When strong emotions take over, what activities help you return to a more balanced state?

Breathing helps, focusing on your breathing, meditating, listening to music you like, thinking positive, these things really work for me. Sometimes it is good to explore the emotion, feel it not fight it, ask why am i feeling this? Why am i so bothered? What is the reason. Understanding your emotions is hard but that effort goes a long way in helping you control your emotions and understand them. I hope this was helpful. Breathing in and out and focusing on your breath with your eyes closed calms your body, distracts you from your thoughts and helps you calm down.