Talk about going back and forth! I'll process an image... think it's great - only to want to delete it the next morning.
I'm not entirely sure WHAT I am looking for, but it's probably a fusion of all of my favorite versions of the image taken by others.🤔
My solution - BLEND various versions of MY OWN image together in layers. I line-up several previous processes (over several years) and turn the layers on and off.
This way, I can immediately point out areas I like, and ones I want to improve.
My advice? Keep processing your photos the way you want, and compare them over time. You may be surprised at how much your style has evolved!