Video by Sandi Moynihan

On paper, Alexis Miller looked like she had it all: a new college degree in journalism and a dream to become a National Geographic photographer. A loving husband and an exciting life as an Air Force spouse. She even had a home to call her own.

But despite outward appearances, when the young couple just moved to their first duty station in North Carolina in late 2015, Miller admits she was not doing well at all, particularly when it came to establishing herself professionally.

“I was applying for jobs – like all day, every day – and I was just getting rejected. I wasn’t hearing back from people. I really went into a slump of like, ‘I suck,’” Miller said.

Just as her job search seemed futile, Miller stumbled upon an opportunity to get her 200-hour yoga teacher certification. Even though teaching yoga was the complete opposite of any job she imagined herself doing, Miller embraced the opportunity.

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“Teaching yoga has been fabulous. It’s opened up so many opportunities for me,” Miller said.

After she completed the training and began teaching, Miller landed a remote, part-time job doing social media and digital marketing for the yoga nonprofit, Warriors at Ease. A few months later, she applied and got a second remote, part-time job doing similar work for MILLIE, a company that helps military families with permanent change of station (PCS) moves.

As Miller and her husband prepare to move to their next duty station at Yokota Air Base in Japan, she has no doubt her various remote roles will be a part of her professional life overseas.

“The more that you open yourself up to things that you may be good at, that might not have just been your first dream or your first passion, the more opportunities you’re going to find you have,” Miller said.

“Things can come together into a job that you may never have dreamed of.”