Even if you're over your ex, your romantic history has a funny (in a sick sort of way) tendency of creeping into life with your new partner. "The relationships we invest in the most, regardless of how long we were in them or how long ago they happened, are the ones that have the biggest impact on us," says Terri Orbuch, a research professor at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan and author of 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage from Good to Great. "And if things went awry in those relationships, we often carry the anger or insecurity into our subsequent romances."

So how do you prevent the past from coming back to haunt you? Claim your baggage by coming clean to your current mate (sparing him the dirty details, of course). According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, people experienced a heightened sense of intimacy after revealing personal info, such as their ex-related issues, and felt more valued and supported. Forge ahead by following this advice.