Everyone has baggage, and sure it affects how we enter into and perceive new relationships. For me, I take my baggage and focus on what I learned from that experience about myself as far as what I need and want in a relationship. It becomes an easy conversation to have with a new SO and I think more healthy.
The last girl I dated seemed to have a lot of baggage ranging from her current work/money/living situation to a bad 8+ yr marriage to a controlling ex-husband. She was very hesitant about getting into a relationship from the beginning but we thought we had a great connection so we pursued it.
From this experience, I think that baggage is OK if you use it constructively to build a relationship. On the other hand, if you are so consumed about not making the same mistakes again, baggage can just as easily undermine a relationship.
Sadly, I recently broke things off with her and what's worse I started writing this thinking she was the problem but now I think it was me