In our May 2026 issue, Malaysian actress Jojo Goh shares more about what she thinks caring for herself truly is.
2026 has been a year of renewal for Jojo Goh. She didn’t even plan for it or see it coming—like most changes, it came gradually, yet altogether at once. She has always had a sense of connection to a higher self; spiritual, but not religious. But this year, especially, it feels like she has reconnected with herself. “There’s a certain clarity I can’t quite explain…I’m starting to understand myself better, treat myself better—something I never did before.”
In numerology, 2026 is a Universal 1 Year: the start of a nine-year cycle. But what does this mean, exactly? Numerology is the study of numbers as living energies—archetypes, vibrations, and universal patterns believed to shape life, personality, timing, and collective movement. It works on the premise that numbers are more than quantities; they are symbols, rhythms, and codes. Much like astrology follows planetary cycles, numerology follows cycles of numbers, each carrying its own meaning and invitation. In numerology, 2026 reduces to a Universal 1 Year: when you add the digits together (2+0+2+6), you get 10, and 1+0 brings you back to 1. A Universal 1 Year represents initiation, identity, courage, and creation—the spark that lights the fire—and whatever is ignited now has the potential to shape the next nine years of your life. Because the 1 Universal Year follows the 9, we’re now free of outdated ties, habits, and limitations, and 2026 offers the blank page many have been waiting for. It’s perhaps why so many people felt like 2025 was such a challenging year; it was a year focused on completion and letting go.
2026, however, challenges us to believe in ourselves and act as our own authority—not waiting for approval, nor blending into the crowd, but stepping into our uniqueness and claiming our ability to create change. In numerology, what begins in a 1 Year often becomes a major theme that evolves throughout the next nine years—which is why it’s important to pick wisely. It is the same sentiment Goh is experiencing. “I don’t know if I’m just following that idea or if it’s my own realisation—all I know is that it resonates with me right now. It feels like there’s an energy pushing me to reevaluate my life,” she told GRAZIA Malaysia.
One thing she’s reevaluating for certain is the way she treats herself. It’s a sentiment most women can relate to: hard on themselves yet forgiving of the shortcomings of others. “When people told me that I was worth it, I’d question it. But now, I’m beginning to believe in it,” she said. For so long, she never felt truly deserving of the good things that happened to her. If she achieved what she set out to do, it didn’t warrant pride in herself, because it was expected of her to achieve it. What’s there to be proud of yourself for when you were supposed to do it anyway? This is, of course, no way to live. A little self-appreciation goes a long way in nurturing your mental health and soul, and Goh eventually learnt that.
Do you feel like you’re taking better care of yourself now? we asked. She’s quick to answer: “Internally, yes. Externally, I’ve always taken good care of myself—working out, learning new things. But that had always been on a superficial level. Now, I’m caring for myself from the inside—mentally and emotionally.” So, what changed? “Last year, I lost a longtime friend, and a well-known Chinese singer also passed away. It made me reflect on my life and legacy. I began asking myself: If I were to die one day, what would I leave behind? It wasn’t in terms of fame but how I made people feel. I don’t want to just be remembered as ‘the talkative one’. I want to have truly contributed to something,” she said.
On the topic of fame, this year marks Goh’s 20th year in the entertainment industry. It’s no small feat getting to where she is today, with a strong filmography list under her belt spanning crowd favourites like Emerald Hill: The Little Nyonya Story, Padu, The Ghost Bride, Beijing to Moscow, and more. However, it was only in her seventh year of being an actress that she felt comfortable calling herself a professional actor. “I respected the profession so much that I didn’t feel like I deserved the title at first,” she confessed. “But now, I’ve learnt to be more flexible. If you aspire to be an actor and are committed to it, that already means something.”
Make no mistake, however—she doesn’t feel like she’s perfected her craft yet. Being a good actor, to Goh, is a lifelong process—one that is always evolving. What she could do in the past doesn’t define what she’s capable of doing now, and the same works in the reverse. It’s a constant process of honing the craft and striving for excellence—an understanding that only a true actor possesses. In the same vein, she doesn’t believe in retiring—not in the traditional sense at least, the way generations before us have done. After all, she’s doing what she loves, and it makes no sense to stop doing what she loves completely. Goh believes that even if she “retires”, she’d still want to continue creating things, big or small. “I don’t think we’re meant to stop doing things completely,” she mulled. Therein lies the passion of someone committed to their craft—the willingness and desire to continue pursuing it, despite—or in spite of?—the passage of time.
Like perfecting her craft, learning to care for herself is a lifelong process. Being honest with herself, she said, is the biggest form of self-care. “Sometimes we gaslight ourselves into thinking we don’t want something because of societal expectations,” she said. “But deep down, we know what we want. And ignoring that is a form of self-betrayal.”
Can you give us an example? we asked. “I used to avoid talking about money,” she started. She would agree to take on jobs and say that it was all for the sake of passion. But now, she’s more honest. She’d ask, What’s the compensation? It’s not that she’s changed her values or become more money-minded. It’s rooted in realism, and she’s no longer pretending that money doesn’t matter—because it does, at the end of the day. “People sometimes promote certain virtues, but they’re not always being genuine themselves,” she mulled. “So now, I try not to deny my own ambitions or desires.”
She’s right about being honest with yourself—it really is the biggest form of self-care.
Photography: Amani Azlin
Creative Direction: Ian Loh
Styling: Joseph Cheng
Art Direction: Nadia Aswardy
Hair: VV Chan
Makeup: Rachel Seok
Producer: Joe Ming
Photography Assistants: Azuan
Styling Assistants: Sarah Chong
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