Do you ever get caught up worrying about something that hasn’t even happened? Do you get caught up in your negative thoughts? Me too. Like every day. When I’m driving and/or stuck in traffic in Southern California. However, I have learned to catch myself and redirect my thoughts toward happiness and gratitude. That when I feel negative thoughts coming, the key is to acknowledge it, breathe, ride the negative thought wave and replace the negativity with gratitude, appreciation, and peace. Negative thoughts are merely thoughts passing through your body and can be managed and released with a simple decision.I’ve learned it’s important not to beat myself up for having negative thoughts sometimes. Those will come – especially (for me) when I am stuck in traffic. But the key is to ride the wave, to recognize the negative thought, breath it in, and release it. Visualize yourself letting go of whatever is stressing you out, whatever is keeping you tense, whatever you feel like is an emergency in that moment. Feel yourself calming down. Think about one simple thing to be grateful for in that moment – your family, the weather, your job, or the fact that your heart is beating and you are able to experience life today. These are all special gifts. Decide to replace that negativity with joy.This is of course not always easy. Give yourself a few minutes to breathe and practice gratitude. Know that your thoughts, like a ship sailing in the night, will also pass.It’s also important to recognize that your thoughts are not reality. I will say it again, YOUR THOUGHTS ARE NOT REALITY. Identify when you are worrying about something that hasn’t even happened. Recognize your negative thoughts as not a reflection of reality – because 9 times out of 10, they are not. Rather than getting stuck in your thoughts, ride the wave, know that it is only temporary, and replace those thoughts with gratitude. Breathe. Be still. Ride the wave.