Constructive criticism from other people is probably a really helpful thing.
But on the other hand it may prevent that you find your own style that makes you stand out. 
I think it needs time and ( slow, not hasty ) learning-by-doing to start thinking like a VFX artist. It’s like learning a language… at some point you start to feel homey with all the tools and your workflow and you just know how to do things.
Iterate your VFX. When you are done with one effect, come back some days later and look at it again. Search for things you don’t like and replace them until you are satisfied.
If you think ( or feel ) something is missing add more effect layers.
And create organic.
Use for example animations with ac- and deceleration instead if linear animations.
Use asymmetrical shapes instead of mirrored “butterflies”.
Surprise the beholder with unexpected effect layers and timing. 
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Hey! Totally understand what you mean — getting the “artist mindset” behind VFX creation is something tutorials rarely teach. A strong creative process can make a huge difference in how your effects feel and read emotionally.
One thing that really helps is studying real-world references — explosions, smoke, magic, water, etc. Break them down frame by frame and ask: what’s driving the motion, what’s the rhythm, what’s the focus point, and how does light interact with the shapes? Once you start observing like this, you’ll naturally develop that “VFX eye.”
Also, you might find Motion Magic VFX & Animation Studios learning approach helpful — they focus not only on the technical tools but also on artistic vision, timing, and color design for real-time VFX.
https://motionmagicvfx.com
They sometimes share breakdowns and creative thought processes that go beyond the usual tutorials — could give you a fresh perspective.
Keep experimenting, and try to iterate a lot — that’s how your artistic instincts really sharpen over time.
