command line – Cannot get zsh to resemble bash_profile with xterm Linux colors for MacOS

I installed a new logic board and thought I had to reinstall MacOS, so I upgraded to the final release of Big Sur.

I’ve realized the bash shell is no longer being used, and now MacOS is using zsh, and simply editing my bash_profile file. This is one reason why I don’t like upgrading to newer OS’s, but can also no longer remain on Mojave for multiple reasons.

My attempts:

1. Since nano ~/.bash_profile is no longer being looked at by MacOS, I’ve tried simply updating zsh_profile, .zprofile, and .profile with my original commands that were exactly what I wanted for my profile: export CLICOLOR=1 export LSCOLORS=GxFxCxDxBxegedabagaced and unfortunately this has done nothing after properly saving, confirmed the save state, exiting and restarting the computer each time with no change.
2. Additionally, I did open ~/.zshrc and added the export commands along with the following conditional command:
   if [ -f ~/.bash_profile ]; then
   . ~/.bash_profile;
   fi
   which was in a thread from Stack Overflow, but this did not work either.
3. I also went into my Terminal Preferences and under the General settings, changed my ‘Shell open with’ from the Default login shell to ‘Command (complete path) /bin/bash but this changed nothing even when I made sure my bash_profile is also updated on this new installation of Big Sur.
4. When clicking ‘Profiles’ and selecting the Advanced tab, I’ve declared terminal as xterm hoping this would also update my main color scheme, but no.
5. I “brute forced” the colors by altering the ANSI colors from magenta and cyan to red and blue which partially worked for the terminal, but then when I verified what Vim looked like afterward, it obviously inverted my colors which I do not like. So I switched the ANSI colors back. I have Vim exactly as I want it for traditional Linux highlighting.

I could technically switch the ANSI colors back in Terminal Preferences again and just alter my highlighting LineNr, ctermfg and Tagname colors in my ~/.vimrc file, but I really don’t feel like I should have to make those kind of alterations. I would much prefer to get the system to just properly see my zsh color scheme to classic Linux xterm colors.

I cannot stand the zsh color scheme and just want the old bash highlighting theme, but as mentioned, I can no longer use Mojave, and Monterey has a bad reputation for eating through batteries. I also replaced my old battery with a brand new one and everyone seems to like the final release of Big Sur, rather than upgrading to the latest OS’s.

How can I change zsh to be like bash used to work?