Will Rodriguez of Norfolk on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Will Rodriguez shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Will, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do you think is misunderstood about your business? 
There’s a big misconception that platforms like New Reality TV and shows like The Skeptic Metaphysicians are just for “woo-woo spiritual folks” or people who have sage in every room and a backup in the glove box. (No shade… we love sage!) But the truth is, our work is grounded in something much deeper and more universal: the human quest for meaning, healing, and connection.

People assume metaphysical or consciousness-expanding content is either too out-there or too soft, but that couldn’t be further from reality. What we’re doing is actually incredibly practical. We’re offering tools for self-awareness, mental clarity, emotional balance, and even physical wellness, all through the lens of spiritual exploration. Whether it’s breathwork, energy healing, near-death experiences, or quantum consciousness, these aren’t just fringe curiosities anymore. They’re becoming essential conversations for people waking up to more holistic ways of living.

Another major misunderstanding? That this is just a passion project. Sure, I started it from a place of personal healing and curiosity, but we’ve grown into a full-fledged multimedia ecosystem. Between our streaming network, podcast, digital products, live events, and affiliate collaborations, we’re building a consciousness-driven business model that proves spiritual content can be both deeply meaningful and economically viable.

At the end of the day, we’re not here to push a belief system. We’re here to give seekers, skeptics, and everyone in between the freedom to explore their own truth…and to have fun while doing it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Sure! I’m Will Rodriguez; media producer by day, metaphysical explorer by… well, also by day (and sometimes night). I’m the co-host of The Skeptic Metaphysicians podcast alongside my amazing wife Karen, and the co-founder of New Reality TV, a consciousness-based streaming platform designed to raise the vibration of the planet…one soul-stirring episode at a time.

My journey into this world began during the pandemic. Like a lot of people, I was feeling lost, anxious, and disconnected. But instead of binge-watching yet another crime series, I started diving deep into spiritual practices, ancient wisdom, and metaphysical tools that I’d explored in my youth but had long put on the shelf. That personal quest turned into a podcast, which turned into a growing movement, and eventually evolved into a full-blown network with original shows, documentaries, short-form content, meditations, and even a 24/7 live broadcast stream.

What makes our work unique is that we embrace both sides of the spiritual conversation. We’re not here to tell you what to believe…we’re here to explore possibilities, ask big questions, and connect with people from all walks of life who are peeling back the veil of reality in their own way. Whether it’s a quantum physicist, a psychic medium, a plant medicine facilitator, or someone who’s had a life-changing near-death experience, we give them space to share without judgment, and we always keep one foot grounded in curiosity.

Right now, we’re laser-focused on growing New Reality TV as a global hub for uplifting and paradigm-shifting content. We believe media can be medicine, and our goal is to help people feel more seen, more empowered, and more connected, whether they’re just starting to wake up or have been on the path for years.

Also… we’re having a ton of fun doing it.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
The moment that truly reshaped my perspective came in 2020, right in the middle of the pandemic. Like so many others, I hit a breaking point. On the surface, everything looked fine; career, family, responsibilities…but inside I felt hollow, anxious, and disconnected. It was one of those existential crises where you realize that the life you’ve been building doesn’t necessarily feel like your life.

That breakdown turned into a breakthrough. I found myself revisiting the spiritual and metaphysical ideas I’d explored as a teenager…books by Carlos Castaneda, shamanic practices, metaphysical tomes and studies of world religions, and I realized I’d been searching for meaning outside myself when the real work was to look inward.

That shift led directly to starting The Skeptic Metaphysicians podcast. At first it was simply a personal quest, a way to talk to people who had walked paths I was curious about. But it quickly became clear that I wasn’t alone. Listeners began reaching out, saying, “I thought I was the only one asking these questions.” That moment of connection was life-changing: it showed me the power of vulnerability and authentic conversation to help people feel less alone.

From there, my worldview changed completely. I now see life as an unfolding journey of awakening, one where curiosity, compassion, and playfulness are just as important as discipline or study. It’s why we created New Reality TV: to give others the same gift I received, the chance to feel seen, to explore big questions without judgment, and to realize that there are as many spiritual paths as there are people walking them.

In short, the pandemic cracked me open, and instead of falling apart, I found a whole new way to live, create, and serve.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me how to be still and listen, not just to the world around me, but to the quiet voice within.

For most of my life, I was focused on achievement; hitting deadlines, climbing ladders, producing results. And I was good at it. But success, as society defines it, kept me on a treadmill. I didn’t realize I was outsourcing my sense of worth to metrics that had nothing to do with my soul.

It wasn’t until I hit a wall, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, that I truly understood the value of surrender. That moment of internal collapse stripped away the noise and the titles. It forced me to ask the deeper questions: Who am I without the job title? Without the goals? Without the distractions?

Suffering taught me presence. It showed me that vulnerability is a strength. That healing isn’t linear. That being human is messy and beautiful and sacred. It taught me to stop performing and start feeling.

Success gave me tools. Suffering gave me wisdom.

Now, when I show up, whether it’s on camera, behind a microphone, or in everyday life, I show up whole. And that wholeness is the foundation of everything I create.

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies in the spiritual and wellness industry is that you need to be “high vibe all the time” to be doing it right. There’s this subtle pressure to perform your spirituality, to always be calm, always be aligned, always be manifesting abundance while sipping moon-charged water under a Himalayan salt lamp.

But real transformation is messy. Awakening isn’t a Pinterest board of crystals and affirmations, it’s shadow work, self-doubt, and sometimes ugly crying in the car. The idea that we have to be “love and light” 24/7 actually causes a lot of people to feel like they’re failing on the path, when in fact, they’re just… human.

The other big lie? That being spiritual means disconnecting from material reality, like money, business, tech, or media. In truth, the spiritual and the practical must come together if we want to make real impact. That’s part of what we’re doing with New Reality TV, proving that conscious content can be entertaining, profitable, and globally scalable without losing its soul.

On the media side, the industry lie is that “if it doesn’t grab attention in 3 seconds, it’s not worth making.” We say: what if we made space for slower stories? For depth? For content that nourishes instead of numbs?

So yeah…the biggest lies?
• That growth should look pretty.
• That peace means perfection.
• And that you have to choose between success and authenticity.

We’re here to dismantle those myths, one episode at a time.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say, “He helped me remember who I really am.”

Not because I had all the answers …far from it… but because I wasn’t afraid to ask the big, messy, beautiful questions. I hope they say I created space for curiosity. That I made it okay to doubt, to wonder, to search. That I helped bring a little more light to a world that sometimes forgets it’s made of it.

I don’t need statues or awards. What I want is for someone, someday, to tell their story of transformation and casually mention, “I saw this episode… I heard this podcast… I joined this platform… and something in me clicked.”

I hope they remember me as someone who followed his calling, even when it made no logical sense. Someone who walked the line between the seen and unseen, between broadcasting and belief, and tried to build a bridge so others could walk it too.

And maybe they’ll say I made them laugh. That I didn’t take myself too seriously. That I reminded them that spirituality doesn’t have to be stiff, it can be joyful, weird, vulnerable, and alive.

That would be enough. That would be everything.

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