It was roughly a year ago when most of us who set intentions for 2020 realized simply getting through the year with any semblance of sanity would be achievement enough.
Rob Kardashian, on the other hand, managed to keep up with his New Year's resolutions. Having created "several goals" for the year, as a source put it to E! News, he stayed on track, maintaining that grind even when coronavirus ground virtually everything to a halt.
"Continuously putting effort into his health and wellness," as the source put it, he scheduled in time with a trainer "here and there." But the biggest modification for the University of Southern California alum, who once toyed with the idea of attending a weight loss retreat after he was diagnosed with diabetes in 2015, has been cutting down on fast food runs and alcohol and "really working on his healthy eating habits," continued the source. "This has been a game changer for him."
As a result, he's gotten back on the field, first popping up at sister Khloe Kardashian's June birthday bash, then a Fourth of July fete and finally back on TV, returning to the family's flagship show Keeping Up With the Kardashians last October, all the while gaining some surprising new cheerleaders.
In December, ex Rita Ora reminisced about the "very, very fun" time they spent together in 2012 and just this past month, onetime fiancée Blac Chyna confirmed their oft-contentious co-parenting situation had finally mellowed into a cordial one.
"It's doing good. It's doing well," his former Rob & Chyna costar shared on The Wendy Williams Show, noting that Rob had sent a "really pretty heart bouquet" to their 4-year-old daughter Dream on Valentine's Day. "Everything's good. We're in a positive space."
Basically everything's coming up Rob as the 34-year-old celebrates his St. Patrick's Day birthday. "He has found a happier place where he is focused on Dream and all the joy she brings," a family insider recently told E! News. "He wants to be the best dad possible and doesn't want to let her down. It has helped him find a pathway forward and a purpose."
Really, the preschooler is his driver in all things. His legal battle with ex Blac Chyna now past the ugly, back-and-forth accusations stage, the two having locked in a shared custody agreement in December, Rob remains keyed in on giving Dream a happy childhood. He's "doing everything he can to create a positive environment," an insider told E! News last year.
That means, uh, dreaming up creative play ideas, scheduling time with his daughter to run around with her cousins and documenting her never-ending cuteness for the 'gram. "He is loving spending time with Dream and entertaining her with activities," a source told E! News last year. "He is always sharing her milestones with his sisters and loves teaching her new things. Dream is his number one priority."
Kris Jenner has certainly noted the change in her only son.
"He is so good," she shared of Rob's current trajectory while chatting with Cheryl Burke and AJ McLean on iHeartRadio's Pretty Messed Up in November. "He's really great." She'd long since grown used to her offspring flexing their parenting skills and yet she still marveled at his relationship with Dream. "He's so in love with that kid," Kris continued. "He's such a great dad and you never know—you have kids, they grow up, they have their kids—and you just don't know how somebody is going to be as a parent but he's just... wow."
Dream was Rob's plus-one during the family's late January trip to Turks and Caicos that Kylie Jenner threw for daughter Stormi's third birthday.
Decamping to a private villa that they'd frequented in the past, Rob and sister Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Khloe and Kylie "had a great vacation spending time at the beach, swimming, taking boat rides and playing in the sand," a source says. The three-night stay was "all about the kids," the source shared, with Dream palling around beside Stormi, Khloe's daughter True, Kourtney's daughter Penelope and Kim's girls North and Chicago.
Rob, shared the family insider, "loves being able to spend time with Dream and seeing her with her cousins. He spends a lot of the time with the family and the kids, and he's been around a lot more."
Though he's not opposed to the idea of eventually having another partner to tag along to family trips.
"Rob is single, but would like to date," a confidante told E! News in 2019 of the Arthur George sock designer, who enjoyed an August dinner with model Aileen Gisselle. "He wants to find someone to spend time with and share his life with."
Knowing how important it is that any partner fit in with his notoriously close family, he's even asked momager Kris for her input, continued the confidante: "He doesn't want to get swept up and fall hard for the wrong person." But he's definitely ready to dive back into the pool. Healthier and more confident than he's felt in ages, "He's starting to feel better about himself," continued the confidante, "and is feeling more hopeful."
Which is what happens when you've got the strongest squad in the game by your side.
Appearing on E!'s Daily Pop a few weeks after her June birthday bash, Khloe said she was thrilled by the response to Rob's outing, complete with a rare Instagram snap proclaiming he was "back baby!"
As his family bestie explained it to E!'s Justin Sylvester, Rob's almost always keeping up with the family get-togethers. "He's at things a lot, we just always respect his privacy," she explained. But this time, half a year into his new healthy regimen, "he just, I don't know, was feeling himself as he should at my birthday. He was fine with us posting a flick of him. He's so handsome, he's such a good person and I just love him."
Mostly, though, continued Khloe, "I love that he's getting a positive response because it's just gassing him up more. It makes him feel really good and confident. That's all I want for my brother, is to feel good about himself."
She's been his loudest cheerleader this whole time. "She looks out for him and is very protective," a source shared with E! News last summer. "She's so happy to see him making progress and encourages him to keep it up."
A bit of a homebody, "Rob has been thriving during quarantine," an insider told E! News, noting how he's bounced around from his place to Kris' Hidden Hills mansion and Khloe's spread for playdates between Dream and True.
And there are celebrations all around each time Rob turns up at another family event, the group extra "excited" that he caught the flight with them for Kylie's Turks and Caicos birthday trip last August.
Enjoying social settings much more (he captioned snaps from the tropical getaway, "Most Beautiful trip of my Life with the Fam!!"), Rob "is doing great and is in a good headspace," said the insider. "He seems happier than ever."