Word Of The Year 2026 – Sunflower

Ah, procrastination has brought this post to the second-half of January, or is it the coldest winter in years to blame? Delhi has been wintering hard this year, breaking records or rather making new ones. So here I was barely managing the chores and work with chattering teeth and shivering hands. Typing out the post, which I had in mind since the very first day of the year, just seemed too tough a thing to do.

Can’t believe it’s already been half of January that sped by us! While dealing with the winter, the whole family suffered from a bout of fever this time, and the rest of the days went by in recovering from it. Wasn’t the kind of start we were looking forward to after a tough 2025.

Sipping my ginger-lemon-honey-tea, a new favourite since Ladakh 2024, I decided to write about the word that has been circling my mind for a few weeks now.

But before the new word sets the intention for 2026, I reflected upon last year’s word – Persevere. I had set high hopes for myself with word, but now looking back, Life really got in the way and amongst the few losses of 2025, I would count this word too. I would have gone ahead to say I failed miserably in following through perseverance, but in retrospect, it showed up in little moments of daily life.

Not dwelling on the past much longer, bringing in hope for this year with the word – SUNFLOWER.

It seems like a weird choice of word. P looked at me with confusion all over his face when I first thought out loud about it. Then I enlightened him about what it meant to me.

A Sunflower holds many meanings.

A Sunflower represents happiness – adding joy and colour even to the most mundane things.

A Sunflower embodies positivity – bringing hope to life in difficult times.

A Sunflower symbolises guidance towards light – to focus on the good things in life.

A Sunflower showcases strength – standing tall in the toughest of situations, teaching resilience and endurance.

A Sunflower tells the tale of love and loyalty – towards oneself and the ones we adore.

It came to me during our recent trip to the Nilgiris, where I picked up a little sunflower that had fallen off. Looking at it felt like welcoming hope and light into the overwhelming chaos of life. It brought a strange sense of calm. No doubt, I got that little flower home with me.