Being a gentle parent is not synonymous with not parenting.
There is a huge difference between crushing a child's spirit and not being willing to be the bad guy in order to teach a child boundaries, especially when those lessons are about safety. That your child is being allowed to handle electric cords is an accident waiting to happen. Not only should the cords be out of reach as much as possible, but it is up to you, the parent, to be consistent in establishing the boundary that electrical cords are not ok to touch by picking your child up, moving them somewhere else and speaking a firm no - over and over, no matter how many times it takes. There can't be an oh-well limit when it comes to matters that involve safety, no matter how persistent, stubborn or out of control your child is at the moment.
And to then allow a one year old who is not physically capable of pushing you away to do so with your permission (you are choosing to move since you are much bigger and can't actually be pushed) is teaching the child that you do not have authority. Your child needs to know you will keep them safe and that there are boundaries - and that you are in control. To not give your child that security isn't gentle; it just lets you temporarily off the hook from being the bad guy. At some point your child is going to encounter an adult or another child who isn't concerned with being gentle, and the emotional consequences to your child will be so much more devastating than the temporary frustration of hearing you say no and knowing you mean it.
I know this sounds harsh, but it is likely the most important lesson I had to learn in parenting a strong-willed gifted child. My oldest walked at 9 months, and she pushed against every boundary in sight. I learned to pick my battles and then not ever waver from the ones that mattered. I remember some days where I got nothing done, because I spent the entire time redirecting her from trying to do something dangerous. If I had given up on the 754th time, all I would have done is teach her that that was my limit. But by never wavering on the things that mattered, she learned to accept it the first time she heard no, and she was much happier for it. It also made parenting her easier, because she knew I had the authority.
She's 22 now, and she is still strong willed and driven. But she accepts boundaries and has learned to discipline herself. She's told me that the consistency over the years helped ground her. And now that string will and drive are helping her meet her goals. It has turned into a wonderful asset for her.
You can be gentle and still set boundaries, but you are going to have to be willing to be the bad guy.
