A situationship that brought me back to prayer - Salam

Salam everyone. I met a man online and we talked for about four months, and things almost became a relationship. In those months everything seemed great - no fights, similar views, and we met twice since he lived in another country. From the start he asked if I would be ready to live abroad and be married. He was six years older, seemed religious, prayed, attended mosque on Fridays to recite Qur'an with friends, and was close to his family. Overall he came across as a very nice man. But when we met in person, we also had physical contact like holding hands and hugging. I was confused why he would allow that if he knew it was haram, and I felt myself being pulled toward those acts. Eventually I told him to stop the physical contact because I didn’t think I could control myself; he agreed and wasn’t angry. After his second visit he said he was unsure about us because I didn’t pray (at that time I didn’t know how to pray even though I grew up in a Muslim home). I kind of saw it coming. Two weeks after his visit he became a bit distant and when I asked what we were, I said I couldn’t wait any longer. He told me he didn’t want a relationship and that he chose deen over me. I wasn’t angry, even a month and a half after we stopped talking. Two days before I asked him about us, I prayed for the first time - it was Asr - and I remember saying if it’s not meant to be let it end quickly. After we ended things I didn’t cry much, it just felt odd not having someone to text every day. Since then I started praying; I learned all five prayers within a month and I’ve been keeping them for a month and a half now. On workdays I usually manage 2–3 prayers, mostly Fajr, Maghrib and Isha. The first time I prayed I cried a lot because of myself (he wasn’t even on my mind, though I initially went to pray wondering what would happen between us); only at the end of the prayer did I ask Allah to guide me regarding him. I’ve cried once more since then. During those times I felt a real connection, but other times I don’t feel much. Overall I feel calmer and my mother even noticed my forehead’s pallor improve after I started praying. He’s been on my mind since, and I sometimes pray for him to become an even better Muslim and to find the right person. I’ve deleted his socials, pictures and messages. Sometimes I want to text him just to ask how he is, to see if he misses the daily messages, but I stop myself every time and won’t let myself fall back into that. My question: how can I improve my prayer and feel that connection again? Also, what do you think about his and my actions? People around me say he might not be as religious as he presented himself. Maybe that’s true, maybe it’s just me viewing him differently now, but I do believe he is a good person. Thank you for your answers and may Allah bless you all. Ameen