Moving around a lot is a stressful and expensive habit. New houses, new schools, new people – all can be hard to adjust to. However, constant change can have upsides, especially to the creatively inclined.

From the time I was 12 to college-bound, I moved five times and went to two sets of middle and high schools. The back-and-forth of packing and unpacking, education and old and new friends was difficult to balance, but it provided a great opportunity for my creative space, internally and externally.

Every time you pack up and move to a new home, you are granted a whole new environment to grow and experiment with your creativity. Arrange your furniture in a totally new way. Put up a different set of posters or artwork. Get a fun colored bulb for your bedside lamp. If your homeowner allows it, paint something nifty on your walls. What can you do to your personal space that will inspire and motivate you most?

Positive creative change doesn’t have to apply to just your physical surroundings, but your physical being. Have you always wanted to try out a new clothing style, or haircut, or makeup look? You can even do this with your personality as well. This is the perfect opportunity to be more out-going or self-focused, to work out your demons or let loose, and generally be a happier and healthier you. Maybe try new activities, like sports or clubs or art that you haven’t explored before. Open yourself up to new experiences. Get creative with yourself, whatever makes you feel like the most productive you.

Your creative outlets can also benefit from moving around a lot. With so much different stimuli around you, there are tons of influences to draw from. If you’re a painter or visual artist, the places you live each offer new perspectives and styles to work with. If you’re a writer, you’ll be exposed to so many different people and environments to model characters or settings after. If you’re musically or cinematographically inclined, you have so many new experiences to show the world. Let the change around you lend to your creativity, because it can create content you’d never thought of before.

So, yes, while moving frequently can be a struggle, there are so many benefits to reap as well. All you have to do is open yourself up the possible opportunities instead of focusing on the sucky aspects. Those will work themselves out with time and patience, but your creative capacities are always at work if you allow them.