You are, before thoughts.

The mind creates a lot of ideas of what realization is. It is the job of the mind to seek solutions to problems. In everyday life mind is well suited to problem solving and a very useful tool. It works non-stop seeking solutions to perceived problems. When it comes to realization, however, it is the wrong tool for the job because the mind is yet another object in awareness and witnessed by subjectivity.

Notice the times in the day when there are no thoughts happening and become more attuned with those times - more familier with them. As you become used to the mental silence, notice that you don't disappear, you don't cease to exist, you are still there - that it just means there are no thoughts. In those moments you still ARE, you are the awareness that watches the thoughts, you are awareness. Your identity is not dependant on thoughts.