Can I suggest an exercise for you? I am not sure if it'll work for you or not, but just try this with your parents or friends around (once you've practised alone). Take a deep breath through your nose with your mouth closed, open your mouth and let go of a bit of air, decompress your chest, and slowly, and I mean very slowly say your name. So let's say yout name is Jonathan, I want you to divide it like this (/Joooooooooo/Naaaaaa/thaaaa/nnnn/) So the idea is to elongate the vowels you speak. It's helped me a lot - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But trying is important. Do try it infront of a mirror and look in your eyes in the mirror when you saying you're practicing privately.