Meet Lily Buonocore

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lily Buonocore. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lily below.

Lily, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is a familiar feeling for many of us. I remember experiencing it most intensely when I began singing at weddings and then again when I started teaching yoga. Two very different roles, yet both have a profound impact on the client or student experience.

When I first started singing at weddings, I often thought: “Who am I to cover Beyoncé?” or “They really want me to sing their first dance?” It felt like such a huge responsibility—I just wanted to get it exactly right. It took about a year, and countless hugs from wonderful brides, to realize I was actually good at it.

Similar feelings surfaced when I began teaching yoga in a studio instead of over Zoom. I’d look at a room full of students, many older and with more life experience, and think: “Who am I to guide them? Do I have anything to teach them?” But soon, students began coming up to me after class and telling me it was their favorite yoga class ever. They’d say the theme I chose was exactly what they needed to hear that day – some of them even opening up to me.

With both of these roles, I learned to get comfortable being uncomfortable. I firmly believe that discomfort equals growth. It’s easy to obsess over our mistakes or all the things we think we could do better, and somehow harder to truly hear what people are saying to us. Now, after almost five years of singing at weddings and teaching yoga, I feel these are roles I was always meant to have.

The common thread between them? Making a positive impact on the lives of others. Imposter syndrome still creeps in sometimes, but I see it as a sign that I care—and that I still want to grow.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’ve always been someone who wears many hats. Sometimes I daydream about what it would be like to have a single 9–5 job with nights off and weekends free, but I know it wouldn’t fulfill me the way my many different passions do.

I started singing in musicals at age 7, quickly becoming known as the little girl with the big voice. That love of theatre eventually took me to Colorado, where I majored in Musical Theatre and minored in Dance at the University of Northern Colorado. Right after graduation, I landed a job in Boulder at BDT Stage (which has sadly since closed). I spent months playing Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Belle in Beauty and the Beast, and dancing and singing in the ensemble of Mamma Mia!. It was a chapter of life I’ll always be grateful for—doing what I loved full-time.

When the pandemic hit, I spent a lot of time thinking about life outside of theatre. That reflection led me to singing at weddings and teaching yoga. It felt like a complete pivot, but I still got to use so many of the skills I’d developed as a musical theatre performer. Never did I imagine I’d be singing in 10-piece bands, covering the latest hits every weekend, and traveling all over Colorado. I also never expected to become a safe, supportive space for so many yoga students—someone they can talk to and show up authentically with.

It feels special to be a person with more than one passion. These days, I even serve tables a couple of times a week and spend my daytime hours talking with couples as they plan the musical elements of their big day. Sometimes I joke that I’m living my own version of Hannah Montana, a show I loved as a kid about a young rockstar with a double life. I truly believe each role makes me better at the others. In the end, it’s the way I care for others that I think has gotten me this far. My soft skills are something I bring to every role and what am I most proud of.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The qualities that have shaped my journey most are compassion, adaptability, and integrity. I believe the world doesn’t have enough compassion. It’s easy to care for people you know—a friend, family member, or partner—but what we really need is for people to care about the well-being of everyone. Practicing compassion for a concerned bride, a coworker, a yoga student, or even a customer at the restaurant where I work has allowed me to build strong connections and show up for people in times of need, even if we’ve barely spoken.

Along with compassion, adaptability is essential. I spent much of my childhood moving from state to state, constantly starting over and making new friends. That experience taught me how to adjust to new jobs and situations without feeling overwhelmed. It really is about getting comfortable with being uncomfortable—eventually it gets easier.

Lastly, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of integrity. I’ve often been told I’m “too nice” in positions of authority, or that my sensitivity will hold me back. With feedback like that, it’s easy to want to change who you are at your core. But in those moments, instead of changing myself, I chose to change my surroundings—leaving companies and distancing myself from people who didn’t appreciate me for who I was. Staying true to yourself doesn’t just clear away what doesn’t serve you; it guides you toward the people and roles that are meant just for you.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?

One book I always return to is The Four Agreements. It was the first book I was assigned to read when I began training as a yoga teacher, and at just around 100 pages, it’s a quick read I now recommend to everyone. The book is divided into four agreements that serve as a kind of code of conduct for living a happy, free life:

1. Be impeccable with your word

2. Don’t take anything personally

3. Don’t make assumptions

4. Always do your best

These may seem like simple principles, but they’re much harder to practice than they appear. Being impeccable with your word is about speaking truth—not just to others, but to yourself. Say only what you mean, nothing more and nothing less.

Not taking things personally is something many of us struggle with. The words and actions of others are really a reflection of who they are, often having little or nothing to do with us.

Making assumptions is another habit we fall into all too easily. We assume what others are thinking, we assume what will happen next, and we don’t spend enough time communicating clearly.

Lastly, always doing your best might sound simple or even obvious, but it recognizes that “your best” looks different every day. Your best when you’re sick or exhausted is different from when you’re rested and joyful. The key is to be content with what your best looks like in that moment.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in self-reflection and personal growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lillianbuonocore.com/
• Instagram: @lilybuonocore

Image Credits

Adriane Leigh Photo