How Highly Sensitive People Can Align Money

In this episode of 'Get Ready: Before Life Happens,' host Tony Stewart interviews Diana Yanez, a financial planner and host of the 'Highly Sensitive Money Podcast,' about how highly sensitive people can align their finances with their values. Diana shares her journey from working at Merrill Lynch during the 2007 financial crisis—where she witnessed systemic injustice and personal loss—to leaving finance out of disillusionment, then returning through social work, demographics, and eventually discovering her true calling in financial life planning. She emphasizes that financial work can be deeply aligned with social justice, emotional intelligence, and personal values, especially for those who process information deeply and are sensitive to systemic inequities. Diana discusses how her own high sensitivity shaped her approach to money coaching and investment advising, advocating for tools like titration (small, manageable steps) to reduce anxiety and build confidence. She also highlights the importance of values-based investing—such as fossil fuel-free banking and supporting local businesses—as a way to make money work for people, not against them. The conversation underscores that money is not a math problem but a psychological and emotional one, and that true financial wellness comes from self-compassion, community, and alignment with one’s identity and purpose.