Almost 20 years ago, Louis Barajas did a U-turn, leaving a cushy job with a Newport Beach financial consulting company to return to his East Los Angeles roots and focus on financial planning for Latino families.

His first book, "The Latino Journey to Financial Greatness," took him on nationwide book tours and to corporate events where he increasingly found many Americans – often with high-paying, successful careers – living lives of "quiet financial desperation."

Those conversations led to his third book, "Overworked, Overwhelmed & Underpaid," which made its debut last week with advice on coping amid economic queasiness. We recently caught up with the 47-year-old author, TV commentator and certified financial planner at his Southern California office.

Timing is everything. Did you have any idea when you started this book that it would hit bookstores in the midst of a financial earthquake on Wall Street?

No. I started writing this book at the peak of the real estate bubble, right before it burst. I was traveling on book tours and meeting TV hosts, PR people and execs from Fortune 500 companies. These were people with six-figure incomes, but I was hearing constant complaints about feeling overworked, overwhelmed and underpaid. So many Americans were living lives of quiet financial desperation.

How does that apply to someone with a six-figure income?

It's part of what I call living in the land of the trapped and home of the stressed. A lot of people have put up these facades, these illusions. They've got a decent title at work, drive a great car, wear fancy clothes, but when you talk with them, (there's) desperation, personally and financially. … People need to remember that material things don't make you happier. It's like that old saying: "I've never seen a U-Haul behind a hearse." You can't take your stuff with you.

At work, it's a feeling they weren't getting paid enough (to compensate) for missing out on time with their family. And they're overwhelmed by too much to do. … It can apply to anyone at any income level.

You state that "job satisfaction trumps compensation almost every time." But with high unemployment, folks uneasy about their jobs might argue that compensation is the most important factor. Can you explain?

Some of the luckiest people are ones who have been laid off and are forced to evaluate their life paths. Yes, in the short run, the loss of a job appears grim. … People who focus on their unique abilities and are passionate about what they do create a lot of value not only for themselves, but the organizations they work for.

So many workplaces are dealing with layoffs, buyouts, job losses. Your book notes that we "can't change our circumstances but we can change how we feel." How so?

Most people react negatively to their circumstances. … We've lost the feeling of gratitude for what we have. It starts with being generous with others. If you don't have money or material things to give, you can give some time to an individual. You can provide help to someone whose needs are greater than yours.

You describe a client who's ready to dump his portfolio after a 200-point drop in the stock market. Or someone hears about layoffs at his/her company and assumes they're next. You emphasize the need to respond, not react. What's the difference?

Reacting is making irrational and fearful decisions based on the (hysteria) of the current economic markets. Responding is focusing on your ideal outcome and making wise financial choices.

Sometimes the wisest financial decision is not making any decision at all. For many, the worst decision is to sell everything and put it in a money market instrument. If they miss a couple days when the markets turn around – and they will turn around – it could take years to recoup their losses.

What's been the reaction of your financial planning clients to Wall Street's recent upheavals? Have you had lots of rattled investors?

Yes, the average, non-sophisticated investor is extremely worried. … My advice is to gain perspective and stay calm:

Have a personal finance question? The Bee's Claudia Buck can help you find answers. Reach her at (916) 321-1968 or via The Sacramento Bee; P.O. Box 15779; Sacramento, CA 95852.