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I am abundant... and whatever other flavor-of-the-month idea you want to integrate? Depending on who and what you believe, affirmations are supposed to be the secret to getting whatever you want in life. And they work fabulously—for some people. And for the vast majority of us, it's hit or miss... or worse.
In fact, Dr. Richard Bolstad, a pioneering NLP practitioner and researcher found (along with a group of interested colleagues) that affirmations, arguably "one of the most popular self-development tools of all time, generally lowered people's self-esteem and made them less likely to act." Their findings were based on a number of studies, and one in particular, which was conducted by University of Waterloo psychologists Joanne Wood and John Lee, along with Wei Qi Elaine Perunovic from the University of New Brunswick.
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Hmmmm..
First of all, anyone who knows anything about affirmations would never use something like "I am abundant" as an affirmation. It might make you richer but it would also make you fatter. Work with something like "My life is full of financial abundance".
Also, there is no such thing as an "I will" affirmation. Affirmations work by effecting change in the here and now so they are always in the present tense eg. " I love and approve of myself" or "I lovingly forgive myself". An "I will" statement by its very nature would be dis-empowering as it implies some sort of "must do better" thinking and defers action into the undefined future. This stuff was well understood in the 1980s when I started on my journey of self growth.
Yes, OK, it is a great to "dream and imagine beyond the limits of our everyday reality" but does that do anything to effect real change in someone's life or change their beliefs? I don't think so. Would changing an "I will" statement into a "Will I" question make any difference? Nope.
Everyone has self-limiting beliefs. To really grow, you need to know what those beliefs are but then don't focus on them. Spend time articulating in detail what it is you want to achieve. If you can, find a good teacher or spend time around people who have already achieved your goal and most importantly, learn how to get comfortable with the uncertainty and discomfort you feel when reaching beyond what is normally "safe" for you. Bridge that gap and you can achieve your dreams. Over time, that uncertainty and discomfort disappears.
It's really no different to what most people go through learning to drive. OK, you have to "believe" you can drive but that does not get you a licence. Find a driving instructor and get some lessons. The first few weeks might be pretty tense and scary but after you pass your test and have been driving for a few months, it becomes a normal part of your day....