Firstly, well done for achieving such a long marriage in the first place. You have been together for nearly a quarter of a century and so to think separation would be anything other than hurtful and challenging would be naive.
You have both tried to make it work, but as you clearly say, you cannot go backwards. You are ready to go forwards and part of that doesn’t involve being false.
After all the upheaval of acknowledging things weren’t working, you feel that honesty is the best policy. It is. It seems as though separating for a longer period or permanently is what you need.
You’re going to need to thank people in your family for caring and for wanting to help you both but assert yourself and make it clear that this is YOUR issue to resolve, whatever the outcome.
I suggest sitting down with your husband and explaining that you don’t want to have gone through all the hurt and upset so far, and now play at being happy and live a lie.
Reassure him that you value his efforts and that you still care about him but that you need to either separate and live apart for a longer period, or that you need to sell up, move out and move on.
Separation is a stage of parting - sometimes it brings you back together but sometimes it confirms, for at least one partner, that it is time to part.
The difficulty comes when one partner hangs on with hope and wants to make it work. A relationship and a marriage relies on two people wanting it to work, not one wanting it enough for both of you.
Just be honest. And ask your husband to be brave, and as a real sign of his love and care for you, to let you live apart and see where it goes.