Why do I find it so hard to let go and be free in love? I think this guy loves me but the past haunts me!!?

If you base your whole life on past experiences you will never grow or feel true love ....
Its like the first time you disappointed yourself, you were hard on yourself and down for a long while but eventually thru baby steps you started to see strength in you again...
Its the same in relationships....im sure if he was ever cheated on, lied to, heartbroken etc. you would cry your eyes out if he compared you to those people all the time right? relationships really are a balance and a compromise...its going to take time for the trust and respect to build....you have to know this...no one person gives their heart away fully...all at once....it doesnt happen that way..in my opinion and from my own experiences ....you give a tiny sliver of your heart away each second spent with that person and even thru the negativity you have to realize that true love takes work....and that not every guy or girl is the same..

Hope this helps both of yoU! xo

"The Past haunts you"... well, obviously you have scars from past experiences that are obtruding on your love. These past experiences wiill be based on karma, from something perhaps in the distant past (as well as the past that you know from this life).

You may be able to discover some useful information about exactly why you are hung up on this, by writing on a piece of paper or your computer, everything you feel and think about the subject - no one else need see this, its for you. Often it allows you to review and discover beliefs and attiitudes to life that you will recognise it would be helpful to change or drop - direct your mind to cease the fears. What your fear is doing is trying to cope with a perceived survival problem; if you can see how this thinking works and convince your mind that its not necessary, that should help.

decide which it is you want more. Do you want to be with him or do you want your attachments to the past?

I heard this very good piece of advice once. Imagine yourself in a checkout lane in a grocery store. And when you go to pay for your things, the checkout lady gives you a huge amount, and you only had 4 items. You ask her why your bill is so much, and she says that you are also paying for the person who was ahead of you. It's not right, nor is it fair to be paying for someone ahead of you.
It's the same way in love. You cannot let this current person pay for the previous love's mistakes. If you cannot let the previous go, then perhaps it's too soon to fall in love again. Every person is unique and different in thier own ways, and no one is perfect. But don't let the one you are with now, pay for what the previous one did.
Good luck.

I'm exactly the same as you. and every relationship i have been in so far has been ruined by relationships of the past.
Do you love yourself? if yes, then i suggest you just take the risk. No matter who you're with, if the guy wants to leave, he will, no matter how perfect you are. that's guys for you. But if not, you need help to learn to love yourself, because when the right one comes along, you'll ruin it with him too.
Life is about risks, learning from experience and mistakes. keep telling yourself that if he goes, he goes. that's his loss. nothing you can do about it.