trash

We live in a world where everyone’s trying to give you unsolicited advice, opinions, and emotional baggage. Don’t treat your head like a public closet. If it doesn’t serve you, it doesn’t belong there.

2. Stop Decorating Your Mind With Drama

Some people walk around sprinkling chaos like confetti. Don’t catch it. Don’t hoard it. Your brain is not a Pinterest board for petty conflicts.

3. Think Before You Speak… Or Post That Hot Take

Yes, Karen, I said it. Stop treating your mouth like it’s unconnected to your brain. Using your head doesn’t just mean “have one.” It means employ it.

4. Creativity Counts as Using Your Head

Maybe you don’t want to start a business or solve world hunger. That’s fine. Paint a picture. Write a poem. Invent a ridiculous gadget that solves a tiny problem. Just use it. Don’t let it sit idle like a decorative hat stand.

5. Make Decisions That Serve You, Not Just Impress Others

Miss Kitty didn’t just give us quips for laughs. She gave them so we could see our own potential. Using your head means thinking strategically:

• Is this decision mine or borrowed from someone else’s script?

• Will this action benefit me, or just make me look busy?

• Am I solving problems, or just moving my brain like it’s a hat rack on display?

6. Your Brain Deserves More Respect Than You Give It

You wouldn’t hang a fancy hat on the floor in a puddle, would you? Exactly. Treat your brain with the same reverence. Feed it knowledge, challenge it, sharpen it. And don’t just prop it up so people can admire your hairstyle.

7. Humor Is the Secret Weapon

Miss Kitty knew that a witty pun or sarcastic remark could cut through nonsense like a knife. Using your head also means knowing when to laugh, when to clap back, and when to walk away without overthinking it.

Final Thought: Wear Your Brain Like a Crown, Not a Coat Hook

Life’s too short to let your intelligence sit idle. Use it. Test it. Protect it. Let it grow.

And if someone gives you a funny look for actually thinking for yourself? Smile, raise an eyebrow, and whisper… “Miss Kitty would be proud.” 😏