Stuff I’ve learnt along the way

Make sure you get along well with the rest of the team.

This should be pretty obvious because these are people who will see you at your best and your worst. You may find yourself in situations where you are vulnerable. Do you trust them to support you? Can you sit in a cold, dark room with these people for hours without them getting on your nerves? If, like me, you get cranky when you’re tired and cold, everything is amplified. If someone annoys you under normal circumstances, you may end up in a lockdown situation if you are in close confinement for an extended period of time. Someone just breathing can be overwhelming if you don’t love him or her very much. My brother is part of my paranormal team and while this experience has brought us a lot closer together, the regular brother-sister stuff can feel quite amplified for me during an investigation and we have been known to have had arguments…. or three. I wouldn’t do any of this without him (I did for a while and it never felt the same), but he can get on my nerves sometimes. Make sure you all get along and, most importantly, that you support each other and have each other’s back. You are a family now.

Be willing to put in your share of work.

This will differ depending on the role you play in the team. If you are the leader or founder of the group, there is a lot of work behind the scenes that you may not realize needs to be done. Even during an investigation, people look to you for guidance and leadership. If there is no leader, things can spiral into a disorganized hot mess very quickly. If you are not a leader, you still need to do your fair share. There is evidence assessment, investigation, site reconnaissance and the list goes on.

Try to avoid paranormal politics.

Sometimes the paranormal community can be like high school. Whether it’s fueled by jealousy, territoriality, or just dirty plans, there can be drama at times. Try not to involve yourself in this and try not to take things personally, even if you do. Be true to yourself and honestly there are some great people in this community. Attend a lot of events and a conference like Paracon is the perfect place to start. Introduce yourself to everyone. Befriend people on Facebook and make yourself known and support other people and other groups. This really goes a long way. You may have a different view or opinion than someone else, but this can make for a good conversation. Please be respectful and agree to disagree. They may even have a different view or perception that you haven’t thought of and you might even learn something or a top point. Once again, get people’s back and you’ll find they’ll have yours too.

There is no me in the team

One of the frustrating aspects of being part of a team is exactly that. You are a team. Planning can be difficult because we all have lives, jobs and families, and it can be difficult to get everyone together at the same time. Just because you want something to be done a certain way doesn’t mean it has to be that way. Everyone has to have their say and an opinion, and it’s about finding that common ground. Sometimes you can’t please everyone, but most of all, people just want to feel like they are heard. We are all adults and we don’t like being told what to do or being bossed around, so make sure you treat people the way you would want to be treated. We are all equal. If you can’t work in a team (not all teams work), try working independently. It doesn’t mean you’re alone!

Have faith and stick to what you believe in

If you plan on having any kind of social media presence, be prepared for what this means. Whether it’s a troll just looking for some trouble or a keyboard warrior who in his eyes is always right, someone will always have something to say. For example, if you post a piece of evidence, it will likely be taken apart and things could get heated. The thing to remember is that in most cases people are not being malicious by doing this. If there is an explanation for something you captured, be open to it. It can really help you learn. Of course it can be discouraging if, for example, you think you’ve captured something on camera and someone points out that it’s just a matter of reflection etc. But the next time you analyze your photos you’ll find that you’ve captured this and that you know what to look out for. It actually makes you a better researcher. If you don’t agree with someone’s explanation, you don’t have to accept it. If you have a particular opinion on a subject, stick to your guns. It’s what you believe in. Some may not understand or want you to believe their theory or their way of doing things, but you know what? Nothing related to the paranormal is actually a fact. It consists purely of theories and research, and much of it has no proven science. That’s why we do what we do, to try to get these answers. Ultimately, you are allowed to have your own opinions and should not be criticized for your beliefs. That said, remember all of this when talking to others, too. If you want to comment on someone’s evidence or beliefs, take a step back and think about how you would want someone to approach you about it.

Start saving money

There’s a reason this is called a love job. The majority of people in this sector are not paid. Those who do get paid are likely making a loss or barely breaking even. Why would you do it if you don’t get paid? Out of love for the profession. Equipment is expensive. You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to conduct a survey, but any kind of equipment, even a camera or recorder, costs money. Most locations are not free. If you’re doing a private lockdown, make sure you have a big wad of cash on hand. I wonder if some popular locations add an extra fee to rent out the location when you mention the word paranormal investigation. Some locations have cost us over $1000 to rent.

Be patient, patient and more patient

A lot of administrative hassle can arise for all kinds of reasons. One tip I can give you is to go out and make sure your group has public liability insurance (thanks Beth from Access Paranormal). In many locations, a group will now no longer set foot in their building without this. Some call for a first aid officer and a health and safety officer. Others want you to fill out a detailed proposal of what you want to do during the examination and others insist on giving you a supervisor who must be with you at all times. The locations have the power and in many cases you have to suck it up and accept it if you want to conduct an investigation. What you can do is try to build trust and a relationship with them so that when you go back, they might be able to relax things a bit for you.

I could sit here all night and write pages and pages, but my final piece of advice is to stay true to yourself and remember why you are doing this. You probably won’t become famous. You most likely won’t get a television deal and swarms of fans will follow your every move. If this is the reason you are doing this, put down your K2 and walk away because you will be very disappointed. Do this because you love it and because you are looking for your own answers, whatever they may be. Do this because you’ve made lifelong friends that you can’t wait to see at the next event. Do this because you are open to learning and seeing things from a different perspective. Do this because you want to do it.

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