Wipe out guilt! Vow to sweep away that icky emotion that's cluttering your path to true happiness. Here's how!

Guilt--it's a funky emotion. Sometimes, guilt is good because it makes you realize when you've done something wrong. Like, when you lied to your mom about studying bio at the library when you were really hanging out with your BFF. The guilt you feel after being less than truthful can feel so yucko, you've just gotta come clean--and you never want to fib your way out of a sitch again. That's character-building.

Sometimes, though, guilt can hold you back from being a better you. Maybe you feel obligated to stick with a friendship that's going nowhere because you feel bad about hurting your bud's feelings. Or it could be you're dying to quit an after-school sport, but you don't want to disappoint your teammates, coach or 'rents. Are you bringing yourself down because you didn't follow through on that New Year's resolution? Or feeling bad about taking a leap that would make you feel more grown-up in a good way? Hey, it's time for a little mental spring cleaning!

MAKING THE BREAK WITH A BUD

A good friendship with a loyal pal is something that should never be taken for granted. Sometimes, though, circumstances you have no control over can change things between you and a bud--and it's nobody's fault whatsoever.

It's like with you and your girl Gabrielle. Ever since the day you met at the bus stop the first day of fifth grade, you guys did everything together. But last summer, Gabby's family moved away to Pennsylvania because of her mom's new job. Major bummer!

You promised to e-mail and call each other every week to stay tight, and you both did--for a while. Once the school year revved up again, though, you both got way busy. Gabby met friends at her new school, and your time got totally sucked up by homework and track. You and Gabby barely have time to chat at all anymore--and you wonder if it might be better just to let the friendship fade. Is this a totally awful thing to think?

Not at all--it's completely logical. Look at the sitch this way: You and Gabby both have had the best intentions toward each other. You deserve props for wanting to keep in touch, and you've definitely given it your best shot. Thing is, though, long distance does affect a friendship. It's way tougher to keep up with day-to-day. That's not to say you can't be thrilled for Gabby when she tells you she aced her history exam over the cordless, but it just isn't going to feel the same as it would if you were jumping up and down together at her locker together after class.

When you talk on the phone, you may find your conversations are awkward. Maybe Gabby tells you all about a shop she loves at her local mall, but you've never heard of the place. Or you try to tell her a joke about your school's new principal, and she doesn't get it because she's never met him.

It's natural for Gabby to get caught up in her new scene and, likewise, you shouldn't feel guilty about the fact that your life is exciting ... without her. If you feel that ending the friendship would be for the best, then do it.

Simply, say to Gabby, "You know, you are a totally awesome person, and I'll dig you always. I know how much you're loving your new life, and you know how busy I am here. Let's not feel like we have to constantly touch base if we don't have time to--is that cool?" Chances are, Gabby will feel relieved you took control and said something. Then the pressure's off--with no hard feelings.

SWITCHING UP SPORTS

You've anchored the school swim team for two years, and it's been great--you've made good friends and even won the state meet! Your parents are way proud. But butterfly stroke bores you (it's so repetitive), and you're much more into your new gymnastics class. Your instructor says you rock on uneven bars and is urging you to devote your time to perfecting your floor exercises. To give it your all, you'll have to quit swim team--but you don't want to let down your teammates or disappoint the 'rents.

Pulling the plug on an activity you're tired of--whether it's a sport, club or hobby--can be a smart move. After all, the two best reasons to pursue an extracurricular are 1) you love it and 2) you get mad benefits out of it. If the mere thought of pulling your bathing cap on makes you want to scream and you feel you're just going through the motions, what's the point?

Make sure, though, that the sport you pick up is really worth it. Be familiar enough with the dynamics of gymnastics training to know you're going to be able to stick with it. You don't want to suddenly realize, two weeks in, that you aren't crazy about back handsprings. You might wind up bailing on gymnastics, too.

Once you're firm in your decision, be honest with everyone. Tell your teammates, "I don't want to let you guys down, but I have to do what's right for me." Let the coach know, "I've learned so much from you and had a great time on the team, but I'm really interested in gymnastics now, and I want to put all my energies into excelling at that." Say to your parents, "I know I'm going to be much happier concentrating on gymnastics. Come watch me practice Friday--I can't wait to show you my vault!" It's considerate to care about other people's feelings, for sure. Still, it's totally OK to devote yourself to the activity you truly love.

A NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

Remember the first day of the year? The moment you vowed you'd get in shape by running five miles, five days a week? You'd run even through snow and ice in 20-degree temperatures! You'd run even if your BFF called to say Daniel Radcliffe was flying in from London to watch TRL at her house and there was an open spot on the sofa!

You ran a total of ... once. And you're serving yourself up a shame sandwich for it. Well, don't waste any more time being bummed! Your resolution was unrealistic and overly ambitious. Otherwise, you'd be sticking with it, right? And who says New Year's Day is the only time to make a resolution? Make a fresh spring start!

Promise to run this weekend. After all, the weather is in your favor now. This time, make a goal you can commit to, like jogging around the block three times a week. Add a little time and mileage every week and, pretty soon, you'll see results! Eventually, you might even be ready to take on the town 5K!

TAKE A LEAP AT LAST

Your stuffed animal collection sure does hold a lot of warm, fuzzy memories. Thing is, you haven't so much as picked up Petey (once your personal penguin therapist) in over a year. Truthfully, your huge menagerie of stuffies takes up a whole side of your room. You could really use that extra space to display your stereo system and ever-growing stash of CDs. You've been wanting to move all those toys up to the attic--but every time you glance into Petey's big, round, unblinking eyes, you feel kind of ... bad.

Don't be so hard on yourself. Wanting to hang on to your fave childhood stuff--totally normal. Wanting to put away your fave childhood stuff--totally normal. Wanting to do both at the same time? You guessed it--totally normal.

The best way to deal with this issue is to realize you're not closing the door forever on all the groovy good times you had as a younger kid. Your memories are perfectly intact. Whenever you want to relive a little nostalgia, it's totally OK to remember the great times you had when you were 8. It's also OK to move your stuffies to the attic and pay them a visit every now and then. Or keep just Petey in a place of honor on a shelf in your room. Whatever makes you comfy.

Whenever you take a leap by doing something that feels unfamiliar and a little grown-up, sure, it's weirdly sad at first. But every little step you take toward maturity helps you grow as a person, and proves that you're strong and forward-thinking. So listen to your gut. If it's telling you to do something you know inside would be good for you, definitely do it--guilt-free!