I would say, I have a pretty reactive temperament. I sometimes get into unecessary fights with my partner, snap at my child when I don´t want to. Learning to use my body and center myself has made a marked difference - more so than any meditation- or yoga-practice. These might have increased my baseline tolerance for stress and my ability to sense my body, but my patterns have stayed.
The basic principle is this: in stressful situations, we can use our body as reference point. This is helpful, because we develop a more and more precise map of our actual, physical reactions - before they reach cognition. This creates space. It gives us a way to recover, and chose a measured response. We don´t expect ourselves to remain calm, we expect our bodies to react - and then we balance ourselves - physically and metaphorically. This is quick, and effective. More so than trying to calm ourselves by breathing which has never done much for me (I think the effects don´t come quick enough).
One colleague from work in the hospital comes to mind. He is an avid mindfulness practicioner and teacher. In emergency situations he - albeit displaying a calm demeanor - exudes tension. This gap has always struck me. I don´t think that it is not helpful to practice mindfulness. I believe, we need to make the whole thing less "spaced out" and more applicable to life, which is never as perfect as a yoga mat setting.
When we learn to center ourselves, we can get to know our reaction patterns. This means, things become less scary. We know that throughout the day, we will not remain calm. Our bodies are designed to react by evolution and this has ensured the survical of our species. Life has changed however, and we have not adapted very well.
As we practice recovery, by repeatedly centering ourselves through attention, breath and physical balance, we become more confident that we can handle life and its challenges. This means we do not only notice what is going on in our bodies as a response to the situation unfolding, but we can actually do something about it.
Over time, we increase our tolerance for sensations, and are able to interact with life more fully. We can feel more, not less.
So how can we practice? I believe that there are benefits in finding a movement art, but this is not necessary. The important part is to find a practice that suits our individual needs. I have a "couple seconds centering", that I do multiple times a day (with a reminder on my phone). This is a tiny shift that makes a big difference.
We can begin by noticing gravity: We drop the jaws, drop the shoulders, let the belly to become soft and focus on the weight or lightness of our body. We pause, and notice the sensation. Repeat throughout the day. Repeat if we notice we get irritated. See what happens.