Have you ever wanted an easy way to tell which of the voices in your head has your best interest at heart? Which ones are anxious voices, and which ones are healthy, beneficial ones?

Here's a quick, simple way to tell. As Robert Gerzon, author of Finding Serenity in the Age of Anxiety shares: "The only voice that will predict the future is a toxic one."

Toxic voices are voices (thoughts) that promote unhealthy anxiety and keep the anxiety cycle going. Toxic voices are voices that are unbeneficial and even harmful to our well being.

So, when you hear toxic voices telling you thoughts like the following, or the thousands of others that can enter our minds:

"You're going to crash if you drive today."
"You'll never feel better."
"If she doesn't change, this relationship will fail."

Each of these thoughts is basically claiming to have a crystal ball and know what the future holds. Healthy thoughts don't predict the future with certainty because in reality the future is uncertain. The future is a moment by moment unfolding that is up to each of us.

When anxiety strikes, racing and obsessive thoughts can pile up one on top of another. In anxious moments, it can seem logical to try to "think your way out of" the obsessive thought box by following the stream of thoughts and seeing where they lead. Hoewever, trying to reason with obsessive thoughts simply leads to more obsessive thoughts.

The next time you are curious as to whether the voices in your head are anxiety-promoting (toxic) or not, ask yourself if the voice is claiming to know the future. If so, it is likely a toxic thought that is contributing to unhealthy anxiety. Remember: "The only voice that will predict the future is a toxic one."