101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think

Metacognition is the process of thinking about one’s own brain function and processes. Weist calls this when the “brain thinks about itself” (428). She urges the reader to practice metacognition as they try to redefine what are “positive” and “negative” feelings. If the brain is able to think about itself, then it is able to change itself. This term describes the reflection that the reader must practice throughout the book. She frequently urges the reader to rethink their beliefs, assumptions, and goals, all of which ask them to use metacognition. Citing this psychological term also establishes ethos. By using scientific language to support her advice, Wiest further convinces her readers of its importance in the process of changing their life.

Wiest introduces the term “metanoia” in her final essay. Metanoia is “a change of mind, heart, self, or way of life” (438). This term is important in this book because it describes the phenomenon that Wiest hopes is happening to the reader. Its inclusion of this term at the end is symbolic of the completed journey she hopes her reader will have achieved. Although the term itself is withheld until the end, the concept pervades the book.